complete verse (1 Chronicles 2:16)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Chronicles 2:16:

  • Kupsabiny: “The sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail. Zeruiah produced three sons: Abishai, Joab and Asahel.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail. The three sons of Zeruiah were Abishai, Joab, and Asahel.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Their sisters were Zeruya and Abigail. Zeruya had three sons who were Abishai, Joab, and Asahel.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 1 Chronicles 2:16

And their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail: The pronoun their refers back to the seven sons of Jesse. Good News Translation puts the focus back on Jesse himself by translating this clause as “He also had two daughters, Zeruiah and Abigail” (similarly Contemporary English Version). Good News Translation places even more focus on Jesse by adding “Jesse’s daughter” when speaking of the sons of Zeruiah. If a literal translation of the Hebrew is clear in the receptor language, there seems to be no reason to change the focus as Good News Translation has done.

The sons of Zeruiah: Abishai, Joab, and Asahel, three: Zeruiah’s three sons played important roles as military leaders during the reign of David (see especially 1 Chr 11.26 and 18.12, as well as 2 Sam 2–3).

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 2:16

2:16a Their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail.

The sisters ⌊of Eliab, Abinadab, Shimea, Nethanel, Raddi, Ozem, and David⌋ were ⌊named⌋ Zeruiah and Abigail.
-or-

⌊The names of⌋ their ⌊two⌋ sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail.

2:16b And the three sons of Zeruiah were Abishai, Joab, and Asahel.

Zeruiah had three sons. They were Abishai, Joab, and Asahel.
-or-

⌊Jesse’s daughter⌋ Zeruiah ⌊gave birth to⌋ three sons. They were Abishai, Joab, and Asahel.

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