Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Chronicles 18:12:
Kupsabiny: “Abishai whose mother was Zeruiah, had killed eighteen thousand soldiers of Edom in the Valley of Salt.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Abishai son of Zeruiah defeated the Edomites in the Valley of Salt. And he killed 18,000 Edomites.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Abishai the child of Zeruya was-able-to-kill 18,000 Edomnon in the plains/valley called Asin.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “One of David’s army commanders, Abishai, whose mother was Zeruiah, went with his army and killed 18,000 soldiers from Edom in the Salt Valley.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Many languages use a “body part tally system” where body parts function as numerals (see body part tally systems with a description). One such language is Angguruk Yali which uses a system that ends at the number 27. To circumvent this limitation, the Angguruk Yali translators adopted a strategy where a large number is first indicated with an approximation via the traditional system, followed by the exact number according to Arabic numerals. For example, where in 2 Samuel 6:1 it says “thirty thousand” in the English translation, the Angguruk Yali says teng-teng angge 30.000 or “so many rounds [following the body part tally system] 30,000,” likewise, in Acts 27:37 where the number “two hundred seventy-six” is used, the Angguruk Yali translation says teng-teng angge 276 or “so many rounds 276,” or in John 6:10 teng-teng angge 5.000 for “five thousand.”
This strategy is used in all the verses referenced here.
And Abishai, the son of Zeruiah …: Abishai is literally “Abshai” here and throughout 1 Chronicles (so New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Knoppers), but nearly all translations harmonize with the spelling in 1–2 Samuel, which is “Abishai.” A literal translation of the son of Zeruiah will incorrectly suggest to most readers that Zeruiah was the father of Abishai. According to 1 Chr 2.16, Zeruiah was a woman, and 2 Sam 17.25 indicates that she was the mother of Joab, the brother of Abishai, so Good News Translation renders this phrase as “whose mother was Zeruiah.” This translation avoids the possible misunderstanding that Zeruiah might have been the father which would be commonly assumed in many languages on the basis of a literal translation.
Slew eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt: Compare 2 Kgs 14.7 and the Hebrew title of Psa 60. New Revised Standard Version renders slew as “killed.” The Hebrew verb here may also be taken in the sense of “defeated” (New American Standard Bible), but probably it is best to understand it as referring to widespread killing. Good News Translation and Bible en français courant use both verbs to convey the meaning. The location of the Valley of Salt is unknown, but there are several possibilities to the south or southwest of the Dead Sea. The problem for the translator is to determine the relationship between Valley and Salt. The idea hidden by the preposition of is probably that the valley was a place where salt deposits and brackish water were found. Such places were unfavorable to agricultural pursuits and were usually considered to be unfit for human beings to live in (see Deut 29.23; Job 39.6; Jer 17.6). So the translation may read “the valley where salt is found.”
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 .
18:12 Moreover, Abishai son of Zeruiah struck down eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.
Abishai ⌊was a leader in the army of David⌋ . ⌊He was the⌋ son of ⌊a woman named⌋ Zeruiah. ⌊He defeated⌋ the Edomite ⌊army⌋ in Salt Valley ⌊and killed⌋ eighteen thousand ⌊of their troops⌋ . -or-
⌊One leader of David’s army was⌋ Abishai, whose mother ⌊was called⌋ Zeruiah. ⌊Abishai with his army⌋ killed eighteen thousand (18,000) ⌊soldiers from⌋ Edom at ⌊a place called⌋ the Valley of Salt.
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