high priest

The Greek and Hebrew that is translated as “high priest” in English is translated in the following ways:

  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “the ruler of the priests of our nation”
  • Chol: “very great priest” (source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
  • Ayutla Mixtec: “first over the priests”
  • Desano: “chief of the priests” (source for this and one above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.).
  • Uma: “Big Priest” (source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “high sacrificer” (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa as “Most-important Priest of God” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “Big leader of offerings” (source: Bariai Back Translation)

In Khoekhoe the translation for “high priest” is only capitalized when it refers to Jesus (as is Hebrews 2:17 et al.). (Source: project-specific notes in Paratext)

See also priest and chief priest.

Translation commentary on 1 Maccabees 15:17

The envoys of the Jews have come to us as our friends and allies to renew our ancient friendship and alliance: See 1Macc 8.17-32. Envoys may be expressed as “ambassadors” (New Jerusalem Bible), “delegation” (Good News Bible), or “messengers” (Contemporary English Version). The word ancient in the phrase our ancient friendship and alliance is not quite right, since the treaty in question had been in force for less than 25 years. Good News Bible is better with “the earlier treaty of friendship and alliance,” and so is New English Bible with “their original treaty of friendship and alliance.” An alternative model for this whole sentence is “The Jews, our friends and allies, have sent ambassadors to us to renew [or, confirm] our long-standing friendly alliance.”

They had been sent by Simon the high priest and by the people of the Jews: Simon the High Priest and his fellow Jews sent the ambassadors to the Romans. Instead of had been sent, Good News Bible has “were sent,” which expresses better the verb tense in this context.

An alternative model that combines the two sentences of this verse is:

• Our friends and allies, Simon the High Priest and the Jewish people, have sent messengers [or, ambassadors] to us to renew [or, confirm] our long-standing friendly alliance.

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.