Absalom

The Hebrew that is transliterated as “Absalom” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the signs depicting “hair + caught” referring to 2 Samuel 18:9. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Absalom” 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 Absalom (image).

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Absalom .

Joppa

The name that is transliterated as “Joppa” (or: “Jaffa”) in English is translated in Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) with the sign for “whale,” referring to Joppa that is mentioned as the starting point of the sea voyage of Jonah that ends up in the belly of a large fish (see Jonah 1:3). (Source: Missão Kophós )


“Joppa” in Libras (source )

More information on Jaffa

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)

Translation commentary on 1 Maccabees 13:11

He sent Jonathan the son of Absalom to Joppa, and with him a considerable army: Jonathan was perhaps the brother of Mattathias mentioned in 1Macc 11.70. The city of Joppa had resisted the Jews for a long time. Simon had captured it earlier and stationed soldiers there (1Macc 12.33-34), but here he decided to rid himself of the threat altogether, and sent troops to drive out the citizens. In 1Macc 14.5 this is remembered as one of his great deeds. A considerable army may be rendered “a large number of soldiers.”

He drove out its occupants and remained there: The pronoun he refers to Jonathan. Once Jonathan captured Joppa, Simon had forces stationed safely on the Mediterranean coast and in Jerusalem, ready to meet any movement from the north by Trypho. An attack on either Jerusalem or Joppa could bring on an attack from the rear from the Jews in the other city. Good News Bible has a good model for this sentence.

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.