drink

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

Elijah

The name that is transliterated as “Elijah” in English means “God-LORD,” “strength of the LORD,” “my God is YHWH.” “the LORD God.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )

In Spanish Sign Language it is translated as “whirlwind” (according to 2 Kings 2:11) (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. )


“Elijah” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

Click or tap here to see how other sign languages are translating “Elijah”

In American Sign Language it is translated with a depiction of being taken up to heaven with a chariot of fire. (Source: ASL Sign Language Directory )


“Elijah” in American Sign Language (source )

Likewise in Estonian Sign Language, but with a different sign (source: Liina Paales in Folklore 47, 2011, p. 43ff.)


“Elijah” in Estonian Sign Language (source )

In Finnish Sign Language it is translated with the sign signifying “fire” (referring to 1 Kings 18:38). (Source: Tarja Sandholm)


“Elijah” in Finnish Sign Language (source )

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

Following is a Russian Orthodox icon of Elijah from the late 13h century.

 
Orthodox Icons are not drawings or creations of imagination. They are in fact writings of things not of this world. Icons can represent our Lord Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the Saints. They can also represent the Holy Trinity, Angels, the Heavenly hosts, and even events. Orthodox icons, unlike Western pictures, change the perspective and form of the image so that it is not naturalistic. This is done so that we can look beyond appearances of the world, and instead look to the spiritual truth of the holy person or event. (Source )

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Elijah .

complete verse (1 Kings 18:42)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Kings 18:42:

  • Kupsabiny: “Then Ahab went away to eat. Elijah got up and returned to the top of the mountain. When he was there, he bowed and placed his head between his knees.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Ahab went to eat and drink, Elijah, however, went up to the top of Mount Carmel. There he bowed down and kept his head between his knees.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “So Ahab went-out in-order to give/[lit. cause] -a-feast, but Elias on-the-other- hand climbed-up to very-top of Carmel and prayed, kneeling and bowing to the ground.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “So Ahab and his men left to prepare a big meal. But Elijah went back up to the top of Carmel Mountain and prayed.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 1 Kings 18:42

Ahab went up … Elijah went up …: Good News Translation translates the first occurrence of the verb went up simply as “went” with reference to Ahab. However, the second time it has “climbed” in the context of Elijah going to the top of Mount Carmel.

He bowed himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees: This means that Elijah knelt on the ground and bent over so that his face touched his inner thighs. The Hebrew verb translated bowed himself down occurs only here and in 2 Kgs 4.34-35, where Revised Standard Version says that the prophet Elisha “stretched himself” upon the dead son of the Shunammite woman. It is not clear why Elijah takes this position on the ground. Perhaps he was praying (so New Living Translation) or perhaps he was concentrating intensely.

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 .