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 17:19:
Kupsabiny: “These were the people who served/worked for Jehoshaphat in Jerusalem together with the soldiers who had been placed to stay in the cities that had walls in the whole land of Judah.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “These soldiers served the King in Jerusalem, in addition to those stationed in walled cities all over Judah.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “These were the ones who had-served King Jehoshafat aside from the soldiers whom he placed/put in the stoned-walled/fortified towns throughout Juda.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “Those were the soldiers who served the king in Jerusalem, in addition to the men whom the king had placed in the other cities in Judah that had 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, Ge’ez, 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.”
These were in the service of the king: The demonstrative pronoun These refers to the military personnel mentioned in verses 13b-18. In some languages it will better to say “These soldiers” (Good News Translation) or “These were the troops” (New Living Translation). Good News Translation makes it explicit that these soldiers were “in Jerusalem” (see verse 13).
Besides those whom the king had placed in fortified cities throughout all Judah: King Jehoshaphat also had soldiers in all the other fortified cities of 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 .
These soldiers worked for the king. -or-
All these soldiers were with the king and protected him.
17:19b besides those he stationed in the fortified cities throughout Judah.
In addition to these soldiers, there were other soldiers that the king put in Judah’s fortified towns. -or-
The king also had soldiers in the other walled cities of Judah.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.