The following is a stained glass window from the Three choir windows in the Marienkirche, Frankfurt (Oder), Germany, of the 14th century, depicting Hannah’s dedication of Samuel:
Source: Der gläserne Schatz: Die Bilderbibel der St. Marienkirche in Frankfurt (Oder), Neuer Berlin Verlag, 2005, copyright for this image: Brandenburgisches Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologisches Landesmuseum
Stained glass is not just highly decorative, it’s a medium which has been used to express important religious messages for centuries. Literacy was not widespread in the medieval and Renaissance periods and the Church used stained glass and other artworks to teach the central beliefs of Christianity. In Gothic churches, the windows were filled with extensive narrative scenes in stained glass — like huge and colorful picture storybooks — in which worshipers could ‘read’ the stories of Christ and the saints and learn what was required for their religious salvation. (Source: Victoria and Albert Museum )
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Samuel 17:50:
Kupsabiny: “So David managed/overpowered Goliath using just a sling and a stone!” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “In this way David defeated [him] by using his sling and a stone. Even though he did not have a sword, he struck Goliath and killed him.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “So David triumphed-over/beat Goliat by-means-of just a sling/something-to-hurl-or-flick and one stone. He killed Goliat even-though he had-no sword.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “Then David ran and stood over Goliath. He pulled Goliath’s sword from its sheath and killed him with it, and then cut off his head. In that way David defeated the Philistine without having his own sword. He used only a sling and a stone! When the other Philistines saw that their great warrior was dead, they ran away.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
So: the common Hebrew conjunction is translated by a number of modern versions as an adverb of manner, “Thus” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible). That is, it was in this way (the way just described in the narrative) that David defeated Goliath.
Prevailed over: or, more literally, “was stronger than.” That is, David won the battle. Modern versions use verbs like “defeated” (Contemporary English Version), “overcame” (New American Bible), and “triumphed over” (New Jerusalem Bible).
This verse, which is a kind of summary statement, is missing in the Septuagint. Moffatt and New American Bible place the entire verse within square brackets, indicating that the translators regard the verse to be a later addition to the Hebrew text.
According to 2 Sam 21.19, Goliath was killed by Elhanan, the son of Jair. Various suggestions have been made to explain the difference, including the following: (1) “Elhanan” and “David” refer to the same person. One is a personal name and the other a title. (2) “Elhanan” is a given name and “David” is a throne name. (3) The two refer to different people, and though Elhanan killed Goliath, the tradition later attributed this conquest to David. But whatever the explanation for this problem, translators are required to translate the text as it stands.
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 .
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