Judah, Judea

The name that is transliterated as “Judah” or “Judea” in English (referring to the son of Jacob, the tribe, and the territory) is translated in Spanish Sign Language as “lion” (referring to Genesis 49:9 and Revelation 5:5). This sign for lion is reserved for regions and kingdoms. (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. and Steve Parkhurst)


“Judah” and “Judea” 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 .

See also Judah, Judah (son of Jacob) , and Tribe of Judah .

Jerusalem

The name that is transliterated as “Jerusalem” in English is signed in French Sign Language with a sign that depicts worshiping at the Western Wall in Jerusalem:


“Jerusalem” in French Sign Language (source: La Bible en langue des signes française )

While a similar sign is also used in British Sign Language, another, more neutral sign that combines the sign “J” and the signs for “place” is used as well. (Source: Anna Smith)


“Jerusalem” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL, used with permission)

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Jerusalem .

king

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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 Maccabees 11:34

There are a number of serious problems in this long verse, but they center around two particular problems: (1)~Does a new sentence begin in Greek with the clause translated To all those who offer sacrifice in Jerusalem? (2)~Who is meant by this clause? Does it refer to Jews in general or to the priests specifically? We will take the position that Revised Standard Version is correct in beginning a new sentence with To all those…. (Revised Standard Version adds a footnote giving an alternative translation.) This is not entirely satisfactory, but it seems to raise fewer problems than other approaches. We will also assume that those who offer sacrifice in Jerusalem refers to the Jewish people. We make this assumption guided by 1Macc 10.29, which is part of the letter Demetrius~I addressed to the Jewish nation. Indeed, it is very important that translators refer back to 10.29-31 as they work with verses 34-35.

We have confirmed as their possession both the territory of Judea and the three districts of Aphairema and Lydda and Rathamin: Aphairema (Good News Bible “Ephraim”) was a town about 8 kilometers (5 miles) northeast of Bethel, and is thought to be the town mentioned in John 11.54. Lydda was a town located about 18 kilometers (11 miles) southeast of Joppa. It is referred to as “Lod” (which is also its modern name) in 1~Chr 8.12 and Neh 11.35 (compare Ezra 2.33; Neh 7.37). It is known as Lydda in Acts 9.32-38. Rathamin was a town located about 32 kilometers (20 miles) east of Joppa. It is surely the “Arimathea” (Good News Bible) of the New Testament (see, for example, Matt 27.57), and is probably the birthplace of Samuel, called Ramah in the Old Testament (1~Sam 1.19). There are other forms of the name. Of the choices we recommend “Arimathea,” since there are other places in the Old Testament named Ramah, and the form Rathamin is known only here.

The latter, with all the region bordering them, were added to Judea from Samaria: The latter refers to the three districts named above. For were added, Good News Bible has “are hereby annexed,” but the Greek verb here clearly refers to past time (see the comments on 1Macc 10.30).

For the first half of this verse we suggest the following model: “I confirm their rights [or, the rights of the Jews] to the land of Judea, and also to the towns of Ephraim, Lydda, and Arimathea and their surrounding areas. These are the areas that were taken from Samaria and added to Judea.”

To all those who offer sacrifice in Jerusalem, we have granted release from the royal taxes which the king formerly received from them each year, from the crops of the land and the fruit of the trees: As explained above, we are interpreting all those who offer sacrifice in Jerusalem to refer to the Jewish people. We have granted release is added; it appears in the Greek text at the end of verse 35. Revised Standard Version translates it twice for clarity. The royal taxes which the king formerly received from them each year (Good News Bible “annual tax … to the king”) consisted of taxes from the crops of the land and the fruit of the trees (Good News Bible “produce and fruit from these lands”; compare 10.30). Good News Bible‘s rendering of this sentence makes it clear that since taxes are not demanded, all offerings may go to the Temple, rather than only a portion. An alternative model is “They don’t have to pay me my share of the yearly tax on crops and fruit that they pay when they offer sacrifices in the Temple at Jerusalem.”

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Maccabees. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.