Asa

The name that is transliterated as “Asa” in English means “physician,” “healer.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )

In Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) it is translated with a sign that depicts the concept of order and mandates. As the third king of Judah, Asa ordered the destruction of the altars, he took the cult prostitutes out of the land and removed all the idols that his fathers had made (see 1 Kings 15:11 and following). (Source: Missão Kophós )


“Asa” in Libras (source )

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see this article in Christianity Today .

complete verse (1 Kings 15:13)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Kings 15:13:

  • Kupsabiny: “He also sent away his grandmother Maacah so that she could no longer remain a woman who is a ruler because she had molded an idol which was like Asherah. Then Asa cut that thing which was like Asherah and burnt it in the valley of Kidron.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “He removed his grandmother, Maacah, from the position of queen mother because she had made an idol of the repulsive goddess, Asherah. Asa cut that idol down. Then he broke it to pieces and had it burned by the Kidron river.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Including his grandmother Maaca he removed from being-a-queen, for she had-made detestable seems-like-pole that symbolizes the goddess Ashera. Asa had-cut-down this seems-like-pole and had-(it)-burned in Kidron place-where- water -flows.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “He also removed his grandmother Maacah so that she no longer had influence in the government because of being the mother of a previous king. He did that because she had made a disgusting wooden statue of the goddess Asherah. Asa told his workers to cut down the statue and burned it in the Kidron Valley.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 1 Kings 15:13

He also removed Maacah his mother from being queen mother: Regarding the sense of mother in reference to Maacah, see the comments on verse 10. The Hebrew verb rendered removed is translated in Moffatt and New Living Translation as “deposed,” which is a more technical word used in the context of overthrowing rulers. If the receptor language has a verb with this particular usage, it will be appropriate to use it here. Queen mother translates a Hebrew noun that usually refers to the mother of a king, although in 1 Kgs 11.19 it refers to the king’s wife (where Revised Standard Version has “queen”).

She had an abominable image made for Asherah; and Asa cut down her image: Regarding Asherah, which Good News Translation identifies as “the fertility goddess Asherah,” see the comments on 1 Kgs 11.5 and 14.15. The pronoun her in the phrase her image refers, of course, to Asherah and not to Maacah.

Abominable image and image both translate the same Hebrew noun, which occurs only here and in 2 Chr 15.16. The noun comes from a root that means “to shake.” The meaning of the noun is uncertain, although it is usually thought to mean something like “horror.” La Bible Pléiade and Osty-Trinquet say “Horror.” Other translations include “obscene object” (Revised English Bible), “outrageous object” (New American Bible), “obscenity” (New Jerusalem Bible), and “abominable thing” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh also adds a footnote here to indicate that the exact meaning of this Hebrew word is uncertain. Other translators may wish to include a similar footnote.

Asa cut down her image and burned it at the brook Kidron: Since the image of Asherah was in the form of a wooden “pole” (New International Version), it could be cut down and burned.

Regarding the brook Kidron, see the comments on 1 Kgs 2.37.

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 .

SIL Translator’s Notes on 1 Kings 15:13

15:13a He also removed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother

He also removed his grandmother Maakah from her position as queen mother
-or-
Asa would not let Maakah his grandmother act as queen any longer.

15:13b because she had made a detestable Asherah pole.

because she had made a disgusting image for the worship of Asherah.
-or-
This was because she had made a detestable idol ⌊representing⌋ the goddess Asherah.

15:13a-b (reordered)

His grandmother Maakah had caused a filthy Asherah idol to be made. So Asa took away her position/honor.

15:13c Asa chopped down the pole and burned it in the Kidron Valley.

Asa cut down the image and burned it in the Kidron Valley.
-or-
Asa/He caused/ordered his grandmother’s idol to be cut down and burned beside the wadi/stream called Kidron.

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