Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Chronicles 19:9:
Kupsabiny: “The soldiers of the Ammonites came and stood ready at the the gates of their city, but those who had come to aid them stayed in the open area.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “The Ammonites, having come, were prepared to do battle before the main gate of the city. The kings who came to help took their positions in the open field.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “The Ammonhon positioned-themselves to fight at the gate/entrance of their town, while the kings who joined them positioned-themselves in the plains/valley.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “The soldiers of the Ammon people-group came out of their city and lined up for battle at the entrance to their capital city, Rabbah. Meanwhile, the other kings who had come with their armies stood in their positions in the open fields.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
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:
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.”
The Ammonite soldiers stationed themselves outside their capital city of Rabbah, while their Syrian allies stationed themselves out in the open country to attack the Israelite army from the rear.
The Ammonites came out: The Ammonites may be rendered “The Ammonite troops” (New Living Translation) or “The army of Ammon” (similarly Complete Jewish Bible). The verb came out implies that the Ammonite soldiers left the confines of the city. In many languages it will be necessary to say “came out of the city” or “left behind the city walls.”
Drew up in battle array may be rendered “arranged themselves in their battle positions,” “set themselves in battle formation,” “got ready for battle” (International Children’s Bible), or “prepared to fight the battle.” The Hebrew verb here has the connotation of putting things in rows.
At the entrance of the city: The name of the city of Rabbah is not specifically mentioned in the text until the beginning of the next chapter. But there is little doubt that this passage is talking about the defense of the Ammonites’ capital city, which was located about 37 kilometers (23 miles) northeast of the Dead Sea. In fact, Rabbah is the only city mentioned in the Bible as being Ammonite. Today it is called Amman and is the capital of Jordan. By adding the name “Rabbah,” Good News Translation provides more explicit information than is found in the Hebrew, but the original readers would have understood this. Bible en français courant and Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente say “their capital” instead of the city. For this whole phrase New International Version says “at the entrance to their city.”
And the kings who had come were by themselves in the open country: Good News Translation makes explicit why these Syrian kings and their armies had come by adding the words “to help.” Bible en français courant goes a bit further in saying “to help them.” Were by themselves means they were separate from the Ammonite soldiers. The Hebrew noun translated the open country usually stands in opposition to the cities and highways (see, for example, Jdg 20.31). This noun refers to places away from where large groups of people are usually found (see 1 Sam 30.11). It also implies that there are probably no forests in the immediate vicinity. Contemporary English Version translates “the open fields.” International Children’s Bible renders this clause as a separate sentence, saying “The kings who had come to help stayed out in the fields by themselves.”
Contemporary English Version keeps clear the two groups of soldiers in this verse by saying “The Ammonite troops marched to the entrance of the city and prepared for battle, while the Syrian troops took their positions in the open fields.”
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 .
19:9a The Ammonites marched out and arrayed themselves for battle at the entrance to the city,
The Ammonites came out and formed battle ⌊lines⌋ at the entrance of their city. -or-
The ⌊army of the⌋ Ammon ⌊people⌋ came out ⌊of Rabbah, their capital⌋ city.
19:9b while the kings who had come stayed by themselves in the open country.
Meanwhile, the kings who came ⌊to help them took up positions⌋ in the open fields. -or-
Now, the ⌊other⌋ kings who came ⌊with their armies to fight alongside them⌋ , positioned themselves in the fields.
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