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 6:13)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Chronicles 6:13:

  • Kupsabiny: “Shallum produced Hilkiah who produced Azariah.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Shallum was the father of Hilkiah. Hilkiah was the father of Azariah.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Shalum was the father of Hilkia, and Hilkia was the father of Azaria.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Shallum was the father of Hilkiah.
    Hilkiah was the father of Azariah.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 1 Chronicles 6:12 - 6:13

Hilkiah (verse 13) was the High Priest during the period that Josiah ruled over Judah (2 Kgs 22.8-20). It was he who discovered the book of the Law and read it to the king.

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 6:13

6:13 Shallum was the father of Hilkiah, Hilkiah was the father of Azariah,

Shallum’s son was Hilkiah. Hilkiah’s son was Azariah.
-or-
Shallum was the father of Hilkiah, and Hilkiah was the father of Azariah.

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