complete verse (2 Chronicles 11:1)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Chronicles 11:1:

  • Kupsabiny: “And/But when Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he prepared one hundred and eighty thousand (180,000) soldiers coming from Judah and Benjamin to force the people of the land of Israel of North to accept his rulership.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Then he gathered 180,000 soldiers of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin to take his kingdom back again by fighting with Israel.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he gathered the skillful soldiers of the tribes of Juda and Benjamin. He was-able-to-gather 180,000 soldiers to fight against the people of Israel and to take-back his kingdom.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he gathered 180,000 of the best soldiers from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. He wanted them to fight against the northern tribes of Israel and defeat them, in order that he could rule all the tribes of the kingdom again.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

large numbers in Angguruk Yali

Many languages use a “body part tally system” where body parts function as numerals (see body part tally systems with a description). One such language is Angguruk Yali which uses a system that ends at the number 27. To circumvent this limitation, the Angguruk Yali translators adopted a strategy where a large number is first indicated with an approximation via the traditional system, followed by the exact number according to Arabic numerals. For example, where in 2 Samuel 6:1 it says “thirty thousand” in the English translation, the Angguruk Yali says teng-teng angge 30.000 or “so many rounds [following the body part tally system] 30,000,” likewise, in Acts 27:37 where the number “two hundred seventy-six” is used, the Angguruk Yali translation says teng-teng angge 276 or “so many rounds 276,” or in John 6:10 teng-teng angge 5.000 for “five thousand.”

This strategy is used in all the verses referenced here.

Source: Lourens de Vries in The Bible Translator 1998, p. 409ff.

See also numbers in Ngalum and numbers in Kombai.

Translation commentary on 2 Chronicles 11:1

When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah, and Benjamin is literally “And Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, and he assembled….” Revised Standard Version begins with a temporal clause in order to relate the verbs came and assembled more logically. Contemporary English Version suggests the passage of a certain amount of time between Rehoboam’s arrival in Jerusalem and the action he took in assembling the troops by beginning with “After Rehoboam returned to Jerusalem….” Bible en français courant and Parole de Vie offer a somewhat different perspective, saying “As soon as Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem….”

Assembled in this context may be rendered “mustered” (Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Anchor Bible) or “mobilized” (New Living Translation, Peregrino. The house of Judah, and Benjamin refers to the southern kingdom. The tribe of Judah had absorbed the small tribe of Benjamin and the two came to be regarded as a single tribe. Later writers often refer to “Judah and Benjamin” as a single unit (see, for example, 2 Chr 11.3, 12, 23; 15.2; Ezra 1.5; 4.1). This phrase may be rendered “the tribes of Judah and Benjamin” (Revised English Bible).

A hundred and eighty thousand chosen warriors refers to the number of soldiers Rehoboam assembled from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. Chosen warriors is literally “being chosen doing war.” This phrase refers to the king’s elite soldiers. Some other ways of expressing it are “elite warriors” (Bible de Jérusalem), “select troops” (New Living Translation), “best soldiers” (Good News Translation), and “seasoned warriors” (New American Bible).

To fight against Israel: Israel refers to “the northern tribes of Israel” (Good News Translation), which may be made explicit. See the comments on 2 Chr 10.1.

To restore the kingdom to Rehoboam: The kingdom was divided into north and south, but Rehoboam wanted to regain control of the entire kingdom. Basic to the sense here is that the kingdom had once been united and under the control of Rehoboam, after his father Solomon had died. New Jerusalem Bible renders this clause as “and win back the kingdom for Rehoboam.” Another possible model is “to reunite the kingdom under the leadership of Rehoboam.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Chronicles, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2014. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .