Most High

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The Hebrew, Aramaic, Latin, Ge’ez, or Greek that is translated as “(God) the Most High” or “Most High God” in English is translated in various way:

  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “he the completely glorified God”
  • San Mateo del Mar Huave: “Father God who is high in heaven”
  • Teutila Cuicatec: “God who has such tremendous authority”
  • Chichimeca-Jonaz: “he who is the native of the highest place”
  • Palantla Chinantec: “the Big God Himself”
  • Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “God who has authority over all”
  • Estado de México Otomi: “most exalted God”
  • Isthmus Mixe: “God who is in heaven”
  • Teutila Cuicatec: “God who has a great rule” (source for this and above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
  • Sa’a: “God, the Surpassing One” (source: Carl Gross)
  • Elhomwe: Mulluku Muullupalli or “God the Great” (source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Chichewa: Wammwambamwamba: A name of God. While this word is difficult to translate into English, its sense implies that God is highly above everything in his power and greatness. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 2 Esdras 11:43 - 11:44

And so your insolence has come up before the Most High, and your pride to the Mighty One: These two clauses are parallel in meaning, so Good News Bible combines them, saying “God Most High knows how proud and arrogant you are.” Since God is speaking here, another possible model is “I, God Most High, know that you are proud and arrogant” (similarly Contemporary English Version). For the Mighty One, see the comments on 2 Esd 6.31-32.

And the Most High has looked upon his times may be rendered “I have looked back over the world I created” or even “I have looked at what has happened in the past.”

And behold, they are ended, and his ages are completed!: The word behold places focus on the message that follows (see 2 Esd 6.18). The clauses they are ended and his ages are completed are parallel in meaning, so they may be combined as follows: “the time has come for everything to end.”

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.