army

The Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek and Latin that is translated as “army” in English is translated in Chichewa as “group of warriors.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

complete verse (1 Chronicles 18:9)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Chronicles 18:9:

  • Kupsabiny: “The news reached Tou who was king of Hamath that David had defeated all the soldiers of Hadadezer.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “King Tou of Hamath heard the news that David had defeated Hadadezer’s whole army.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Now, King Tou of Hamat heard-the-news that David had-defeated the entire soldiers of King Hadadezer of Zoba.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “When Tou, the king of Hamath city in Syria, heard that David’s army had defeated the entire army of King Hadadezer,” (Source: Translation for Translators)

king

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).

David

The name that is transliterated as “David” in English means “beloved.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )

In Spanish Sign Language it is translated with the sign signifying king and a sling (referring to 1 Samuel 17:49 and 2 Samuel 5:4). (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. )


“Elizabeth” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

In German Sign Language it is only the sling. (See here ).


“David” in German Sign Language (source )

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

The (Protestant) Mandarin Chinese transliteration of “David” is 大卫 (衛) / Dàwèi which carries an additional meaning of “Great Protector.”

Click or tap here to see a short video clip about David (source: Bible Lands 2012)

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: David .

Translation commentary on 1 Chronicles 18:9

In Revised Standard Version this verse is a temporal subordinate clause that introduces what is said in verses 10-11. Good News Translation has made it into a separate sentence (so also New Century Version, Bible en français courant, Parole de Vie). It still sets the stage for what follows, but is grammatically independent. This is probably a good model for many other languages to follow here.

When Tou king of Hamath heard: Tou (New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, Bible en français courant) is spelled “Toi” in 2 Sam 8.9. Good News Translation uses the spelling “Toi” here for the sake of consistency (so also Die Bibel: Hoffnung für alle). The small kingdom of Hamath, mentioned in verse 3, was located between Zobah and the Euphrates River. So it is likely that the people of this area endured suffering at the hands of Hadadezer and his army (see verse 10). This would explain why their king was pleased that David had defeated Hadadezer.

That David had defeated the whole army of Hadadezer, king of Zobah: The Hebrew rendered defeated could also mean “killed,” as in 1 Chr 18.5. But few versions follow this interpretation here. Since Hadadezer has been identified as king of Zobah already in verses 3 and 5 above, the phrase king of Zobah may be left implicit at the end of this verse (so Good News Translation).

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 .

SIL Translator’s Notes on 1 Chronicles 18:9

18:9a When King Tou of Hamath heard

King Tou of Hamath heard
-or-
Then they told Tou king of Hamath

18:9b that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer king of Zobah,

that David defeated the whole army of king Hadadezer of Zobah.
-or-
about the victory of David’s ⌊army⌋ over the entire army of king Hadadezer of Zobah.

18:9a–b (combined and reordered)

David defeated the entire army of Hadedezer king of Zobah. ⌊People told⌋ king Tou of Hamath ⌊about David’s victory⌋ .
-or-

The army of⌋ David defeated the whole army of king Hadadezer of Zobah. ⌊People told⌋ king Tou from Hamath, “David’s army defeated the army of Hadadezer.”

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