This verse ends with a rhetorical question in Hebrew, which Good News Translation turns into a statement (also Biblia Dios Habla Hoy). Moffatt keeps the rhetorical question, but then begins the next verse with the answer “No.”

In all places where I have moved with all Israel: The Hebrew verb used here carries the notion of moving about, of coming and going. Some versions speak of Yahweh “accompanying” the Israelites.

Did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people: The time referred to here is the time before Israel had any kings. The Hebrew word translated judges is better understood in the broader sense of “leaders.” The verb shepherd is used here metaphorically to refer to leadership also. Contemporary English Version keeps this image by changing it to a simile, translating the whole verse as “I chose special leaders and told them to be like shepherds for my people Israel. But did I ever say anything to even one of them about building a cedar temple for me?” Good News Translation lacks the nuance of shepherding the people. However, if the metaphor of shepherd cannot be kept, it may be rendered nonfiguratively by saying “rule” (Moffatt), “govern” (Bible en français courant), or “care for” ( NET Bible).

Why have you not built me a house of cedar?: This is a real question within the rhetorical question, so it is an embedded quotation. It may be more natural to change these questions to a statement in some languages where embedded quotations are not considered acceptable (so Good News Translation). For a house of cedar, see the comments on 1 Chr 17.1.

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 .