The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “messenger” in English is translated in Noongar as moort yana-waangki or “person walk-talk” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).
Ahaz
The name that is transliterated as “Ahaz” in English means “possessor,” “helper,” “Jehovah has seized or sustains.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )
In Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) it is translated with a sign that depicts the suffering that one of the worst kings caused (see 2 Chronicles 28:19 and 2 Chronicles 28:22). (Source: Missão Kophós )
“Ahaz” in Libras (source )
For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .
Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Ahaz .
complete verse (2 Kings 16:7)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Kings 16:7:
- Kupsabiny: “Then, Ahaz sent messengers to go and say to Tiglath-pileser, the king of Assyria, ‘I am your servant and am under your rule. Sir, come to my aid, please, because the king of Syria and that one of Israel are fighting me.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
- Newari: “Ahaz sent a messenger to Tiglath-pileser, King of Assyria, saying like this, "I am your slave and servant. Please come up and deliver me from the hands of the king of Aram and the king of Israel, who have come up to attack me."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
- Hiligaynon: “Ahaz sent messengers to take this message to King Tiglat Piliser of Asiria: ‘Save me your (sing.) servant from the hands of the king of Aram and of the king of Israel who are-attacking me.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
- English: “King Ahaz sent messengers to King Tiglath-Pileser of Assyria, to tell this message to him: ‘I promise that I will completely do what you tell me to do, as though I was your son. Please come and rescue us from the armies of Syria and Israel who are attacking my country.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)
king
Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as “king” in English. Here are some (back-) translations:
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- Piro: “a great one”
- Highland Totonac: “the big boss”
- Huichol: “the one who commanded” (source for this and above: Bratcher / Nida)
- Ekari: “the one who holds the country” (source: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
- Una: weik sienyi: “big headman” (source: Kroneman 2004, p. 407)
- Pass Valley Yali: “Big Man” (source: Daud Soesilo)
- Ninia Yali: “big brother with the uplifted name” (source: Daud Soesilio in Noss 2007, p. 175)
- Nyamwezi: mutemi: generic word for ruler, by specifying the city or nation it becomes clear what kind of ruler (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
- Ghomála’: Fo (“The word Fo refers to the paramount ruler in the kingdoms of West Cameroon. He holds administrative, political, and religious power over his own people, who are divided into two categories: princes (descendants of royalty) and servants (everyone else).” (Source: Michel Kenmogne in Theologizing in Context: An Example from the Study of a Ghomala’ Christian Hymn))
Faye Edgerton retells how the term in Navajo (Dinė) was determined:
“[This term was] easily expressed in the language of Biblical culture, which had kings and noblemen with their brilliant trappings and their position of honor and praise. But leadership among the Navajos is not accompanied by any such titles or distinctions of dress. Those most respected, especially in earlier days, were their headmen, who were the leaders in raids, and the shaman, who was able to serve the people by appealing for them to the gods, or by exorcising evil spirits. Neither of these made any outward show. Neither held his position by political intrigue or heredity. If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior. If the shaman failed many times in his healing ceremonies, it was considered that he was making mistakes in the chants, or had lost favor with the gods, and another was sought. The term Navajos use for headman is derived from a verb meaning ‘to move the head from side to side as in making an oration.’ The headman must be a good orator, able to move the people to go to war, or to follow him in any important decision. This word is naat’áanii which now means ‘one who rules or bosses.’ It is employed now for a foreman or boss of any kind of labor, as well as for the chairman of the tribal council. So in order to show that the king is not just a common boss but the highest ruler, the word ‘aláahgo, which expresses the superlative degree, was put before naat’áanii, and so ‘aláahgo naat’áanii ‘anyone-more-than-being around-he-moves-his-head-the-one-who’ means ‘the highest ruler.’ Naat’áanii was used for governor as the context usually shows that the person was a ruler of a country or associated with kings.”
(Source: Faye Edgerton in The Bible Translator 1962, p. 25ff. )
See also king (Japanese honorifics).
Japanese benefactives (sukutte)
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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between. One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a benefactive construction as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017.
Here, sukutte (救って) or “save/deliver” is used in combination with kudasaru (くださる), a respectful form of the benefactive kureru (くれる). A benefactive reflects the good will of the giver or the gratitude of a recipient of the favor. To convey this connotation, English translation needs to employ a phrase such as “for me (my sake)” or “for you (your sake).” (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )
Translation commentary on 2 Kings 16:7
So: This transition word renders the common Hebrew conjunction. Revised Standard Version correctly shows the logical connection between the attack by Rezin and Pekah (verse 5) and the action of Ahaz in sending for help from the king of Assyria. It is certainly legitimate to leave the word untranslated as in Good News Translation or to make it a temporal connection (“then”) as in New Jerusalem Bible. New American Bible has “Meanwhile.” Naturalness in the receptor language should be the determining factor in deciding how it is to be rendered.
Tiglath-pileser: See the comments at 2 Kgs 15.19 and 29.
I am your servant and your son: While neither of these statements is to be taken as literally true, the combination is a strong statement of submission and acceptance of authority. Such terminology was common diplomatic language in the ancient Near East. Ahaz states his willingness to become a vassal to the more powerful king of Assyria. Your son has been translated “your vassal” (New Living Translation, New International Version) and “your friend” (New Century Version). The latter translation seems to be an especially weak rendering in this context and should probably be avoided. It is conceivable that the least problematic translation in some languages might be something like “I am completely committed to obey you” or “I promise to submit absolutely to you.” But in other languages a more literal rendering will perhaps communicate the meaning quite naturally.
Come up: It is not necessary to reflect the idea of upward movement in translation. The verb is adequately translated “Come” (Good News Translation, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New Century Version).
The hand of the king, which is found twice in this verse, refers to the power of the kings that opposed Ahaz and who were at war with him.
The direct quotation in this verse may be rendered more naturally as indirect speech in some languages. Here is a possible model for the whole verse:
• Ahaz sent a message telling Tiglath Pileser that he was absolutely committed to serving him. He asked that the Assyrian king come and save him from the [armies of the] kings of Syria and Israel who were attacking him.
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 16:7
16:7a So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying,
Then Ahaz sent some men to give/tell a message to Tiglath-Pileser, Assyria’s king.
-or-
Meanwhile King Ahaz sent messengers to King Tiglath-Pileser of Assyria. They said to him,
-or-
King Ahaz of Judah sent a message telling the chief of Assyria ⌊named⌋ Tiglath-Pileser that
16:7b “I am your servant and your son.
The message read/said, “I, ⌊Ahaz,⌋ am your (sing.) servant and your son.
-or-
“Ahaz is ⌊devoted to you (sing.) ⌋ like a servant or a son.
-or-
he/Ahaz was committed to serving him/Tiglath-Pileser with love/devotion.
16:7c Come up and save me from the hands of the kings of Aram and Israel,
⌊Kindly⌋ come (sing.) here and save me from the power of Syria’s king and Israel’s king.
-or-
Please come (sing.) and defend him from the kings/rulers of Syria and of Israel.
-or-
He begged Tiglath-Pileser to come to his help/assistance against the armies of Syria and Israel,
16:7d who are rising up against me.”
They are attacking me!”
-or-
Both of them have begun to fight against my ⌊people/land⌋ .”
-or-
who had begun an aggressive war against him.
16:7b-d (reordered)
“The king of Aram and the king of Israel are attacking me. Please come and help me, for I am your ⌊humble/obedient⌋ servant, your ⌊loyal⌋ son .”
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