The Hebrew, Greek, and Ge’ez that is translated as “high places” in English is translated in Chitonga as malende. Ernst Wendland (1987, p. 57) explains: “The preceding expression [‘place for worship/sacrifice on top of hills’], though intelligible linguistically, sounds rather strange to the Tonga who live on the relatively flat plains of southern Zambia. There are ‘hills’ in their country, but normally no one would ever worship regularly there. For this reason the new translation will try out a cultural substitute (see below), malende, the ‘local shrine’ of Tonga traditional religion, where the ‘priest’ (clan head, who may be a chief as well) makes sacrifices to the spirits in time of corporate calamity, especially drought. This would seem to approximate quite closely the main elements of both form and function of the term ‘high places’ in the Old Testament, which were not always or even usually set upon hills, especially in the latter days of the monarchy (cp. 2 Kings 17:9, 29).”
In the Chichewa interconfessional translation (publ. 1999), it is translated as “shrines for worshiping images there.” (Source: Ernst Wendland in The Bible Translator 2002, p. 319ff. )
The name that is transliterated as “Asa” in English means “physician,” “healer.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )
In Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) it is translated with a sign that depicts the concept of order and mandates. As the third king of Judah, Asa ordered the destruction of the altars, he took the cult prostitutes out of the land and removed all the idols that his fathers had made (see 1 Kings 15:11 and following). (Source: Missão Kophós )
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Chronicles 15:17:
Kupsabiny: “But he was unable to destroy all the things that had been made for sacrifices on the hills. Even though it was like that, the life of Asa was straight in the eyes of God during all his days.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Even though [he] did not remove from Israel the high pillars which were in the hills, Asa was faithful to the LORD all his life.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Even-though all the places-of-worship in the high places of Israel were- not -removed/[lit. gone], Asa remained faithful to the LORD in his entire life.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “Although Asa’s workers did not get rid of the shrines on the hilltops in Israel, he was very determined to do what pleased Yahweh all his life.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
But the high places were not taken out of Israel: But renders the common Hebrew conjunction. Here it marks a contrast between Asa’s actions in the preceding verses which were favorable to the exclusive worship of Yahweh and the failure to act here with regard to the places of worship dedicated to other gods. For high places, see the comments on 1 Chr 16.39 and 2 Chr 1.3. The passive expression the high places were not taken out of Israel does not lay the blame on anyone in particular for the lack of action with regard to the pagan places of worship. So in those languages where an active expression is required, it will be better not to specify Asa as the subject of this negative statement as Good News Translation has done; for example, this clause may be rendered “no one destroyed the pagan places of worship in Israel.” The term Israel in this context could refer to the cities that had earlier belonged to the northern kingdom (verse 8). The words out of Israel are not in the parallel text of 1 Kgs 15.14, so the Chronicler apparently added them in order not to contradict the statement in 2 Chr 14.5 that Asa had removed the high places in Judah.
Nevertheless translates the Hebrew adverb that is often rendered “only.” It introduces an additional contrast, but since the conjunction but was used at the beginning of this verse, good English style requires another term here.
The heart of Asa was blameless all his days: The word heart stands for the whole person in this context. For this reason Revised English Bible translates the heart of Asa as “Asa himself.” New Living Translation, New Century Version, and God’s Word are similar by saying simply “Asa.” The Hebrew word for blameless is literally “complete” or “whole” (Jewish Publication Version). It does not indicate moral perfection, but rather wholehearted commitment to the LORD. The heart of Asa was blameless may be rendered “Asa was fully committed to the LORD” or “Asa remained faithful to the LORD” (similarly Good News Translation). All his days refers to the whole lifetime of King Asa. In some languages this phrase is better translated “all his life” (Good News Translation) or “his entire life” (God’s Word).
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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