messenger

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “messenger” in English is translated in Noongar as moort yana-waangki or “person walk-talk” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

complete verse (1 Samuel 11:4)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Samuel 11:4:

  • Kupsabiny: “Then people were sent to deliver that message to the city of Gibeah where Saul lived. When the people of that city heard that message, they shouted (in alarm) and wept.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “When the men who went to Saul’s Gibeah to make the report had given their report, all the people who were there wept loudly.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The messengers arrived at Gibea, where Saul was-staying. And when they told what Nahash had-said, all people there wept/cried-a-long-time.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Being very confident that his army was very superior, Nahash agreed. So the leaders of Jabesh sent messengers throughout Israel. When the messengers came to Gibeah, which was the city where Saul lived, and they told the people there about the situation, everyone started to cry.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 1 Samuel 11:4

Gibe-ah of Saul: some translators may prefer to say “the town of Saul which is called Gibeah” or “Saul’s town, Gibeah.”

In the ears of the people is a literal translation of the Hebrew. In many European languages such an expression is not natural and is therefore put into more idiomatic language as in Good News Translation. Compare in the ears of the LORD in 8.21.

And all the people wept aloud: literally “and all the people lifted their voice and wept.” The same expression occurs in 24.17 and 2 Sam 13.36. Good News Translation emphasizes the emotion that accompanied the crying by adding “in despair.” The context indicates that the crying continued at least until Saul arrived. For this reason certain modern versions find it necessary to say here that the inhabitants of Gibeah “started crying” (Good News Translation; La Bible du Semeur is similar). The same is implied by the Revised English Bible rendering, “broke into lamentation and weeping.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .