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)

David Kills Goliath

Artwork by Sister Marie Claire , SMMI (1937–2018) from Bengaluru, India.

For more information about images by Sister Marie Claire and ways to purchase them as lithographs, see here .

For other images of Sister Marie Claire paintings in TIPs, see here.

complete verse (1 Samuel 17:51)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Samuel 17:51:

  • Kupsabiny: “Because David didn’t have a sword in his hand, he ran to where Goliath fell and removed the sword from him and cut off his head. When the Philistines realized that their person whom they relied on was dead, they immediately took off.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Then he ran to the place where the Philistine was lying and taking Goliath’s sword he cut off his head. The Philistines, seeing that the strong man was dead, went running away.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “David ran-(over) to Goliat and he took his sword, and cut-(off) his head. When the Filistinhon saw that their soldier who (was) good in fighting (was) now dead, they fled.” (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)

David

The name that is transliterated as “David” in English means “beloved.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )

In Spanish Sign Language it is translated with the sign signifying king and a sling (referring to 1 Samuel 17:49 and 2 Samuel 5:4). (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. )


“Elizabeth” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

In German Sign Language it is only the sling. (See here ).


“David” in German Sign Language (source )

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

The (Protestant) Mandarin Chinese transliteration of “David” is 大卫 (衛) / Dàwèi which carries an additional meaning of “Great Protector.”

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

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: David .

Translation commentary on 1 Samuel 17:51

David … took his sword: if readers may misunderstand and think that David took his own sword and killed Goliath with it, it may be wise to follow the model of Good News Translation and make explicit that he took “Goliath’s sword.” Later, when David is fleeing from Saul, he receives Goliath’s sword from the priest Ahimelech (21.9). Sword here and “javelin” in verse 6 are different Hebrew words, but both probably refer to the same thing. Sword here is a general term, while the word in verse 6 is probably a technical term for a specific kind of sword.

Sheath: the same Hebrew word is used elsewhere for a “razor” (Num 6.5; Psa 52.2), but here, as in 2 Sam 20.8, it refers to the covering or enclosure where a sword is kept when it is not needed for fighting. The sheath was probably made of leather, but ancient sheaths were sometimes made of wood, metal, and ivory. Goliath had apparently not drawn his sword out of its sheath by the time David hit him with the stone.

Here, as in verses 4 and 23 above, Revised Standard Version calls Goliath champion of the Philistines. However, the Hebrew terms are not the same. As noted above on verse 4, the Hebrew there should be rendered “infantryman,” while here in verse 51 the word refers to a man who is vigorous. The same term is rendered “strong” in 14.52.

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 .