complete verse (1 Chronicles 11:34)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Chronicles 11:34:

  • Kupsabiny: “the sons of Hashem who came from Gizon, Jonathan son of Shagee who came from Harar,” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan son of Shagee the Hararite,” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “the children of Hashem of/from-Gizon,
    Jonatan the child of Shagee of/from-Harar,” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “The sons of Hashem from the Gizon clan;
    Jonathan the son of Shagee from the Harar town/clan;” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 1 Chronicles 11:34

Hashem the Gizonite (verse 34): The name Hashem is not found elsewhere in the Old Testament. The Septuagint has the name “Osom,” and the parallel text of 2 Sam 23.32 has the name “Jashen.” Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament suggests that the vowels in the name Hashem may not be original, but may have been changed to agree with the vowels in the name “Jashen.” A few modern translations correct the text here and translate “Jashen” (so New American Bible, Einheitsübersetzung, Menge). But Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {C} rating to the name Hashem.

Instead of Hashem the Gizonite, the Masoretic Text has “the sons of [bene in Hebrew] Hashem the Gizonite” (so New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, Bible en français courant, Parole de Vie, La Bible Pléiade, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Reina-Valera revisada). Some translations take the Hebrew word bene as part of the name, that is, “Bene-Hashem” (Nouvelle version Segond révisée, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). However, many scholars think that the Hebrew word bene is a scribal error, the result of accidentally copying the final letters “bn” of the preceding name “Sha-albon” twice; so they do not translate the word bene. In the parallel passage of 2 Sam 23.32, Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament prefers the reading of the Septuagint, which omits the word bene. But Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {D} rating to the Masoretic Text here in 1 Chr 11.34, suggesting that the text followed by the author of 1 Chronicles already contained the word bene.

The Gizonite does not appear in the parallel text of 2 Sam 23.32, and it is not known elsewhere in the Old Testament. Some interpreters correct the text here to read “the Gunite” (New American Bible, Einheitsübersetzung) or “from Guni” (Menge) in agreement with some Septuagint manuscripts, but Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {B} rating to the Masoretic Text.

Jonathan the son of Shagee the Hararite (verse 34): Jonathan is said to be the son of Shagee here, but in 2 Sam 23.32 the Masoretic Text seems to say that he is the son of Jashen. Some Septuagint manuscripts of 2 Sam 23.33 say that Jonathan is the son of Shammah the Hararite.

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 .