The Greek and Hebrew that is translated as “son of” in English is translated in all Icelandic Bible versions of the Icelandic Bible Society (latest edition 2007) in parallel with the Icelandic naming system . This means that for instance in Matthew 16:17 the name that is transliterated and translated in English as “Simon son of Jonah” becomes “Simon Jónasson” or in Isaiah 8:2 “Zechariah son of Jeberechiah” becomes “Sakaría Jeberekíason” where in both cases the “-son” means “son of.”
In cases where “son of” does not refer to a literal father or perhaps stepfather but to lineage, however, this system is not used. So in Matthew 1:1 “Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham” is translated as “Jesú Krists, sonar Davíðs, sonar Abrahams.”
The referenced verses all have at least one instance where the Icelandic patronymic or matronymic naming system is used. (Source: Halldór Elías Guðmundsson)
The Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, Ge’ez, and Latin that is transliterated “Levites” in English (only the Contemporary English Version translates it as “temple helpers”) is translated in Ojitlán Chinantec as “temple caretakers,” Yatzachi Zapotec as “people born in the family line of Levi, people whose responsibility it was to do the work in the important church of the Israelites,” in Alekano as “servants in the sacrifice house from Jerusalem place,” and in Tenango Otomi as “helpers of priests.” (Source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
In American Sign Language with a sign that combines “temple” + “servant.” (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)
“Levite” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Chronicles 2:32:
Kupsabiny: “The brother to Shammai who was called Jada had two sons. One was called Peleth, and the other Jonathan. And Jether died without getting a child.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “The sons of Jada, Shammai’s brother, were Jether and Jonathan. Jether died without children.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “The sons of Jada the brother of Shamai were Jeter and Jonatan. Jeter died without (having) a child.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
And Jether died childless: Childless is the same expression as in verse 30 and the same difference in meaning is found in the existing modern translations. Some speak more generally of there being no “children”; and others speak more specifically of the absence of “sons.” See the discussion of this problem at verse 30.
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 .
2:32a The sons of Jada the brother of Shammai: Jether and Jonathan.
Shammai’s brother Jada had two sons. ⌊They were⌋ Jether and Jonathan. -or-
Jada, who was a brother to Shammai, had two sons. ⌊They were⌋ Jether and Jonathan.
2:32b Jether died without children.
Jether died without having children. -or-
Jether died childless.
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