Honorary "are" construct denoting God ("say")

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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme are (され) is affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, iw-are-ru (言われる) or “say” is used.

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

SIL Translator’s Notes on 1 Chronicles 14:10

14:10a So David inquired of God, “Should I go up against the Philistines?

David asked God, “Should I go and fight the Philistines?
-or-
So, David asked God whether he should go and attack the Philistines.

14:10b Will You deliver them into my hand?”

Will you let me win the battle against them?”
-or-

⌊He asked⌋ if God would let them defeat the Philistines..

14:10c “Go,” replied the LORD,

Yahweh said to David,
-or-
Yahweh told David

14:10d “for I will deliver them into your hand.”

“Yes, attack. I will help you to beat them.’’
-or-
to go and fight, because he/Yahweh would let him/David win.

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