Also renders the common Hebrew conjunction. Most modern versions leave it untranslated here, but it will be appropriate to begin a new paragraph (so Good News Translation).

To his son Shemaiah were sons born: Shemaiah was the firstborn son of Obed Edom (verse 4). Good News Translation and Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje repeat the information that he was the “oldest son” (also Bible en français courant) and replace the pronoun his with the name “Obed Edom.” Some other common language translations also substitute the name “Obed Edom” for the pronoun for the sake of clarity (so New Living Translation, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch).

Who were rulers in their fathers’ houses is literally “the dominions over the house of their father.” This unusual Hebrew expression probably should not be translated literally. Possibly the abstract term “dominions” is used for the more concrete noun “rulers.” Or more likely, the Hebrew word for “the dominions” should be divided into two words, with the meaning “they [were] ruling.” Also, the Hebrew phrase for “the house of their father” should be understood as the distributive singular; that is, it is plural in meaning: “the houses of their fathers.” Various translations that express the correct meaning for the whole clause are “who ruled over their family” (New American Bible), “who had authority in their family” (Revised English Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible), “who exercised leadership in their family” (American Bible), “who exercised authority in their clans” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), and “They were important men in their clan” (Good News Translation).

For they were men of great ability: Men of great ability is literally “men of strength.” The Hebrew expression here is ambiguous in that it can refer to physical strength or to competence and ability. New American Bible and Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente translate “warriors,” but New Jerusalem Bible says “men of outstanding quality.” If the intended meaning is “brave warriors” (Osty-Trinquet) or simply “warriors,” the expression may be figurative rather than literal; that is, the writer may be using military language to describe their service at the Temple.

The sons of Shemaiah: Othni, Repha-el, Obed, and Elzabad, whose brethren were able men, Elihu and Semachiah is literally “The sons of Shemaiah: Othni, and Rephael, and Obed, Elzabad his brothers, sons of strength/power; Elihu and Semachyahu.” The pronoun “his” most likely refers to Othni. Revised Standard Version has slightly restructured the form of the Hebrew to show that Elihu and Semachiah were brothers of the other sons of Shemaiah. (Although as will be noted below, it is not clear whether Elihu and Semachiah were brothers or sons of Shemaiah.) Good News Translation has also restructured the text to show that all “six” were sons of Shemaiah. Another translation of verse 7, based on this same interpretation, is “These are: Othni, Rephael, Obed, Elzabad and their two bravest brothers Elihu and Semachiah” (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente). La Bible du Semeur is similar with “These were Othni, Rephael, Obed, Elzabad, and above all their brothers Elihu and Semachiah who were especially able,” and so is Bible en français courant with “The sons of Shemaiah were Othni, Rephael, Obed and Elzabad, as well as their brothers Elihu and Semachiah, both especially esteemed.”

But it is also possible to understand the Hebrew to mean that Elihu and Semachiah were relatives, or brothers, of Shemaiah and not his sons. This seems to be the interpretation behind the New International Version translation: “The sons of Shemaiah: Othni, Rephael, Obed and Elzabad; his relatives Elihu and Semakiah were also able men.” Compare “The sons of Shemaiah were Othni, Rephael, Obed, and Elzabad; also his brethren who were men of might, Elihu and Semachiah” (New American Bible) and “Their names were Othni, Rephael, Obed, and Elzabad. Their relatives, Elihu and Semakiah, were also very capable men” (New Living Translation).

The division of verse 7 in the Masoretic Text places the words for able men with the names of the first four sons. However, the translations just cited clearly take these words with the last two names in the verse. Good News Translation also connects these words with the last two names by saying “the last two were especially talented.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh similarly links these words with Elihu and Semachiah, but it is not clear in that translation whether they were brothers of Elzabad or of Shemaiah. For verse 7 New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh reads “The sons of Shemaiah: Othni, Rephael, Obed, Elzabad–his brothers, men of ability, were Elihu and Semachiah.” God’s Word links these words to the previous names by saying “Shemaiah’s sons were Othni, and Othni’s skilled brothers Rephael, Obed, Elzabad, as well as Elihu and Semachiah.”

Many translators may find a need to restructure verses 6 and 7 as in Good News Translation, so that the names are all listed together and the comments about them become separate sentences.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Chronicles, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2014. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .