In Malay, the pronoun beta for the royal “I” (or “my” or “me”) that is used by royals when speaking to people of lower rank, subordinates or commoners to refer to themselves in these verses. This reflects the “language of the court because the monarchy and sultanate in Malaysia are still alive and well. All oral and printed literature (including newspapers and magazines) preserve and glorify the language of the court. Considering that the language of the court is part of the Malaysian language, court language is used sparingly where appropriate, specifically with texts relating to palace life.” (Source: Daud Soesilo in The Bible Translator 2025, p. 263ff.)
complete verse (1 Kings 2:31)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Kings 2:31:
- Kupsabiny: “The king said to Benaiah, ‘Go and do as I have told you. You kill and bury so that I and the house of my father shall not be held liable/responsible for the people whom he killed.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
- Newari: “Solomon said, "Do as Joab has said. Kill him where he is next to the altar and bury him. In this way you will remove from me and from my father’s family, the guilt for the guiltless people Joab killed.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
- Hiligaynon: “Solomon said to Benaiah, ‘Do what he said. Kill him there at the tent and buried (him), so-that I and the household of my father will- not -answer-for in his killing of Abner the child of Ner, who was the commander of the soldiers of Israel, and Amasa the child of Jeter, the commander of the soldiers of Juda. He killed these innocent people without the knowledge of my father. They were righteous and kind/good people than him. Now the LORD will-repay him for what he had-done to them.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
- English: “The king replied to him, ‘Do what he has requested. Kill him and bury his body. If you do that, my descendants and I will no longer be punished for what Joab did when he killed two men who were innocent/had not done anything that is wrong.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
king
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:
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- Piro: “a great one”
- Highland Totonac: “the big boss”
- Huichol: “the one who commanded” (source for this and above: Bratcher / Nida)
- Ekari: “the one who holds the country” (source: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
- Una: weik sienyi: “big headman” (source: Kroneman 2004, p. 407)
- Pass Valley Yali: “Big Man” (source: Daud Soesilo)
- 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.”
(Source: Faye Edgerton in The Bible Translator 1962, p. 25ff. )
See also king (Japanese honorifics).
Translation commentary on 1 Kings 2:31
In the previous verse Joab had told Benaiah to go ahead and kill him where he was standing (holding on to the corners of the altar) and this had been reported to Solomon. This is why Solomon now says Do as he has said ….
Strike him down: See the comments on this expression in verse 25.
Thus: This Revised Standard Version rendering reflects nothing more than the common Hebrew conjunction. But it is clear that Solomon sees a logical relationship between the killing of Joab and the removal of guilt from himself and from the other descendants of David. Joab’s death would compensate for the crimes he had committed and in this way the family of David would no longer be considered guilty.
After the verb take away, the Septuagint adds the word “today.” This addition is found in New Jerusalem Bible, but Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives an {A} rating to the Masoretic Text, which should be followed.
From me and from my father’s house means from Solomon and from all of David’s other descendants.
The guilt for the blood which Joab shed without cause: Joab had killed Abner and Amasa, who were both innocent (verse 32). The Hebrew expresses this as “the guiltless blood that Joab shed” (see also 1 Sam 25.31). But in many languages a more natural model will be “the guilt of Joab, who executed people who had done no wrong” or “… who has killed innocent people” (New Century Version).
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 2:31
2:31a And the king replied,
The king said to Benaiah,
-or-
Then the king told Benaiah,
2:31b “Do just as he says. Strike him down and bury him,
“Do what he says/wants. Kill him ⌊there⌋ and then bury him.
-or-
“Do to Joab what he asked for. Kill him ⌊there at the altar⌋. Then bury him ⌊properly/appropriately⌋.
2:31c and so remove from me and from the house of my father the innocent blood that Joab shed.
This will remove from me and my father’s family the guilt/responsibility for the deaths of the innocent people whom Joab killed.
-or-
Then God will no longer hold/consider me and my entire family to be guilty of what Joab did. He murdered innocent men,
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