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 13:56

Therefore I have shown you this, for there is a reward laid up with the Most High: Here it is clear that the angel Uriel is the speaker (see the comments on verse 52). We do not recommend Good News Bible‘s model here. A better model is “That’s why God Most High has shown you these things and will one day reward you” (similarly Contemporary English Version).

And after three more days I will tell you other things, and explain weighty and wondrous matters to you: Stone (pages 373-374) computes that the three more days make a total of forty days of fasting as follows (compare 2 Esd 14.23):

• 6.35 — 21 days

• 9.23 — 7 days

• 10.58; 11.1 — 2 days

• 13.1 — 7 days

• 13.56 — 3 days

We suggest the following model for this verse:

• That is why I have shown you all these things, and why God Most High has a reward waiting for you. I have other things to tell you, and three days from now I will [return and] explain some things to you that are profound [or, very deep] and marvelous.”

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.