priest

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The Hebrew, Aramaic, Ge’ez, and Greek that are typically translated as “priest” in English (itself deriving from Latin “presbyter” — “elder”) is often translated with a consideration of existing religious traditions. (Click or tap for details)

Bratcher / Nida (1961) say this:

“However, rather than borrow local names for priests, some of which have unwanted connotations, a number of translations have employed descriptive phrases based on certain functions: (1) those describing a ceremonial activity: Pamona uses tadu, the priestess who recites the litanies in which she describes her journey to the upper or under-world to fetch life-spirit for sick people, animals or plants; Batak Toba uses the Arabic malim, ‘Muslim religious teacher;’ ‘one who presents man’s sacrifice to God’ (Bambara, Eastern Maninkakan), ‘one who presents sacrifices’ (Baoulé, Navajo (Dinė)), ‘one who takes the name of the sacrifice’ (Kpelle, and ‘to make a sacrifice go out’ (Hausa); (2) those describing an intermediary function: ‘one who speaks to God’ (Shipibo-Conibo) and ‘spokesman of the people before God’ (Tabasco Chontal).”

In Obolo it is translated as ogwu ngwugwa or “the one who offers sacrifice” (source: Enene Enene), in Mairasi as agam aevar nevwerai: “religious leader” (source: Enggavoter 2004), in Ignaciano as “blesser, one who does ritual as a practice” (using a generic term rather than the otherwise common Spanish loan word sacerdote) (source: Willis Ott in Notes on Translation 88/1982, p. 18ff.), and in Noongar as yakin-kooranyi or “holy worker” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

For Guhu-Samane, Ernest Richert (in The Bible Translator, 1965, p. 81ff. ) reports this: “The [local] cult of Poro used to be an all-encompassing religious system that essentially governed all areas of life. (…) For ‘priest’ the term ‘poro father’ would at first seem to be a natural choice. However, several priests of the old cult are still living. Although they no longer function primarily as priests of the old system they still have a substantial influence on the community, and there would be more than a chance that the unqualified term would (in some contexts particularly) be equated with the priest of the poro cult. We learned, then, that the poro fathers would sometimes be called ‘knife men’ in relation to their sacrificial work. The panel was pleased to apply this term to the Jewish priest, and the Christian community has adopted it fully. [Mark 1:44, for instance, now] reads: ‘You must definitely not tell any man of this. But you go show your body to the knife man and do what Moses said about a sacrifice concerning your being healed, and the cause (base of this) will be apparent.'”

For a revision of the 1968 version of the Bible in Khmer Joseph Hong (in: The Bible Translator 1996, 233ff. ) talks about a change in wording for this term:

​​Bau cha r (បូជា‌ចារ្យ) — The use of this new construction meaning “priest” is maintained to translate the Greek word hiereus. The term “mean sang (មាន សង្ឃ)” used in the old version actually means a “Buddhist monk,” and is felt to be theologically misleading. The Khmer considers the Buddhist monk as a “paddy field of merits,” a reserve of merits to be shared with other people. So a Khmer reader would find unthinkable that the mean sang in the Bible killed animals, the gravest sin for a Buddhist; and what a scandal it would be to say that a mean sang was married, had children, and drank wine.

See also idolatrous priests.

Ezra

The Hebrew, Latin, and Greek that is transliterated as “Ezra” in English is translated in Hungarian Sign Language with a sign that is based on the meaning of the Hebrew name: “help”. The prophet assisted his people in returning to God. The sign for his name uses the handshape of the sign for “back,” but its direction points upward, toward God. (Source: Jenjelvi Biblia and Andrea Bokros)


“Ezra” in Hungarian Sign Language — note that only the first part refers to “Ezra,” the second part refers to “book” (source )

In Spanish Sign Language it is translated with the sign for “scribe” referring to Ezra’s profession. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Ezra” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

In Swiss-German Sign Language it is translated with a sign that depicts the return from Babylon to Jerusalem and toward God.


“Ezra” in Swiss-German Sign Language, source: DSGS-Lexikon biblischer Begriffe , © CGG Schweiz

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

More information on Ezra .

Translation commentary on 1 Esdras 9:42 - 9:44

Verses 42-47 recount what Ezra and the people did before Ezra read the Law. Contemporary English Version combines verses 41-47 to give the actual sequence of events. Other languages may find Contemporary English Version‘s model helpful.

Ezra the priest and reader of the law stood on the wooden platform which had been prepared: Calling Ezra the priest and reader of the law so soon after verse 39 may seem redundant, but it is the author’s way of emphasizing the importance of this man. The wooden platform was a raised area large enough for Ezra and the other thirteen men to stand, and tall enough that Ezra could be seen by the crowd as he read from a seated position (see verse 45). Which had been prepared means that it had been constructed especially for this purpose. We may say “that workers had made for this occasion.”

And beside him stood Mattathiah, Shema, Anaiah, Azariah, Uriah, Hezekiah, and Baalsamus on his right hand, and on his left Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Lothasubus, Nabariah, and Zechariah: The men who stood beside Ezra are listed in two separate groups, first those who were beside him on the right side and then those who were on the left side. The important point is that Ezra was in the middle and the men who stood with him were divided into two groups on either side of him. This does not mean that those who stood on one side were more favored than those who stood on the other side. These men seem to be laymen who were community leaders. Their role on the platform is not defined. They evidently were there to give support to Ezra. The significance of there being thirteen men here and thirteen Levites in verse 48 below is not known. Instead of the name Anaiah, which is in the parallel passage of Neh 8.4, the Greek text here has the name “Ananias” (Contemporary English Version). We prefer the spelling Anaiah (see the introductory comments on verses 18-37a for variation in the spellings of names in this chapter).

An alternative model for verses 42-44 is:

• 42 Ezra the priest and scholar of God’s Law was standing on a wooden platform that workers had made for this occasion. 43 Mattathiah, Shema, Anaiah, Azariah, Uriah, Hezekiah, and Baalsamos stood on Ezra’s right, 44 while Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Lothasubus, Nabariah, and Zechariah stood on his left.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.