The name that is transliterated as “Judah” or “Judea” in English (referring to the son of Jacob, the tribe, and the territory) is translated in Spanish Sign Language as “lion” (referring to Genesis 49:9 and Revelation 5:5). This sign for lion is reserved for regions and kingdoms. (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. and Steve Parkhurst)
The Hebrew, Greek, and Latin that is transliterated as “Hezekiah” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the signs for “king” and “facing the wall” referring to Isaiah 38:2. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
In Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) it is translated with a sign that signifies a model, a parameter for his life, referring to “he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, just as his ancestor David had done” of 2 Kings 18:3. (Source: Missão Kophós )
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Kings 18:1:
Kupsabiny: “And/But in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah having ruled Israel, Hezekiah son of Ahaz started to rule Judah.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “During the third year of the reign of Israel’s king Hoshea, son of Elah, Hezekiah, son of Ahaz, became king of Judah.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Hezekia the child/(son) of Ahaz became king in Juda in the third year of the reign of Hoshea, the child/(son) of Elah, in Israel.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “After King Hoshea had been ruling Israel for almost three years, Hezekiah, the son of Ahaz, began to rule Judah.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
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:
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.”
This verse begins with the common Hebrew verbal transition (“And it happened”), but most modern translations omit it as being unnatural and unnecessary. It simply marks the beginning of a new paragraph.
In the third year of Hoshea … king of Israel; that is, in the third year of Hoshea’s reign over Israel, the northern kingdom.
Hezekiah … king of Judah, began to reign: Hezekiah was, of course, not the king of Judah until he took power. For this reason it will be much better in some languages to say “Hezekiah … began to rule over the kingdom of Judah” or something similar.
Both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation follow the order of the Hebrew in this verse. Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente restructures as follows: “Hezekiah, son of Ahaz, became king of Judah when Hoshea, son of Elah, king of Israel, was in the third year of his reign.” This restructuring immediately focuses on Hezekiah and shows the reader that this section is about Hezekiah and not about Hoshea. It may provide a helpful model for certain other languages.
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 .
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