foreskin

The Hebrew that is translated in English as “foreskin” is translated into Anuak with the euphemism “tree of their bodies.” (Source: Loren Bliese)

In Rundi, “penis-skin” is used. (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

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 18:27)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Samuel 18:27:

  • Kupsabiny: “David got up with his soldiers and went and killed two hundred Philistines. After that, he got all their foreskins and took to the king so that he could marry the daughter of that king. Then Saul allowed David to marry his daughter.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “David with his men went and killed 200 Philistines, cut [off] the skin that was on their penises, and brought them to the king so that David might become son of law of king. Then Saul gave his daughter Michal to David in marriage.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “David and his men fought-against the Filistinhon and they were-able-to-kill 200 Filistinhon. Then David had- the skin on the end of the (male)-genitals/(male)-sexual-organs/(foreskins) -taken from the Filistinhon and brought all of these to the king, so-that he would-become the child-in-law/(son-in-law) of the king. So Saul had- his child/(daughter) Mical -married to David.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “David and his men went and killed, not 100, but 200 Philistines! He brought their foreskins to Saul, and counted them while Saul was watching, in order to prove that he had done what the king required so that he could become Saul’s son-in-law. So then Saul was obligated to allow David to marry his daughter Michal.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

king

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:

(Click or tap here to see details)

  • 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).

David

The name that is transliterated as “David” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language 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 18:27

Arose and went: that is, David moved into action. See the comments at 9.3 and in “Translating the Books of Samuel,” page 20 and following, on the use of the verb “arise” in series with other verbs.

Versions differ on whether the number of Philistines killed by David and his men was two hundred (Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, and New Jerusalem Bible) or “one hundred” (New Revised Standard Version, Moffatt, and Klein). The number “one hundred” is found in an important Septuagint manuscript. It is also the number required by Saul in verse 25 and is the number that David later says he paid (2 Sam 3.14). The number two hundred suggests that David not only went about the task more quickly than Saul had required (verse 26), but also that he killed more Philistines than necessary.

Which were given in full number: literally “they completed them.” The precise meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain, though the general sense seems clear enough. These words translate a Hebrew verb meaning “to fill” or “to complete.” Here this verb is often rendered “he counted them out” (Revised English Bible, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) or, perhaps better, “he counted them out completely” (Klein).

In those languages where circumcision is not known, or where it is inappropriate to talk about it, the Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente translation may provide a model here, as also in verse 25. Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente says “David, with his men, made an expedition against the Philistines and killed two hundred of them. David gave to Saul the proof of their death so that he might become his son-in-law.”

Become the king’s son-in-law: see the comments at verse 18.

Gave him his daughter: in the context of the whole story, Good News Translation takes this to mean “had to give his daughter.” Perhaps a more natural model for some languages is Contemporary English Version: “Saul agreed to let David marry Michal.”

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 .