Honorary "are" construct denoting God ("deliver")

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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, hatas-are-ru (果たされる) or “deliver” is used.

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

Translation commentary on 2 Chronicles 6:10

Since the LORD was speaking in verse 9, it may be helpful to make explicit that Solomon continues speaking in this verse; for example, Parole de Vie begins with “Solomon continued.”

Now the LORD has fulfilled his promise which he made: There is a strong emphasis in this passage on the fulfillment of God’s promises. The promise (literally “word”) in view here is the one found in the previous verse, that is, that David’s son should build the Temple. The Hebrew verb rendered fulfilled differs from the one used in verses 4 and 15. It is different in this case because there is a wordplay involved here with the next clause. A more literal rendering of the first half of this verse is “And the LORD raised up his word … for I have risen in the place of David….” Chouraqui preserves this wordplay in his very literal rendering by saying “Yahweh raises his word that he had spoken. I raise myself in the place of David my father.” Such a wordplay probably cannot be maintained in most languages since “to raise up a word” will not mean “to fulfill/keep a promise” in most languages. Some possible models for the first clause are “Yahweh has kept the promise which he made” (New Jerusalem Bible) and “The Eternal has done what he promised” (Moffatt).

The two expressions I have risen in the place of David my father and sit on the throne of Israel refer to one event and not two separate events. But there are two separate ideas: it is not just that Solomon has become king; he has become king and at the same time he has replaced his father. International Children’s Bible uses two separate sentences, saying “I have taken my father David’s place. Now I am Israel’s king.” This may be a helpful model for some other languages. For sit on the throne, see the comments on 1 Chr 28.5.

And I have built the house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel: See the comments on 2Chr 6.7. This clause should not be understood to mean that Solomon did the construction by himself. Rather, he commissioned the work and supervised it to be sure that it was done correctly.

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 6:10

6:10a Now the LORD has fulfilled the word that He spoke.

“Now Yahweh has kept his promise.
-or-
Then King Solomon said, “Yahweh has done what he said he would do.

6:10b I have succeeded my father David,

I have taken the place of my father David.
-or-
I followed my father David ⌊as king⌋.

6:10c and I sit on the throne of Israel,

Now I sit ⌊as king⌋ on the throne of Israel,
-or-
Now I reign over Israel.

6:10d as the LORD promised.

just as Yahweh promised would happen.
-or-
Yahweh has kept his promise.

6:10e I have built the house

I have built this temple
-or-
I have had this house built

6:10f for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel.

so that the name of Yahweh, God of Israel ⌊will be here⌋.
-or-
to ⌊honor⌋ Yahweh, the God of Israel.

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