years (age)

In Aekyom, years are counted as “turtles” (ambum).

Norm Mundhenk tells this story:

“Recently I was checking some New Testament material in the Aekyom language of western Papua New Guinea. It seemed relatively clear until suddenly we came to a passage that started, ‘When Jesus had 12 turtles, …’ Surely I had misunderstood what they said.
“‘Did you say that Jesus had 12 turtles?’
“‘Let us explain! Around here there is a certain time every year when river turtles come up on the banks and lay their eggs. Because this is so regular, it can be used as a way of counting years. Someone’s age is said to be how many turtles that person has. So when we say that Jesus had 12 turtles, we mean that Jesus was 12 years old.’
“It was of course the familiar story of Jesus’ trip with his parents to Jerusalem. And certainly, as we all know, Jesus did indeed have 12 turtles at that time!”

In Tok Pisin, krismas (derived from “christmas”) is taken as the fixed annual marker, so Jesus had 12 “christmases” (Jisas i gat 12-pela krismas pinis) or Abram (in Gen. 12:4) had 75 (Abram i gat 75 krismas) (source: Norm Mundhenk). In Noongar it is biroka kadak or “summers had” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

See also advanced in years.

complete verse (2 Kings 10:36)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Kings 10:36:

  • Kupsabiny: “Jehu ruled the country of Israel for twenty-eight years from the city of Samaria. Then, Jehu died and was buried in that city where his forefathers were buried. Then his son Jehoahaz replaced his father.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Jehu reigned in Israel from Samaria for twenty-eight years.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Jehu reigned in Israel there in Samaria for a period/[lit. inside] of 28 years.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Jehu had ruled in Samaria as the king of Israel for twenty-eight years.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 2 Kings 10:36

This part of the royal formula is similar to what is found in 1 Kgs 2.11; 11.42 and 14.20.

Some languages may restructure this verse, giving a more prominent position to the number of years that Jehu ruled as follows:

• It was twenty-eight years that Jehu ruled over Israel and lived in Samaria.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on 2 Kings 10:36

10:36 So the duration of Jehu’s reign over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.

The number of years that Jehu ruled Israel in the city of Samaria was 28 years.

-or-

Jehu had ruled in Samaria as the king of Israel for twenty-eight (28) years.

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