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 9:5)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Chronicles 9:5:

  • Kupsabiny: “And other people who returned (were) those from the house of Shela. It was Asaiah who led those people and he was together with his sons.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “These are the Shilonites who lived in Jerusalem — Asaiah, who was the first-born, and his sons.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “From the Shilonhon: Asaya who was the oldest, and his children.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Asaiah and his sons were descendants of Shelah. Asaiah was the oldest son in his family.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 1 Chronicles 9:5

And of the Shilonites: Asaiah the first-born, and his sons: Most scholars think that the vowels in the Masoretic Text for Shilonites should be corrected to read “Shelanites” (so Revised English Bible, New American Bible, Osty-Trinquet) since Shelah was one of Judah’s sons (Num 26.20). Some versions use the name “Shelah” here (so New Jerusalem Bible, Bible en français courant, Parole de Vie, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente). Good News Translation makes it explicit that the descendants of Judah’s son Shelah are in view (see 1 Chr 4.21-22). Instead of saying that Asaiah was the “leader” (Good News Translation) of the descendants of Shelah, New Century Version translates “oldest son,” which probably implies leadership. The Hebrew text says simply first-born.

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 9:5

9:5 From the Shilonites: Asaiah the firstborn and his sons.

Asaiah was the firstborn ⌊son in his family⌋ . Asaiah and his sons ⌊lived in Jerusalem city⌋ . They were descendants of Judah’s son Shelah.
-or-

⌊Shelah’s father was Judah too.⌋ From the clan of Shelah, his descendant Asaiah and Asaiah’s sons ⌊returned to Jerusalem city⌋ .
-or-
Asaiah and his sons ⌊settled in Jerusalem⌋ . Asaiah was the firstborn son. Their ancestor was Shelah ⌊son of Judah⌋ .

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