complete verse (2 Chronicles 21:19)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Chronicles 21:19:

  • Kupsabiny: “That sickness wore Jehoram out completely. And when two years had passed, the intestines came out and he died a very painful/bitter death. People did not light a fire of honor to mourn for the death of that king like it was done for all the other of his forefathers.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Because of the disease, after two years, Jehoram’s intestines came out. Experiencing great pain he died. His subjects did not light a fire for him as they had done for this father.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “After two years, his intestines came-out because of the disease, and he died in great pain. His people did- not -built a fire to honor him, same as (what) they had-done to his ancestors.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “About two years later, while he was in great pain, he died because of that disease. The people of Judah had made bonfires to honor his ancestors when they died, but they did not make a bonfire for Jehoram.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 2 Chronicles 21:19

In course of time, at the end of two years … is literally “And it was in days from days and about time to come out the end of two days….” The Hebrew text actually begins with the verbal transition often translated “And it came to pass” (King James Version). Revised Standard Version and most modern versions omit this transition here. It is difficult to know how to understand the Hebrew words meaning “the end of two days.” The phrase “in days from days” (In course of time) seems to indicate a longer period of time than two days. For this reason many interpreters simply assume that “two days” here must mean “two years” (so Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New International Version, Revised English Bible, New American Bible). If this interpretation is followed, then the two expressions, In course of time and at the end of two years, seem to be redundant. So in some languages the first expression may be dropped since the second one implies the first one (so Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation, New Century Version).

A different approach is to understand that Jehoram had the disease for a long time, but that at the end of his life, his bowels came out two days before he died. Following this interpretation, Dillard begins this verse with “It continued for some time, until two days before his demise, his bowels prolapsed because of his illness.”

For his bowels came out, see the comments on verse 15.

And he died in great agony is literally “and he died in evil diseases.” For great agony, Jewish Publication Version says “sore diseases,” and La Bible du Semeur has “atrocious sufferings.” However, this phrase may be expressed more simply as “horrible pain” (Dillard) or “severe pain” (Anchor Bible).

His people made no fire in his honor, like the fires made for his fathers: See the comments on 2 Chr 16.14. His people does not refer to Jehoram’s relatives, but rather to “His subjects” (Good News Translation). His fathers may be rendered “his ancestors” (Good News Translation).

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 21:19

21:19a This continued day after day until two full years had passed. Finally, his intestines came out

After some time, at the end of the second year, his intestines came out
-or-
After two years of daily pain, his intestines fell out

21:19b because of his disease,

because of the disease,
-or-
because of the sickness.

21:19c and he died in severe pain.

and he died in severe pain.
-or-
It was very painful and he died.

21:19d And his people did not make a fire in his honor

The people did not make a funeral fire to honor him
-or-
His subjects did not burn a big fire to mourn him

21:19e as they had done for his fathers.

as they had done for his ancestors.
-or-
as they did for his fathers.

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