Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Chronicles 29:24:
Kupsabiny: “Also his brothers and all the leaders together with the commanders of soldiers said that they would honor/respect king Solomon.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “all the leaders and the soldiers and King David’s other sons also honored King Solomon.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “All the officers, the mighty men, and all the children of King David had-promised that they would-be-under-the-jurisdiction of King Solomon.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “King David’s other sons and all the officers and mighty warriors accepted Solomon as their king, and they solemnly promised to obey him.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, Ge’ez, 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 If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior.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.”
All the leaders and the mighty men: The Hebrew noun translated leaders may refer to military leaders, religious leaders, government leaders, and leaders or overseers of other groups, depending on the context. Here some translations take it as referring to military “officers” (Revised English Bible), while others take it more generally as “leaders” (New American Bible), “chiefs” (New Jerusalem Bible, Braun), or “royal officials” (New Living Translation). Mighty men translates a Hebrew word meaning “vigorous” (see the comments on 1 Chr 1.10). Many translations here say “warriors” (Revised English Bible, New American Bible, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Braun) or “mighty warriors” (New Revised Standard Version). Some use the general word “soldiers” (Good News Translation, Bible en français courant, La Bible du Semeur, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje), while others take it more specifically as “army commanders” (New Living Translation). However, sometimes the word is used in reference to influential or respected people without regard to military service. Following this sense, New Jerusalem Bible says “leading citizens.”
And also all the sons of King David: Since Solomon was a son of David, Good News Translation and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch add the word “other,” that is, all of David’s other sons in addition to Solomon. This fact is significant because it meant there would be no rivals to the throne.
Pledged their allegiance to King Solomon is literally “gave/put a hand under King Solomon,” which means they submitted themselves to Solomon. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “gave their hand in support of King Solomon,” and New International Version has “pledged their submission to King Solomon.” Some other possible models are “recognized the authority of King Solomon” (Parole de Vie), “promised to follow…,” and “swore to remain loyal to….”
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 .
29:24a All the officials and mighty men, as well as all of King David’s sons,
All King David’s officers, soldiers, and his other sons -or-
All of Solomon’s ⌊older and younger⌋ brothers, and all of the commanders and troops of his father David
29:24b pledged their allegiance to King Solomon.
submitted themselves to King Solomon’s authority. -or-
all promised to obey Solomon the king.
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