complete verse (2 Chronicles 28:8)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Chronicles 28:8:

  • Kupsabiny: “After that, the soldiers of Israel took two hundred thousand (200,000) women and children from their relatives of Judah. The people of Israel plundered from the people of Judah many things and went with (them) to the city of Samaria.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Even though the ones who lived in Judah were of their own nation, the Israelites, having seized 200,000 women and children, took them captive. They also took much plunder and carried it off to Samaria.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Those who of/from-Israel took-captive the 200,000 women and children from their blood-relatives whose of/from-Juda. They also took the things/possessions of those of/from-Juda and brought back-home to Samaria.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “The soldiers of Israel captured 200,000 of the people of Judah, including many wives and sons and daughters of the soldiers of Judah. They also seized and took back to Samaria many valuable things.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

large numbers in Angguruk Yali

Many languages use a “body part tally system” where body parts function as numerals (see body part tally systems with a description). One such language is Angguruk Yali which uses a system that ends at the number 27. To circumvent this limitation, the Angguruk Yali translators adopted a strategy where a large number is first indicated with an approximation via the traditional system, followed by the exact number according to Arabic numerals. For example, where in 2 Samuel 6:1 it says “thirty thousand” in the English translation, the Angguruk Yali says teng-teng angge 30.000 or “so many rounds [following the body part tally system] 30,000,” likewise, in Acts 27:37 where the number “two hundred seventy-six” is used, the Angguruk Yali translation says teng-teng angge 276 or “so many rounds 276,” or in John 6:10 teng-teng angge 5.000 for “five thousand.”

This strategy is used in all the verses referenced here.

Source: Lourens de Vries in The Bible Translator 1998, p. 409ff.

See also numbers in Ngalum and numbers in Kombai.

Translation commentary on 2 Chronicles 28:8

The men of Israel took captive two hundred thousand of their kinsfolk, women, sons, and daughters: The men of Israel (literally “the children/sons of Israel”) refers to the army of the northern kingdom, Israel. Some translate simply “The Israelites” (New American Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), but it is probably better to specify “The Israelite troops” (Contemporary English Version) or “the soldiers of the northern kingdom” (Bible en français courant). All twelve tribes of Israel were descended from Jacob, so the people of the northern kingdom were kinsfolk (that is, relatives) to the people in the southern kingdom. Good News Translation makes explicit the identity of their kinsfolk (literally “their brothers”) by saying “the Judeans were their own relatives,” and Parole de Vie is similar with “their brothers and sisters of Judah.” The 200,000 relatives they took as prisoners were women, sons, and daughters. In some languages sons, and daughters is more naturally expressed as “children” (Good News Translation). A possible model for this whole clause is “The Israelites soldiers took captive 200,000 women and children from their relatives the Judeans.”

They also took much spoil from them and brought the spoil to Samaria: For the word spoil, see the comments on 1 Chr 20.2 and 2 Chr 15.11. In this context Samaria refers to the capital city of Israel, which Contemporary English Version makes explicit by saying “their capital city of Samaria.”

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 28:8

28:8a Then the Israelites took 200,000 captives from their kinsmen—women, sons, and daughters.

The army of Israel took two hundred thousand of the wives, sons and daughters of the people of Judah, who were their relatives.
-or-
The soldiers of Israel took two hundred thousand (200,000) prisoners from among their brothers and sisters in Judah. They took people’s wives, sons and daughters.

28:8b They also carried off a great deal of plunder and brought it to Samaria.

They also took many valuable things back to Samaria.
-or-
They also took a great deal of their wealth and carried it to Samaria, ⌊their capital city⌋.

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