priest

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The Hebrew, Aramaic, Ge’ez, and Greek that are typically translated as “priest” in English (itself deriving from Latin “presbyter” — “elder”) is often translated with a consideration of existing religious traditions. (Click or tap for details)

Bratcher / Nida (1961) say this:

“However, rather than borrow local names for priests, some of which have unwanted connotations, a number of translations have employed descriptive phrases based on certain functions: (1) those describing a ceremonial activity: Pamona uses tadu, the priestess who recites the litanies in which she describes her journey to the upper or under-world to fetch life-spirit for sick people, animals or plants; Batak Toba uses the Arabic malim, ‘Muslim religious teacher;’ ‘one who presents man’s sacrifice to God’ (Bambara, Eastern Maninkakan), ‘one who presents sacrifices’ (Baoulé, Navajo (Dinė)), ‘one who takes the name of the sacrifice’ (Kpelle, and ‘to make a sacrifice go out’ (Hausa); (2) those describing an intermediary function: ‘one who speaks to God’ (Shipibo-Conibo) and ‘spokesman of the people before God’ (Tabasco Chontal).”

In Obolo it is translated as ogwu ngwugwa or “the one who offers sacrifice” (source: Enene Enene), in Mairasi as agam aevar nevwerai: “religious leader” (source: Enggavoter 2004), in Ignaciano as “blesser, one who does ritual as a practice” (using a generic term rather than the otherwise common Spanish loan word sacerdote) (source: Willis Ott in Notes on Translation 88/1982, p. 18ff.), and in Noongar as yakin-kooranyi or “holy worker” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

For Guhu-Samane, Ernest Richert (in The Bible Translator, 1965, p. 81ff. ) reports this: “The [local] cult of Poro used to be an all-encompassing religious system that essentially governed all areas of life. (…) For ‘priest’ the term ‘poro father’ would at first seem to be a natural choice. However, several priests of the old cult are still living. Although they no longer function primarily as priests of the old system they still have a substantial influence on the community, and there would be more than a chance that the unqualified term would (in some contexts particularly) be equated with the priest of the poro cult. We learned, then, that the poro fathers would sometimes be called ‘knife men’ in relation to their sacrificial work. The panel was pleased to apply this term to the Jewish priest, and the Christian community has adopted it fully. [Mark 1:44, for instance, now] reads: ‘You must definitely not tell any man of this. But you go show your body to the knife man and do what Moses said about a sacrifice concerning your being healed, and the cause (base of this) will be apparent.'”

For a revision of the 1968 version of the Bible in Khmer Joseph Hong (in: The Bible Translator 1996, 233ff. ) talks about a change in wording for this term:

​​Bau cha r (បូជា‌ចារ្យ) — The use of this new construction meaning “priest” is maintained to translate the Greek word hiereus. The term “mean sang (មាន សង្ឃ)” used in the old version actually means a “Buddhist monk,” and is felt to be theologically misleading. The Khmer considers the Buddhist monk as a “paddy field of merits,” a reserve of merits to be shared with other people. So a Khmer reader would find unthinkable that the mean sang in the Bible killed animals, the gravest sin for a Buddhist; and what a scandal it would be to say that a mean sang was married, had children, and drank wine.

See also idolatrous priests.

complete verse (2 Kings 12:9)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Kings 12:9:

  • Kupsabiny: “Then, that big priest took a box and drilled a hole at the top, and then he put that box at the right hand side of the altar where one enters the Homestead of God. The priests whose day was theirs to guard the gate, started to take all the money which people brought to the House of God to throw then inside that box.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Then Jehoiada the priest took a chest and bored a hole in its lid. He put it near the altar to the right side of the entrance of the temple of the LORD. Then the priests who stood guard at the main gate put all the money that was brought to the temple of the LORD into it.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Jehoyada took a box and made-a-hole on its lid. Then he placed it beside the altar, on the right side entering the temple of the LORD. If anyone would-give money to the temple, the priests who guard at the gate were the ones-who-put- it -inside the box.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Then Jehoiada took a chest and bored a hole in the lid. He placed it alongside the altar for burning incense/sacrifices that was on the right as anyone enters the temple. The priests who guarded the entrance to the temple put in the box the money that was brought to the temple.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 2 Kings 12:9

It will probably be unnecessary to repeat the qualification the priest after the name Jehoiada if this information was given earlier in the chapter.

