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 8:56

For they also received freedom, but they despised the Most High, and were contemptuous of his law, and forsook his ways: Compare 2 Esd 7.127-130; 9.10-12. The conjunction For introduces why Ezra should not ask questions about the wicked, who will perish. Good News Bible renders they also received freedom as “they had the opportunity to choose,” but a clearer model is “they had the freedom to live righteously [or, good lives] as every one else.” They despised the Most High may be rendered “they had no respect for God Most High.” Were contemptuous of his law may be translated “had only contempt for his Law.” Forsook his ways may be expressed as “wouldn’t walk on his paths” or “didn’t follow his ways.” A model of this verse that views God as the speaker (so Contemporary English Version) is:

• For they were just as free to live righteously as anyone else, but they had no respect for me, God Most High. They had nothing but contempt for my Law, and did not follow my ways.

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.