king

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Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as “king” in English. Here are some (back-) translations:

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  • Piro: “a great one”
  • Highland Totonac: “the big boss”
  • Huichol: “the one who commanded” (source for this and above: Bratcher / Nida)
  • Ekari: “the one who holds the country” (source: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • Una: weik sienyi: “big headman” (source: Kroneman 2004, p. 407)
  • Pass Valley Yali: “Big Man” (source: Daud Soesilo)
  • Ninia Yali: “big brother with the uplifted name” (source: Daud Soesilio in Noss 2007, p. 175)
  • Nyamwezi: mutemi: generic word for ruler, by specifying the city or nation it becomes clear what kind of ruler (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Ghomála’: Fo (“The word Fo refers to the paramount ruler in the kingdoms of West Cameroon. He holds administrative, political, and religious power over his own people, who are divided into two categories: princes (descendants of royalty) and servants (everyone else).” (Source: Michel Kenmogne in Theologizing in Context: An Example from the Study of a Ghomala’ Christian Hymn))

Faye Edgerton retells how the term in Navajo (Dinė) was determined:

“[This term was] easily expressed in the language of Biblical culture, which had kings and noblemen with their brilliant trappings and their position of honor and praise. But leadership among the Navajos is not accompanied by any such titles or distinctions of dress. Those most respected, especially in earlier days, were their headmen, who were the leaders in raids, and the shaman, who was able to serve the people by appealing for them to the gods, or by exorcising evil spirits. Neither of these made any outward show. Neither held his position by political intrigue or heredity. If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior. If the shaman failed many times in his healing ceremonies, it was considered that he was making mistakes in the chants, or had lost favor with the gods, and another was sought. The term Navajos use for headman is derived from a verb meaning ‘to move the head from side to side as in making an oration.’ The headman must be a good orator, able to move the people to go to war, or to follow him in any important decision. This word is naat’áanii which now means ‘one who rules or bosses.’ It is employed now for a foreman or boss of any kind of labor, as well as for the chairman of the tribal council. So in order to show that the king is not just a common boss but the highest ruler, the word ‘aláahgo, which expresses the superlative degree, was put before naat’áanii, and so ‘aláahgo naat’áanii ‘anyone-more-than-being around-he-moves-his-head-the-one-who’ means ‘the highest ruler.’ Naat’áanii was used for governor as the context usually shows that the person was a ruler of a country or associated with kings.”

(Source: Faye Edgerton in The Bible Translator 1962, p. 25ff. )

See also king (Japanese honorifics).

Translation commentary on 1 Chronicles 18:17

And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites: Benaiah was first mentioned in 1 Chr 11.22-25. Some other passages that refer to him are 2 Sam 8.18; 20.23; and 23.20-23. As indicated by the Good News Translation rendering, the Cherethites and the Pelethites were the bodyguards of King David. Apparently David recruited a private army while he was living in Ziklag (1 Sam 27–30). According to 1 Sam 30.14, he was close to “the Negeb of the Cherethites,” presumably the home of the first named group. Bible en français courant and Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente speak of “Cretans” in place of Cherethites, that is, inhabitants of the island of Crete; and in other languages also, it may be better to use the modern-day name “Cretans.” However, the identification of Cherethites with Cretans is not certain. Some scholars have suggested that the Pelethites is a variant name for the Philistines, but the evidence for this is far from conclusive. Most likely both the Cherethites and the Pelethites were non-Israelites whose origin was probably in the Aegean Sea area. Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, and New Living Translation translate the meaning of these expressions without providing the form, but some translators may prefer to retain the form along with the sense in this passage by saying “the Cherethites and the Pelethites, who were the king’s bodyguards” or “those who protected the king, that is, the Cherethites and the Pelethites.”

And David’s sons were the chief officials in the service of the king: The parallel passage of 2 Sam 8.18 says that David’s sons were priests; but for the Chronicler, only descendants of Aaron could be priests. This clause is literally “and the sons of David the first [plural] at the hand of the king.” Nearly all translations take the words “the first” as referring to the position of David’s sons in his administration; for example, Good News Translation says “and King David’s sons held high positions in his service,” and Contemporary English Version has “David’s sons were his highest ranking officials.” But it is also possible, and perhaps better, to take the word “first” with the word “sons,” as Revised English Bible does by saying “The eldest sons of David were in attendance on the king.” Compare also “and the first sons of David were at the king’s side” (Knoppers). This second interpretation fits the context of a king with many wives and many sons.

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 .