years (age)

In Aekyom, years are counted as “turtles” (ambum).

Norm Mundhenk tells this story:

“Recently I was checking some New Testament material in the Aekyom language of western Papua New Guinea. It seemed relatively clear until suddenly we came to a passage that started, ‘When Jesus had 12 turtles, …’ Surely I had misunderstood what they said.
“‘Did you say that Jesus had 12 turtles?’
“‘Let us explain! Around here there is a certain time every year when river turtles come up on the banks and lay their eggs. Because this is so regular, it can be used as a way of counting years. Someone’s age is said to be how many turtles that person has. So when we say that Jesus had 12 turtles, we mean that Jesus was 12 years old.’
“It was of course the familiar story of Jesus’ trip with his parents to Jerusalem. And certainly, as we all know, Jesus did indeed have 12 turtles at that time!”

In Tok Pisin, krismas (derived from “christmas”) is taken as the fixed annual marker, so Jesus had 12 “christmases” (Jisas i gat 12-pela krismas pinis) or Abram (in Gen. 12:4) had 75 (Abram i gat 75 krismas) (source: Norm Mundhenk). In Noongar it is biroka kadak or “summers had” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

See also advanced in years.

Jerusalem

The name that is transliterated as “Jerusalem” in English is signed in French Sign Language with a sign that depicts worshiping at the Western Wall in Jerusalem:


“Jerusalem” in French Sign Language (source: La Bible en langue des signes française )

While a similar sign is also used in British Sign Language, another, more neutral sign that combines the sign “J” and the signs for “place” is used as well. (Source: Anna Smith)


“Jerusalem” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL, used with permission)

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Jerusalem .

Translation commentary on 2 Chronicles 22:2 - 22:3

In verse 2 the writer provides the usual information about Ahaziah’s reign: his age when he began to rule, the length of his rule, and the name of his mother. But he goes a step further in describing the background of the king’s mother. His mother was related to the king of Israel named Omri (see 1 Kgs 16.16-28).

Ahaziah was forty-two years old when he began to reign: This rendering is based on the Masoretic Text, but the number forty-two seems impossible in light of 2 Chr 21.20. According to 21.20, Ahaziah’s father, King Jehoram, died when he (Jehoram) was forty years old. Therefore it is not possible that Ahaziah was forty-two years old when he became king, since he would have been two years older than his father. Some ancient translations, as well as the parallel text in 2 Kgs 8.26, say that he was “twenty-two.” A number of modern versions also read “twenty-two” (Good News Translation, New International Version, New Living Translation, New Century Version, NASB, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, Osty-Trinquet). Following the Septuagint, some translations read “twenty” (Bible en français courant, Parole de Vie, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente).

And he reigned one year in Jerusalem: The reign of Ahaziah was very brief, covering only one year. Since parts of a year are often counted as whole years in Hebrew, Ahaziah may have ruled less than a full year. He reigned about 841 B.C.

His mother’s name was Athaliah, the granddaughter of Omri: The granddaughter of Omri is literally “daughter of Omri.” Here, as in 2 Kgs 8.26, Athaliah is called the daughter of Omri (so New American Bible). But in 2 Kgs 8.18 and 2 Chr 21.6 she is called the daughter of Ahab, though her name is not given there. Therefore some scholars think that the expression “daughter of Omri” must mean “granddaughter of Omri” here in verse 2 and in 2 Kgs 8.26 (so Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New International Version, Revised English Bible). But other scholars think that “daughter of Ahab” means that Athaliah was a “member of the household of Ahab” and that she was the daughter of Omri and the sister of Ahab. Bible en français courant says that she was “of the family of Omri,” and New Jerusalem Bible has “descendant of Omri.” No certainty is possible. Good News Translation adds “the daughter of King Ahab,” but this is not recommended due to the uncertainty here.

He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab: See the comments on 2 Chr 21.6. The Hebrew pronoun for He is emphatic. Traduction œcuménique de la Bible keeps this emphasis by beginning with “As for him also, he….” For this whole clause Revised English Bible and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh say “He too followed the practices of the house of Ahab” (similarly New Jerusalem Bible), and New Living Translation has “Ahaziah also followed the evil example of King Ahab’s family.”

For his mother was his counselor in doing wickedly: The Hebrew conjunction rendered for introduces why Ahaziah did wrong. It was because he listened to the advice of his mother Athaliah, who was a bad example. This clause may be translated “because his mother encouraged him to do the bad things” or “because his mother gave him advice that led him to do wrong.”

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 .