Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Kings 16:22:
Kupsabiny: “But later, those who supported Omri won. Then Tibni was killed, and then Omri became the king of all those people.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “But those who helped Omri defeated those who helped Tibni, son of Ginath. So Tibni was killed and Omri became king.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “But those take-sides/who-are-loyal to Omri were more stronger than those take-sides/who-are-loyal to Tibni the child of Ginat. Tibni died, and Omri became king.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “Those who supported Omri were stronger than/defeated those who supported Tibni. So Tibni was killed, and Omri became king.” (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 If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior.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.”
The common Hebrew conjunction translated But may not need to be translated in some languages since there is no strong contrast implied in this context. Here it functions simply to move the story along to the conclusion of this episode. In some cases it may be translated by a word like “eventually.”
The people who followed Omri overcame the people who followed Tibni: Overcame is literally “were stronger than” (An American Translation). The rendering in Good News Translation, “those in favor of Omri won out,” almost seems to suggest a democratic process. Although the text does not say so, it seems likely that Omri’s supporters defeated Tibni’s supporters in battle. Several English versions use verbs like “prevailed” (New American Bible), “proved stronger than” (New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), and “defeated” (New Living Translation).
Since the phrase the son of Ginath occurs in the previous verse, it will be unnecessary in many languages to repeat it in this verse (so Good News Translation).
The text says that Tibni died. Since the Septuagint says that his brother Joram died at the same time, it is possible that Tibni and his brother were murdered. Since this verse states that the followers of Omri defeated the followers of Tibni, the context seems to suggest the use of force. Both Revised English Bible and New Jerusalem Bible seem to suggest that he was killed by saying “Tibni lost his life.” Contemporary English Version and New Living Translation state even more explicitly that “Tibni was killed.”
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 .
16:22a But the followers of Omri proved stronger than those of Tibni son of Ginath.
But the followers/supporters of Omri were stronger than those of Tibni son of Ginath. -or-
But Omri’s supporters defeated/overcame the supporters of Tibni.
16:22b So Tibni died and Omri became king.
Tibni died and Omri became king. -or-
⌊They put⌋ Tibni to death. Omri became the ⌊next⌋ king ⌊of Israel⌋.
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