son vs. grandson

“Son of x, son of y” must be rendered as “son of x or grandson of y” in Tibetan or else it will sound like two different people. (Source: David Clark in Clark / Desnitsky 2009 , p. 21).

Note: The same translation solution is chosen in many contemporary English Bibles that emphasize easy readability, such as the Contemporary English Version, Common English Bible, Good News Translation, God’s Word, or New Living Translation.

See also father / grandfather.

son of

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)

See also daughter of

Judah, Judea

The name that is transliterated as “Judah” or “Judea” in English (referring to the son of Jacob, the tribe, and the territory) is translated in Spanish Sign Language as “lion” (referring to Genesis 49:9 and Revelation 5:5). This sign for lion is reserved for regions and kingdoms. (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. and Steve Parkhurst)


“Judah” and “Judea” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

See also Judah, Judah (son of Jacob) , and Tribe of Judah .

complete verse (1 Chronicles 9:4)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Chronicles 9:4:

  • Kupsabiny: “Also (people) from the house of Uthai son of Ammihud, son of Omri, son of Imri, son of Bani, who was a descendant of Perez son of Judah came. It was Uthai who led those people.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Uthai was the son of Ammihud. Ammihud was the son of Omri. Omri was the son of Imri. Imri was the son of Bani. Bani was a descendant of Perez. Perez was a son of Judah.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Utai the child of Amihud. (Amihud was the child of Omri; Omri was the child of Imri; Imri was the child of Bani, the descendant of Perez the child of Juda).” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Uthai the son of Ammihud. Ammihud was the son of Omri; Omri was the son of Imri; Imri was the son of Bani; Bani was a descendant of Perez; Perez was the son of Judah.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 1 Chronicles 9:4

Much of the meaning of verses 4-6 will probably be lost in a literal translation such as that in Revised Standard Version. Good News Translation helps the reader by making explicit that the names that follow are descendants of Judah’s three sons Perez, Shelah, and Zerah. Some scholars think that the words “Among the sons of Judah” were accidentally omitted from the beginning of verse 4 by a scribe. For this reason some translations restore the words by beginning the verse with “Among the Judahites” (New American Bible) or simply “Judahites” (Revised English Bible).

Good News Translation combines verses 4-6 and places the information about the number of families at the beginning of these verses. Verse 3 indicates that the following verses refer to people who lived in Jerusalem. Good News Translation makes that explicit here and in the following verses by adding the words “[who] lived in Jerusalem.”

Uthai the son of Ammihud, son of Omri, son of Imri, son of Bani, from the sons of Perez the son of Judah: Good News Translation adds that Uthai was “their leader.” This is probably based on the fact that he is the first person mentioned from the clan of Perez. The parallel text in Neh 11.4 has the name “Athaiah,” and some interpreters think that this refers to the same person as Uthai. Other scholars, however, think that the writer of 1 Chronicles was not using the same list of genealogy as that in Nehemiah, and that the two names do not refer to the same person. Instead of son of Imri, son of Bani, from the sons of Perez, the Masoretic Text says “son of Imri, son of Benjamin, sons of Perez.” However, nearly all versions follow the correction in the margin of the Masoretic Text, which says “son of Imri, son of Bani, from the sons of Perez.” In the Hebrew text, if the consonants of the name “Benjamin” are divided into two words and if different vowels are used, the resulting text is “Bani, from [the sons of Perez].”

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 9:4

9:4a Uthai son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri,

⌊Uthai lived in Jerusalem city.⌋ Uthai was the son of Ammihud. Ammidhud was the son of Omri. Omri was the son of Imri.
-or-

⌊These men from the tribe of Judah returned to Jerusalem city.⌋ Perez’s descendant Uthai ⌊returned⌋ . Uthai’s father was Ammihud. Ammihud’s father was Omri. Omri’s father was Imri.
-or-
Uthai ⌊settled in Jerusalem⌋ . ⌊His ancestors were⌋ Ammihud his father, and Omri, Imri,

9:4b the son of Bani, a descendant of Perez son of Judah.

Imri was the son of Bani. Bani was a descendant of Perez. ⌊They were the descendants of⌋ Judah’s son Perez.
-or-
Imri’s father was Bani. The ancestor of Bani was Perez. Perez’s father was Judah.
-or-
and Bani. Their ancestor was Perez son of Judah.

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