6Then King Asa brought all Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber with which Baasha had been building, and with them he built up Geba and Mizpah.
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 )
The name that is transliterated as “Judah” or “Judea” in English (referring to the son of Jacob, the tribe, and the territory) is translated in Spanish Sign Language as “lion” (referring to Genesis 49:9 and Revelation 5:5). This sign for lion is reserved for regions and kingdoms. (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. and Steve Parkhurst)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Chronicles 16:6:
Kupsabiny: “Asa came with all the people of Judah and removed the stones and boards that Baasha was using to renew the city of Ramah. After that, he went to build with those things the city of Geba and that of Mizpah.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “King Asa brought people together from all over Judah, and they took the rock and wood that King Baasha was using to reinforce Ramah and went. With those things he reinforced Geba and Mizpah.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Then King Asa commanded all the men of Juda to take-out the stones and timbers that Baasha had-been-using in strengthening/[lit. cause-to-be-strong/firm] Rama. And King Asa used these to strengthening/[lit. cause-to-be-strong/firm] of Geba and of Mizpa.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “Then King Asa gathered all the men of Judah, and they took away from Ramah all the stones and timber that Baasha’s men had been using to build the wall around that town. They took those materials to the town of Geba and the city of Mizpah north of Jerusalem and built walls around them.” (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.”
Then King Asa took all Judah: The verb took is better expressed as “took with him” (Revised English Bible), “assembled” (La Bible du Semeur), or “gathered” (Good News Translation). For all Judah, Revised English Bible has “all the men of Judah.” Since it does not seem likely that Asa took with him every male in Judah, this phrase is better rendered “men from throughout Judah” (Good News Translation).
And they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber, with which Baasha had been building: Asa’s workers carried away the stones and wood that had been used by Baasha’s workers for fortifying the city of Ramah. The pronoun its refers to Ramah. The timber was large beams hewn from trees for the construction.
And with them he built Geba and Mizpah: Asa’s workers used the stones and timber to fortify the towns of Geba and Mizpah. Since these two towns already existed, the Hebrew verb for built is better translated “fortified” (Contemporary English Version, New American Bible). Geba was about 9 kilometers (5.5 miles) north of Jerusalem, and Mizpah was just northwest of Geba. Archaeological excavations at Mizpah (modern Tell en-Nasbeh) have revealed a wall fifteen feet high with numerous towers, which date to the time of King Asa. Both these towns were on the northern border of Judah. These two towns were strategically located. Mizpah was on the main north-south road between Judah and Israel. Geba was located on a secondary road running north-south. These two roads were the most likely routes that enemy troops from the north would use when invading Judah.
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 .
Then King Asa gathered men from throughout Judah. -or-
Then King Asa went ⌊to Ramah⌋ with many men from Judah.
16:6b and they carried away the stones of Ramah and the timbers Baasha had used for building.
They carried the stone and wood that Baasha’s men had been building with away from Ramah. -or-
They took away from Ramah all the stones and wood that King Baasha’s men had been using ⌊to build with⌋.
16:6c And with these materials he built up Geba and Mizpah.
With it he fortified the towns of Geba and Mizpah. -or-
They used them to strengthen the towns of Geba and Mizpah.
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