Philistines

The term that is transliterated as “Philistines” in English is translated in American Sign Language with a sign that signifies the helmet the Philistine warriors wore was decorated with feather-like objects. (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)


“Philistines” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor

Click or tap here to see a short video clip about Philistines (source: Bible Lands 2012)

Saul

The Hebrew and Greek that is transliterated as “Saul” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the sign that depicts “sword in chest” (referring to 1 Samuel 31:4 and 1 Chronicles 10:4) and also “self-centered.” (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Saul” 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 .

Click or tap here to see a short video clip about King Saul (source: Bible Lands 2012)

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Saul .

complete verse (1 Samuel 13:4)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Samuel 13:4:

  • Kupsabiny: “After that/Then, Jonathan went and attacked the soldiers of the Philistines in Geba and defeated them. There and then, that message reached the Philistines and all the Israelites also heard that Saul had destroyed the Philistine soldiers. That message sparked off/enraged the Philistines. Then Saul told all the people in the whole country to blow trumpets/horns preparing them for war. It was a must for those soldiers to gather on Gilgal.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “All the Israelites heard that Saul had attacked the Philistine garrison and that the Philistines hated the Israelites more then ever. So, hearing his request they gathered at Saul’s place in Gilgal” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The Israelinhon heard-the-news that the Filistinhon (were) very angry with them because Saul had-attacked their camp. So the Israelinhon gathered-together with Saul there at Gilgal.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “The messengers told the rest of the army to gather together with Saul at Gilgal. And all the people in Israel heard the news. People were saying, ‘Saul’s army has attacked the Philistine camp, with the result that now the Philistines hate us Israelis very much.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 1 Samuel 13:4

The garrison: as in verse 3.

Become odious: the root of the word translated odious has to do with emitting an unpleasant aroma, or smelling bad. New International Version reflects this by translating “Israel has become a stench to the Philistines.” But here the expression is used figuratively for being offensive. The same Hebrew verb is, in fact, translated “made … offensive” by Revised Standard Version in Exo 5.21. As in 2 Sam 10.6, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh translates “incurred the wrath of.” This same verb is found in 27.12; 2 Sam 10.6; 16.21.

New American Bible renders the Hebrew verb “[that Israel] had brought disgrace upon [the Philistines],” and New Jerusalem Bible says “and now Israel has antagonized the Philistines.” It is not clear whether these translations are free renderings of the Hebrew or whether they represent an alternate text.

And the people were called out to join Saul: as elsewhere in 1 and 2 Samuel, the people does not refer to all the people but to those able to become soldiers. New American Bible says “and the soldiers were called up to Saul.” In those languages where the passive form of this verb presents a problem, the meaning may be conveyed by saying “Saul sent messengers to command the army to join him at Gilgal.” The implied information is that the fighting force did indeed meet Saul at Gilgal. This is made explicit by the Good News Translation rendering.

Gilgal: see the comment on 7.16. Samuel had instructed Saul to go to Gilgal and to wait for him (10.8).

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 .