chariot

The Hebrew, Latin, Ge’ez, and Greek that is translated into English as “chariot” is translated into Anuak as “canoe pulled by horse.” “Canoe” is the general term for “vehicle” (source: Loren Bliese). Similarly it is translated in Lokạạ as ukwaa wạ nyanyang ntuuli or “canoe that is driven by horses.” (Source: J.A. Naudé, C.L. Miller Naudé, J.O. Obono in Acta Theologica 43/2, 2023, p. 129ff. )
Other translations include:

  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “cart pulled by horses” (source: Larson 1998, p. 98)
  • Chichicapan Zapotec: “ox cart” (in Acts 8) (ox carts are common vehicles for travel) (source: Loren Bliese)
  • Chichimeca-Jonaz, it is translated as “little house with two feet pulled by two horses” (source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
  • Hausa Common Language Bible as keken-doki or “cart of donkey” (source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
  • Mairasi: “going-thing [vehicle]” (source: Enggavoter 2004)

It is illustrated for use in Bible translations in East Africa by Pioneer Bible Translators like this:

Image owned by PBT and Jonathan McDaniel and licensed with the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

See also cart.

drink

In Telugu different verbs for humans drinking (tāgu / తాగు) and animals drinking (cēḍu / చేడు) are required.

complete verse (1 Kings 16:9)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Kings 16:9:

  • Kupsabiny: “There was a man called Zimri who was commander of half of the soldiers of the carts that were pulled. This man made a plot against Elah intending to kill (him). There was a time when Elah was drinking then he became drunk in the home of one friend who was called Arza who was in charge of the home/palace of the king in Tirzah.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The captain of half of his chariots, one called Zimri, conspired against him. At that time Elah was getting drunk at the house of Arza, officer-in-charge of the palace in Tirzah.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Now, Zimri who was one of his officers and commander of the half of his charioteers, planned evil against him. One day, Ela gets-drunk in Tirza, there at the house of Arza who was in-charge of the palace in Tirza.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “A man named Zimri was one of Elah’s army officers. He commanded the drivers of half of Elah’s army’s chariots/two-wheeled vehicles pulled by horses. He made plans to kill Elah while Elah was in Tirzah, getting drunk at the house of a man named Arza. Arza was the man who took care of the things in the king’s palace.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 1 Kings 16:9

But: Although New Revised Standard Version also translates the common Hebrew conjunction in this way, there seems little reason to mark contrast at this point. Most modern versions, therefore, leave the transition word untranslated at this point.

The pronouns his, him, he, and himself refer to Elah.

His servant Zimri: The Hebrew calls Zimri a servant, but it should be remembered that this Hebrew noun has a wide range of meanings, depending on the context. Here it refers to a military officer. New Century Version says “Zimri, one of Elah’s officers.”

Commander of half his chariots: Commander renders the same Hebrew noun that is translated “high officials” in 1 Kgs 4.2. See the comments there. An American Translation renders it “captain.” For chariots see 1 Kgs 1.5.

For conspired against him, see the comments at 1 Kgs 15.27.

Drinking himself drunk is literally “drinking drunk.” Languages have a variety of different ways of describing such action. The idea is that of drinking alcoholic beverages to the point of losing control of one’s actions. New American Bible translates simply “drinking to excess,” while New Jerusalem Bible has “drinking himself senseless.” The same phrase occurs in 1 Kgs 20.16.

Arza, who was over the household in Tirzah: This is the only mention of Arza in the Old Testament. His exact duties are not certain, but he was probably responsible for taking care of the palace and other royal property and perhaps was also responsible for the king’s domestic affairs. Contemporary English Version calls him a “prime minister.” The text does not indicate whether or not Arza was a part of the plot against King Elah.

In some languages it may be wise to take the relative clause describing the position of Arza as a parenthesis as in International Children’s Bible, which reads “(Arza was the man in charge of the palace at Tirzah).”

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 .