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 If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior.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 Samuel 15:32

Samuel’s order may be made into indirect discourse in those languages where the direct quotation would be less natural: “Then Samuel ordered that King Agag of the Amalekites be brought to him.” Or, where passive verbs are not possible, “Then Samuel commanded his soldiers to bring King Agag of the Amalekites into his presence.”

Agag: see verse 8.

The Amalekites: see the comments on 14.48.

The second half of this verse presents two important problems of interpretation:

(1) The precise meaning of the Hebrew word rendered cheerfully is disputed. Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente says that he came “calmly.” The verb most likely comes from a root meaning “joy” or “satisfaction.” This is the basis for Revised Standard Version‘s cheerfully. Some, however, understand the Hebrew verb to come from a root meaning “to stumble,” and that seems to be the basis for the renderings “haltingly” (New Revised Standard Version), “with faltering steps [step]” (Revised English Bible, Fox, and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) and “unsteadily” (New Jerusalem Bible). Less likely is the suggestion that the Hebrew verb comes from a root meaning “to be in fetters [or, chains]” (so Anchor Bible). Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {B} rating to the Masoretic Text here and recommends the translation “very calm” (see Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente cited above). Many others, however, understand the basic sense of the Hebrew to be that of “fear” or “trembling,” following the Septuagint.

(2) Surely the bitterness of death is past: the meaning of these words of Agag is also uncertain. The translation of his words will be positive, as in Revised Standard Version and Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, if one understands Agag’s attitude to be cheerful or confident. This indeed seems to be the most likely sense of the Hebrew. Compare Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, “He came forward calmly, because he thought: ‘Certainly the danger of death has passed.’ ”

If, however, the preceding Hebrew verb means that Agag came “haltingly,” then a positive meaning for the end of the verse seems inappropriate. Fox, taking Agag’s words as negative, says “Surely the bitterness of death is approaching!” It is difficult, though, to see how the final Hebrew words can have a negative meaning.

The Septuagint omits the verb rendered is past. Translations based on the Septuagint give a negative statement. Compare New Jerusalem Bible (“Truly death is bitter!”) or New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh (“Ah, bitter death is at hand!”). Anchor Bible, following a correction of the Hebrew text based on the Septuagint, says “Would death have been as bitter as this?” That is, if Saul had earlier killed him, such a death would have been better than what is now happening to him. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {C} rating to the Masoretic Text here and recommends a translation similar to that found in Revised Standard Version.

Translators may wish to consult the article by Bratcher, 1971, “How Did Agag Meet Samuel?” (See the Bibliography to this Handbook.)

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 .