Honorary "are" construct denoting God ("hand over")

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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme are (され) is affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, watas-are-ru (渡される) or “hand over” is used.

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on 1 Samuel 17:47

All this assembly sounds much too formal and official to translate an expression meaning “all those who are gathered here” (Revised English Bible), or more simply “Everybody here” (Contemporary English Version).

The LORD saves not with sword and spear: that is, “… with weapons like swords and spears.” In cases where the verb “save” requires an object, Good News Translation provides a good model by adding “his people.” In many languages it may sound more natural to say something like “the LORD does not use weapons like swords and spears to save his people.”

The battle is the LORD’s: to say that the battle belongs to someone means that that person will undoubtedly conquer his enemy, that is, that he will certainly win the battle. Contemporary English Version says “The LORD always wins his battles.”

Give you into our hand: regarding this Hebrew idiom, see the comments on 4.8.

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 .