son of

The Greek and Hebrew that is translated as “son of” in English is translated in all Icelandic Bible versions of the Icelandic Bible Society (latest edition 2007) in parallel with the Icelandic naming system . This means that for instance in Matthew 16:17 the name that is transliterated and translated in English as “Simon son of Jonah” becomes “Simon Jónasson” or in Isaiah 8:2 “Zechariah son of Jeberechiah” becomes “Sakaría Jeberekíason” where in both cases the “-son” means “son of.”

In cases where “son of” does not refer to a literal father or perhaps stepfather but to lineage, however, this system is not used. So in Matthew 1:1 “Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham” is translated as “Jesú Krists, sonar Davíðs, sonar Abrahams.”

The referenced verses all have at least one instance where the Icelandic patronymic or matronymic naming system is used. (Source: Halldór Elías Guðmundsson)

See also daughter of

complete verse (1 Chronicles 1:41)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Chronicles 1:41:

  • Kupsabiny: “Anah came to produce a son who was called Dishon. Dishon produced Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran and Keran.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The son of Anah was Dishon.
    The sons of Dishon were Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran and Keran.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The child of Anah was Dishon. The children of Dishon were Hemdan, Eshban, Itran, and Keran.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 1 Chronicles 14:1

The sons of Anah (verse 41) is the reading in the Masoretic Text even though only one son of Anah is listed. Possibly the plural sons is used since ancient records had headings to be filled out as names became known (so De Vries, page 32). Because only one son is mentioned, some translations correct the text to read “the son of Anah” (so Revised English Bible) or simply translate the singular according to the context (Peregrino). Elsewhere in these lists of names, the Hebrew sometimes reads the plural “sons” rather than the singular “son,” when the context seems to require the singular. For this reason some scholars suggest that sons in this context is simply used to refer to the descendants, regardless of whether there was more than one son. El libro del Pueblo de Dios translates verse 41 as follows: “The descendants of Anah were Dishon and his sons, that is, Hamran, Eshban, Ithran and Cheran.” Since the author’s source in Gen 36.25 lists a son and daughter as children of Anah, it is possible that the author of 1 Chronicles simply copied the plural sons and failed to change the noun to the singular.

Instead of Hamran (verse 41), some Hebrew and Greek manuscripts read “Hemdan” in agreement with Gen 36.26 (also New International Version, New Living Translation, La Bible du Semeur, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy). As noted earlier regarding the names in this chapter, scribes sometimes confused the similar Hebrew letters for “r” and “d.”

According to the Revised Standard Version rendering of verse 41, Hamran, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran were the grandsons of Anah and great-grandsons of Seir. But the parallel text in Gen 36.26 seems to say that Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran were the grandsons of Seir. It is not clear whether the second mention of the name Dishon in verse 41 refers to the son of Anah or the son of Seir. The Good News Translation translation of these verses is based on the assumption that the name Dishon in verse 38 is an error, so that name is omitted. Translators should follow the interpretation found in Revised Standard Version here.

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 aOmanson / Ellington (UBS Helps for Trand other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on 1 Chronicles 1:41

1:41a The son of Anah: Dishon.

Anah’s son ⌊was called⌋ Dishon.
-or-

⌊Zibeon’s second son⌋ Anah ⌊had a⌋ son ⌊called⌋ Dishon.

1:41b The sons of Dishon: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran.

The sons of Dishon ⌊were⌋ Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Keran.
-or-
Dishon ⌊had four⌋ sons. ⌊Their names were⌋ Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Keran.

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