The name that is transliterated as “Abijah” or “Abijam” in English means “God my Father” (Abijah) or “father of the sea,” “father of light (Abijam). (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )
The Hebrew and Greek that is transliterated as “Rehoboam” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the signs for “king” + “divide” + “south.” (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Chronicles 11:22:
Kupsabiny: “So, he chose the son of Maakah who was called Abijah to lead the brothers, because he wanted to make that one to become king.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Rehoboam chose Abijah, leader of his other elder and younger brothers, to make him the next king.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “His child with Maaca who (is) Abija was-the-one-who he chose as leader/[lit. head] of his prince children, which means that he will-be- the -(one)-to-succeed him as king.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “Rehoboam appointed his son Abijah to be the leader of his older and younger brothers, because he wanted to appoint Abijah to be the next king.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
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:
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.”
And Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah as chief prince among his brothers: Abijah is identified as the son of Maacah, which means he was Rehoboam’s son. Contemporary English Version says Abijah was “their oldest son” since he is mentioned first in verse 20. According to 2 Chr 13.2, Abijah’s mother’s name was Micaiah, the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah (see the comments there). If the receptor language has a term or expression such as “crown prince” (Revised English Bible, An American Translation, Moffatt) for the son who is next in line to become king, that term may be used here to render chief prince.
For he intended to make him king: See 2 Chr 12.16. Rehoboam wanted Abijah to succeed him as king. The Hebrew does not have a word that corresponds to intended, but the context seems to require it. The Latin, which is followed here by Revised English Bible, has “planning to make him king.” Normally the oldest son would be next in line to become king. According to verse 19, Jeush was Rehoboam’s oldest son, but verses 21-22 explain why Abijah became the next king.
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 .
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