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 18:10:
Kupsabiny: “Then in the third year from when it was surrounded, in the sixth year of Hezekiah ruling, and that was the ninth year of Hoshea ruling, the city of Samaria was taken/captured.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “After besieging it for three years, the Assyrians conquered Samaria. In this way Samaria was conquered when Hezekiah had been king for six years and when Hoshea had been king in Israel for nine years.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “After three years, in the sixth year of the reign of Hezekia and in the ninth year of the reign of Hoshea, Asiria captured Samaria.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “In the third year they captured the city. That was when Hezekiah has been ruling Judah for almost six years, and when Hoshea had been ruling Israel for almost nine years.” (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.”
At the end of three years: Compare 2 Kgs 17.5 where the three-year siege of Samaria is also mentioned. Some may prefer to translate “three years later” (Contemporary English Version). The previous verse, however, states that the attack began during the fourth year of Hezekiah’s rule, and this verse says that Samaria was taken in the sixth year of Hezekiah. Parts of years are sometimes counted as a year, and apparently for this reason Moffatt translates “After two years” and Good News Translation says “In the third year.”
He took it is found in a few Hebrew manuscripts as well as several ancient versions. Most Hebrew manuscripts and editions of the Masoretic Text have “they took it.” But the meaning is the same. The singular pronoun he, however, keeps the focus on the Assyrian king who led the attacking army.
The sixth year and the ninth year refer again to the reigns of Hezekiah and Hoshea as do the similar expressions in the previous verse.
Samaria was taken speaks of the same event as he took it. So it may be unnecessary to repeat this information. In some cases it may even be confusing to do so. This will be especially true in languages that do not use the passive form. The subject understood in both cases is the king of Assyria, who is specifically mentioned in the following verse, or the Assyrian army if the reading “they took it” is followed.
Bible en français courant provides a possible model for this verse as a whole:
• the city was taken at the end of three years, that is to say, during the sixth year of the reign of Hezekiah or the ninth year of the reign of Hoshea.
Compare also Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente:
• The Assyrians succeeded in conquering it after three years. Samaria was taken in the sixth year of Hezekiah’s reign, which corresponds to the ninth of Hoshea, king of Israel.
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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