Honorary "are" construct denoting God ("do/reckon")

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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme are (され) is affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, s-are-ru (される) or “do/reckon” is used.

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on 2 Chronicles 2:11

Then Huram the king of Tyre answered in a letter: Then translates the common Hebrew conjunction. It may be taken either as a temporal or logical connector. Some may prefer to leave it untranslated (so Good News Translation, New International Version, Revised English Bible). Regarding the name Huram, see the comments on 2Chr 2.3. Revised Standard Version follows the form of the Hebrew here by identifying Hiram as the king of Tyre. Since Hiram has already been introduced as Tyre’s king in verse 3, Contemporary English Version omits this phrase here, which other languages may find helpful. Good News Translation only omits the idea of Tyre.

Answered in a letter is literally “said in writing.” New American Bible says “wrote an answer.”

Which he sent to Solomon is literally “and he sent to Solomon.”

Since it is unlikely that the quoted words were all that Hiram wrote, in some languages it may be necessary to introduce them by saying “Included in his letter was this” or “His message included these words.”

Because the LORD loves his people, he has made you king over them: His people refers to the Israelite people, who were considered the people of God. In some languages it will be more natural to reverse the order of these two clauses by saying “The LORD has made you king over his people because he loves them” (similarly Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente).

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 2:11

2:11a Then Hiram king of Tyre wrote a letter in reply to Solomon:

Hiram king of Tyre sent this letter in response to Solomon:
-or-
King Hiram, king of Tyre, wrote this letter to reply to ⌊the request of⌋ King Solomon.

2:11b “Because the LORD loves His people,

“Yahweh really loves his people,
-or-
“It is because Yahweh loves his people

2:11c He has set you over them as king.”

and this is why he made you (sing) their king.”
-or-
that he has chosen you to be their king.”

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