The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “concubine” in English is translated in Kutu as “slave made to be his woman” or “female slave he married” and similarly in Makonde, “a slave who is/was a wife.”
In Kwere it is translated as “small wife.” This is the term for subsequent wives when polygamy is practiced among the Kwere. While they enjoy most of the same rights and privileges as the first wife, their status is not necessarily the same. In Kalanga it is likewise translated with balongwana or “small wife.” (Source for all: project-specific notes in Paratext)
In Newari it is translated as “illegitimate wife” (source: Newari Back Translation).
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Kings 11:3:
Kupsabiny: “Solomon had seven hundred wives and they were all daughters of wealthy/influential men. He also had concubines who would reach three hundred. Then, those women confused his head/minds.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Solomon had seven hundred wives of royal birth. He also had three hundred concubines. His wives turned his heart far away from God.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Solomon had 700 wives who were children of the kings and officers, and he also had 300 wives who were servants. His wives were the-(ones-who) led- him -away from God.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “Solomon married 700 women who were kings’ daughters. He also had 300 wives who were his slaves/servants. And his wives caused him to turn away from worshiping God.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
He had seven hundred wives, princesses: The word princesses is in apposition to the word wives. The English word “princess” refers to the daughter of a king. The Good News Translation rendering “Solomon married seven hundred princesses” is perhaps misleading since it may suggest that Solomon married seven hundred women whose fathers were kings. But the Hebrew noun rendered princesses generally refers to a queen. The word princesses is in the text to distinguish these wives from the wives who were concubines. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh accurately renders wives, princesses as “royal wives”
Concubines were servant women who, although not wives, had sexual relations with their masters. They had important legal rights, and their masters were referred to as their husbands. The rendering of Contemporary English Version (“other women”) is a rather weak translation of the meaning of this difficult term. New Century Version “slave women” is somewhat better. They are referred to in Bible en français courant as “wives of second rank.” In some other languages they have been called “servant-wives.”
His wives turned away his heart: These words refer back to the words of verse 2. It is implied in Revised Standard Version and in Hebrew that Solomon’s heart was turned away from God. In many languages this should be made explicit. Compare “they led his heart away from the LORD” (New Living Translation).
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
11:3a He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines—
He had seven hundred royal wives and three hundred concubines, -or-
Seven hundred women he made his royal/noble wives, and his lesser/secondary wives numbered three hundred. -or-
So he took/married 700 women to be his official/honorable wives. He also took/married 300 women to be his wives of lesser rank/status.
11:3b and his wives turned his heart away.
and his wives turned his heart away ⌊from Yahweh⌋. -or-
And his wives caused/influenced him to turn from loving/serving ⌊Yahweh⌋. -or-
It was because of these women that he stopped serving/worshiping ⌊Yahweh⌋ completely/fully.
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