village

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “village” or “town” in English is translated in Noongar as karlamaya or “fire (used for “home“) + houses” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

In Elhomwe it is typically translated as “place.” “Here in Malawi, villages very small, so changed to ‘places,’ since not sure whether biblical reference just to small villages or also to bigger towns. (Source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

Abijah / Abijam

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 )

In Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) it is translated with a sign that depicts the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel fighting 1 Kings 15:6 and following). The V-shaped hand also means that the heart is not upright and does the opposite (see 1 Kings 15:3). (Source: Missão Kophós )


“Abijah / Abijam” in Libras (source )

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

complete verse (2 Chronicles 13:19)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Chronicles 13:19:

  • Kupsabiny: “Abijah pursued Jeroboam until he took control of these cities: Bethel, Jeshanah and Ephron. They also captured the villages that were near those cities.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Abijah pursued the army of Jeroboam, and took his cities Bethel, Jeshanah, Ephron with its small towns.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Abia chased/pursued Jeroboam and he captured from him the towns of Betel, Jeshana, and Efron, and including their surrounding villages.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Abijah’s army pursued the army of Jeroboam, and they captured from the people of Israel the cities of Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephron, and the surrounding villages.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 2 Chronicles 13:19

And Abijah pursued Jeroboam, and took cities from him: New Living Translation provides a helpful model here with “Abijah and his army pursued Jeroboam’s troops and captured some of his towns.”

Bethel with its villages and Jeshanah with its villages and Ephron with its villages: These cities and villages were located in the territory of Benjamin (see Josh 18.21-24). These cities may have been lost to the northern kingdom and then recaptured. Bethel was located about 16 kilometers (10 miles) north of Jerusalem. Jeshanah was located about 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) north of Jerusalem. Ephron is the spelling in the Hebrew text, but the corrected spelling in the margin of the Masoretic Text is “Ephrain” (so New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). Ephron, which is often identified with Ophrah in the territory of Benjamin (Josh 18.23), was located about 6.5 kilometers (4 miles) northeast of Bethel and 21 kilometers (13 miles) north-northeast of Jerusalem.

For the Hebrew word rendered villages (literally “daughters”), see the comments on 1 Chr 2.23. Instead of repeating with its villages three times in this verse, many languages will find it more natural to follow the model of Good News Translation, New International Version, and others that give the names of the three cities and then mention their surrounding villages all together.

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 .

SIL Translator’s Notes on 2 Chronicles 13:19

13:19a Abijah pursued Jeroboam

Abijah chased Jeroboam.
-or-
King Abijah ⌊and his soldiers⌋ ran after King Jeroboam ⌊and his soldiers⌋.

13:19b and captured some cities from him: Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephron, along with their villages.

He seized from him the towns of Bethel, Jeshanah and Ephron and their surrounding villages.
-or-
He captured three towns and the villages around them. These towns are Bethel, Jeshanah and Ephron.

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