3King Ahab of Israel said to King Jehoshaphat of Judah, “Will you go with me to Ramoth-gilead?” He answered him, “I am as you are; my people are your people. We will be with you in the war.”
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)
The Hebrew and Greek that is transliterated as “Ahab” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the signs for “king” + “jealous” referring to the story in 1 Kings 21. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
The Hebrew and Greek that is transliterated as “Jehoshaphat” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the signs for “king” and “mixup” referring to the fateful alliance with king Ahab of Israel in 1 Kings 22 and 2 Chronicles 18. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
In Malay, the pronoun beta for the royal “I” (or “my” or “me”) that is used by royals when speaking to people of lower rank, subordinates or commoners to refer to themselves in these verses. This reflects the “language of the court because the monarchy and sultanate in Malaysia are still alive and well. All oral and printed literature (including newspapers and magazines) preserve and glorify the language of the court. Considering that the language of the court is part of the Malaysian language, court language is used sparingly where appropriate, specifically with texts relating to palace life.” (Source: Daud Soesilo in The Bible Translator 2025, p. 263ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Chronicles 18:3:
Kupsabiny: “Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, ‘Why don’t you assist me so we can go to war against Ramoth-gilead?’ Jehoshaphat answered, ‘We are together. My people are yours, so, I shall assist you.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Ahab, king of Israel said to Jehohaphat king of Judah, "How would it be if you would come with me to attack Ramoth-gilead?" He answered, "I am like you, my people are like your people. We will help you in battle."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “He said to Jehosafat, ‘Will you go with us (excl.) to fight-against Ramot Gilead?’ Jehoshafat answered, ‘I (am) ready to go with you and I (am) ready to have you use my soldiers. Yes, we will-go with you to war.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “Then he asked Jehoshaphat, ‘Will you and your army go with my army to attack Ramoth city in the Gilead region?’ Jehoshaphat replied, ‘My soldiers and I will go to the battle when you tell us to go.’” (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.”
Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah: If Ahab is identified as king of Israel and Jehoshaphat as king of Judah in verse 1, then it may not be necessary or natural in the receptor language to repeat that information here (so Good News Translation). Since the verb said introduces a question, it may be better in some languages to translate it “asked,” as in Good News Translation and some other modern versions.
Will you go with me to Ramoth-gilead?: The parallel text in 1 Kgs 22.4 says “Will you go with me to battle at Ramoth-gilead?” Ahab is requesting military assistance. Good News Translation makes this explicit by saying “Will you go with me to attack Ramoth?” Similar renderings are “Will you help me to attack Ramoth?” and “Will you go with me against Ramoth Gilead?” (New International Version).
He answered him, “I am as you are, my people as your people. We will be with you in the war”: Jehoshaphat’s reply indicates that the people in the southern kingdom of Judah are one with the people of the northern kingdom of Israel. Whatever Ahab wishes to do, the people of Judah will join with him. Jehoshaphat gave a similar response to King Jehoram of Israel in 2 Kgs 3.7. Moffatt renders his response as “I am one with you, my men are one with your men; we will join you in the war.” Good News Translation takes the Hebrew noun for people in the specific sense of “army,” which is a common meaning for it (see the comments on 1 Chr 19.14).
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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