The name that is transliterated as “Asa” in English is translated in Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) 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 )
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)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Kings 16:10:
Kupsabiny: “Then, Zimri entered that house and killed Elah. Then, Zimri took over the kingship. These things happened in the twenty-seventh year of Asa’s reign in Judah.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “When King Asa of Judah had been reigning 27 years, Zimri went in, hit him and killed him. And Zimri became king after him.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Zimri went-inside the house and he killed Ela. This was-happened in the 27th year of the reign of Asa in Juda. And Zimri was-the-one who succeeded Ela as king.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “Zimri went into Arza’s house and killed Elah. Then Zimri became the king of Israel. That was when Asa had been the king of Judah for 27 years.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as “king” in English. Here are some (back-) translations:
Ninia Yali: “big brother with the uplifted name” (source: Daud Soesilio in Noss 2007, p. 175)
Nyamwezi: mutemi: generic word for ruler, by specifying the city or nation it becomes clear what kind of ruler (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
Ghomála’: Fo (“The word Fo refers to the paramount ruler in the kingdoms of West Cameroon. He holds administrative, political, and religious power over his own people, who are divided into two categories: princes (descendants of royalty) and servants (everyone else).” (Source: Michel Kenmogne in Theologizing in Context: An Example from the Study of a Ghomala’ Christian Hymn))
Faye Edgerton retells how the term in Navajo (Dinė) was determined:
“[This term was] easily expressed in the language of Biblical culture, which had kings and noblemen with their brilliant trappings and their position of honor and praise. But leadership among the Navajos is not accompanied by any such titles or distinctions of dress. Those most respected, especially in earlier days, were their headmen, who were the leaders in raids, and the shaman, who was able to serve the people by appealing for them to the gods, or by exorcising evil spirits. Neither of these made any outward show. Neither held his position by political intrigue or heredity. If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior. If the shaman failed many times in his healing ceremonies, it was considered that he was making mistakes in the chants, or had lost favor with the gods, and another was sought. The term Navajos use for headman is derived from a verb meaning ‘to move the head from side to side as in making an oration.’ The headman must be a good orator, able to move the people to go to war, or to follow him in any important decision. This word is naat’áanii which now means ‘one who rules or bosses.’ It is employed now for a foreman or boss of any kind of labor, as well as for the chairman of the tribal council. So in order to show that the king is not just a common boss but the highest ruler, the word ‘aláahgo, which expresses the superlative degree, was put before naat’áanii, and so ‘aláahgo naat’áanii ‘anyone-more-than-being around-he-moves-his-head-the-one-who’ means ‘the highest ruler.’ Naat’áanii was used for governor as the context usually shows that the person was a ruler of a country or associated with kings.”
Zimri came in: In certain languages it will be unnatural to use the expression came in without stating specifically what Zimri came into. The sense is that he entered the house of Arza where Elah was drinking. Some translators will have to say “entered that house” or “went into that place.”
Struck him down and killed him: The Hebrew verb rendered struck … down means “to strike” or “to hit.” It is sometime used by itself to mean “to kill.” The two verbs here probably do not refer to two separate actions. The sense is “he killed him by hitting him.” Jezebel alludes to this murderous deed by Zimri in 2 Kgs 9.31.
Since Arza is the last named person in verse 9, it may seem that the pronoun him refers to Arza. Good News Translation makes it clear that it was Elah by substituting the proper name for the pronoun.
The twenty-seventh year of Asa refers to the number of years that Asa had reigned and not to his age. Elah had become king in the twenty-sixth year of Asa’s reign, so Elah ruled less than two complete years. See the comments on verse 8.
Reigned in his stead: See the comments on 1 Kgs 11.43.
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 .
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