A chest is literally “a box one,” that is, “a box” (Good News Translation, New Century Version). The Hebrew word rendered chest is the same word used for the coffin of Joseph (Gen 50.26) and for the ark of the covenant (Exo 25.10; 1 Kgs 2.26). Some scholars have suggested that the Hebrew word for “one” in this verse should be corrected to read “cedar” since the Hebrew letters in the words for “one” and “cedar” are similar in shape. Such a correction is not recommended since there is no manuscript evidence for the reading “cedar chest.” But since this box was probably made of wood, some translators may prefer to specify the material as Contemporary English Version has done by saying “a wooden box.”

Bored a hole in the lid of it: The verb bored translates a Hebrew word that means “curse” or “blaspheme” in other contexts. But here, as in 2 Kgs 18.21, the meaning is clearly “penetrate” or “pierce.” The Hebrew word for lid implies something on hinges like a door that could be swung open and shut. It would probably also have been locked in some way. The same word is used for “door” in 1 Kgs 6.31-34 and 2 Kgs 4.4-5.

Set it beside the altar: The pronoun it refers to the box with the lid on top of it and not just to the lid. Instead of the word altar, one manuscript of the Septuagint has a transliteration of a Hebrew word. Some scholars understand this word to be a transliteration of the Hebrew word for “pillar.” This is the basis for the reading “pillar” (New Jerusalem Bible) or “stele” (New American Bible, Osty-Trinquet) in some modern translations. But Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament correctly notes that the transliteration in this one Greek manuscript is more likely a transliteration of the Hebrew word for “altar.” Therefore it is probably best to follow the recommendation of Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament and to translate the Hebrew word for “altar.” Revised English Bible does so with the expression “sacrificial slaughtering-place.” It is not clear whether the altar was the altar of incense inside the Temple building (see 1 Kgs 6.20), the large altar of sacrifice in the courtyard in front of the Temple (see 1 Kgs 1.50), or some other unknown altar at the entrance of the Temple. If the phrase the house of the LORD refers to the Temple building itself, then it would seem that the altar of incense is intended. But if this phrase refers more generally to the Temple area, then the large altar for sacrifices is intended. According to 2 Chr 24.8, the box was placed “at the Temple gate” (Good News Translation), so some interpreters think it was placed on the right side of the altar of sacrifice at the southern entrance to the middle courtyard of the Temple. In any case, the reference is most likely to the altar of sacrifice in front of the Temple.

On the right side as one entered the house of the LORD is literally “on the right side as a man enters….” The more literal rendering may provide a better model for some languages than the indefinite use of “one” in English. Others may prefer “on the right side of the place where people go in….” As noted above, the exact location of the box is not clear. The Hebrew expression rendered beside the altar on the right side as one entered the house of the LORD may mean “on the right side of the altar where people went into the temple” (Contemporary English Version) or “on the south side of the altar at the south entrance into the Temple courtyard.”

The priests who guarded the threshold refers to “The priests on duty at the entrance [of the Temple]” (Revised English Bible). These were apparently not mere doorkeepers, but high-ranking officials. Their specific duties are unknown today. Elsewhere they are called “the keepers of the threshold” and rank just after the high priest and his assistants (2 Kgs 23.4; 25.18; Jer 52.24) in importance. According to 2 Kgs 25.18, there were three priests who were given this task.

All the money that was brought: The passive construction may be avoided by saying “all the money that the people brought” or “whenever someone gave money.”

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 .