Dodai the Ahohite (verse 4): The Hebrew word translated Ahohite probably refers to the clan of Ahoah, in the tribe of Benjamin (1 Chr 8.4). However, some interpreters take the word Ahohite as referring to the place from which Dodai came. Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, for example, says “from the village of Ahoh.”

A rather literal translation of verse 4 in the Masoretic Text, which makes little sense, reads as follows: “And over the division for the second month was Dodai the Ahohite; and his division and Mikloth the leader and in his division were twenty-four thousand.” An American Translation follows the Masoretic Text rather literally, but its translation makes as little sense as the Masoretic Text itself: “Over the division of the second month, Dodai the Ahohite and his division, and Mikloth the leader; and in his division were twenty-four thousand.” What does it mean to say that Dodai and his division were over the division? Some interpreters think the Hebrew text contains an error, and various suggestions have been made to correct the Hebrew. Among the ways of understanding and translating verse 4 are the following:

• (1) Some versions follow the Septuagint in omitting the words “and his division, and Mikloth the leader” (so Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, American Bible, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, El libro del Pueblo de Dios, Osty-Trinquet).

• (2) Others correct the text on the basis of 1 Chr 11.12, which says that Dodai was the father of Eleazar. Since verse 2 says Jashobeam the son of Zabdi-el and verse 5 says Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, perhaps verse 4 originally said “Eleazar the son of Dodai.” Peregrino makes this correction by rendering the first part of verse 4 as “In charge of the division for the second month was Eleazar, son of Dodai, the Ahohite; the leader Mikloth formed part of it” (similarly Menge). Moffatt is similar with “The division for the second month was led by Eleazar the son of Dodai the Ahohite.”

• (3) Others translate the Masoretic Text as it is, to which Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {B} rating. The sense of “and his division, and Mikloth the leader” is probably that “Mikloth was his [Dodai’s] chief officer” (New Living Translation), “Mikloth was the chief officer of his division” (New Revised Standard Version; similarly La Bible Pléiade), or “Mikloth was his second in command” (Good News Translation; similarly Bible en français courant, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje). New Century Version says “Mikloth was a leader in the division,” which is probably not the intended meaning of the Hebrew. New International Version and La Bible du Semeur are better with “Mikloth was the leader of his division” (similarly Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Nueva Versión Internacional). Regarding the Hebrew noun translated “leader,” see the comments on 1 Chr 5.2, where it is rendered “prince.”

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 .