army

The Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek and Latin that is translated as “army” in English is translated in Chichewa as “group of warriors.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

complete verse (1 Kings 20:19)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Kings 20:19:

  • Kupsabiny: “When the men in front met up with the soldiers of Ben-hadad,” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “So the young captains under the commanding generals of the provinces and the soldiers following them went out of the city.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The young soldiers were the-(ones-who) led the soldiers of Israel,” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “The young Israeli soldiers went out of the city to attack the Syrian army, and the other soldiers in the Israeli army followed them.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 1 Kings 20:19

These went out: The demonstrative pronoun these refers forward to the servants mentioned later in the verse, but this structure may be unnatural and confusing in many languages. So it will be better to translate by making something like “these young soldiers” the subject of the verb went out. Since they are going out ahead of the main force of the army of Israel and are going to do battle, the verb may be better translated “marched out” (New International Version) or something similar (see verse 16).

The servants of the governors of the districts: See the comments on verse 14.

The army refers to “the Israelite army” (Good News Translation), as verse 15 makes clear.

Which followed them is literally “which behind/after them.”

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 20:19

20:19a Meanwhile, these young officers of the district governors marched out of the city,

So the young men/soldiers of the officials of the provinces marched out of Samaria,
-or-
So the young soldiers who served under the provincial/district governors attacked ⌊first⌋.

20:19b with the army behind them,

and the rest of the army was/went behind them.
-or-
The ⌊rest of⌋ the army ⌊of Israel⌋ followed them.

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