For the Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “Red Sea” or “Sea of Reeds” in English, see cattail (reed-mace; bulrush).
Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Red Sea .
וָאֳנִ֡י עָשָׂה֩ הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֜ה בְּעֶצְיֽוֹן־גֶּ֨בֶר אֲשֶׁ֧ר אֶת־אֵל֛וֹת עַל־שְׂפַ֥ת יַם־ס֖וּף בְּאֶ֥רֶץ אֱדֽוֹם׃
Solomon’s Commercial Activity
26King Solomon built a fleet of ships at Ezion-geber, which is near Eloth on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom.
For the Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “Red Sea” or “Sea of Reeds” in English, see cattail (reed-mace; bulrush).
Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Red Sea .
The Hebrew, Latin and Greek that is transliterated as “Solomon” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the sign for “wise” referring to 1 Kings 3:12. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
“Solomon” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España
For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .
Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Solomon .
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Faye Edgerton retells how the term in Navajo 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 If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior.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).
The various Greek, Aramaic, Latin and Hebrew terms that are translated as “sea,” “ocean,” or “lake” in English are all translated in Chichewa with one term: nyanja. Malawi, where Chichewa is spoken, has a lot of lakes but does not share a border with the ocean. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
King Solomon built: Since verse 26 continues the list of Solomon’s accomplishments, Good News Translation adds the word “also” before the verb built. Or possibly “also” is a translation of the common Hebrew conjunction, which begins the verse.
The verb built is certainly not intended to imply that Solomon himself did the work. Rather, the idea is that he “caused to be built” or “had constructed” (Bible en français courant). In certain languages a causative verb form will sound better in this context.
Fleet of ships: The noun in Hebrew here is singular, but it is used in the collective sense to mean “ships.” In cultures where only small boats or dugout canoes are known, the usual translation for ships is “large boats.”
The port city of Ezion-geber is mentioned also in 1 Kgs 22.48. Archaeologists have proposed several different locations for this ancient city on the southern border of Israel. Recent studies favor the view that Ezion-geber is the small island named Jezirat Far’on, meaning “Island of Pharaoh.” Eloth is a small town located on the north coast of the Gulf of Aqaba. This town is elsewhere called Elath, and for this reason Good News Translation and New Living Translation call it “Elath” here also.
Red Sea is the traditional rendering of the Hebrew name here. Some modern translations give the alternate translation “Sea of Reeds” in a footnote (New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible), while others have “Sea of Reeds” in the text (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Bible en français courant, Parole de Vie). Good News Translation says “Gulf of Aqaba” and gives the following Word List entry for Red Sea: “Evidently referred originally to (1) a series of lakes and marshes between the head of the Gulf of Suez and the Mediterranean, the region generally regarded as the site of the events described in Exodus 13, and was also used to designate (2) the Gulf of Suez, (3) the Gulf of Aqaba.” Whether translators decide to say “Red Sea,” “Sea of Reeds” or “Gulf of Aqaba,” a glossary explanation will be essential.
The land of Edom had been conquered earlier by King David, according to 2 Sam 8.14. This area was located south and east of the Dead Sea and had been settled by Jacob’s brother Esau, who is sometimes called “Edom” (Gen 25.30; 36.1).
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 .
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