firstborn

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “firstborn” in English is translated in a number of ways:

  • “he/she that opens the gown” in Batak Toba (because formerly a woman stopped wearing a gown and started using a bodice after the birth of her first child)
  • “he/she that damages the stalk (i.e. the body)” in Uab Meto (source for this and above: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • “the oldest son of all” in Mezquital Otomi
  • “oldest child” in Isthmus Zapotec (source for this and one above: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
  • “firstborn child, who was a boy” in Elhomwe (to make clear, without ambiguity, that Mary did not have daughters before) (source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

In Bawm Chin, the term can imply the existence of younger siblings, so a translation is needed that brings out the fact that Jesus is superior to all else, not just the first of a series. (Source: David Clark)

See also only begotten son / (one and) only son and firstborn.

complete verse (1 Chronicles 26:10)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Chronicles 26:10:

  • Kupsabiny: “Hosah who was from the house of Merari had four sons. The one leading those sons were Shimri. His father gave him to lead the others even though he was not firstborn.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “[Of] the sons of Hosah of the clan of Merari — the first was Shimri He was not the eldest, still, his father made him first.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Hosa from the family of Merari had children too. He appointed/[lit. made] Shimri as chief-leader/[lit. head] of their family even though he was not his eldest child.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Another guard was Hosah’s son Shimri, a descendant of Merari. Hosah appointed Shimri to be the leader, even though he was not Hosah’s oldest son.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 1 Chronicles 26:10

And Hosah, of the sons of Merari, had sons: Verses 10 and 11 give descendants of Merari, a son of Levi. Some common language translations name Merari before Hosah since Merari was the chief ancestor of this clan (so Good News Translation, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje). Hosah is mentioned with Obed Edom in 1 Chr 16.38 as a gatekeeper.

Shimri the chief (for though he was not the first-born, his father made him chief): In Hebrew tradition the oldest son would normally be the leader of the family, but even though Shimri was not the oldest, his father made him the leader. The Hebrew word translated chief, which occurs twice in this verse, is literally “head” (God’s Word). However, the chief may also be translated “the first” (New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible), “the leader” (New Living Translation), or “to be in charge” (New Century Version).

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 26:10

26:10a Hosah the Merarite also had sons: Shimri the first

⌊Merari was descended from the tribe of Levi.⌋ Hosah was one of the descendants of Merari. He had a son named Shimri who was a leader ⌊among his brothers⌋ .
-or-
Hosah was a descendant of Merari ⌊whose father was Levi⌋ . Hosah was the father of Shimri.

26:10b (although he was not the firstborn, his father had appointed him as the first),

Although he was not Hosah’s firstborn son he was given the rights of the eldest son.
-or-
Hosah regarded/treated Shimri as his firstborn son although he was not born first.

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