The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “eunuch” in English is translated in Low German as “man (or: person) who does not have male strength” (Minsch, de ehr Mannskraft nicht hebt) (translation by Johannes Jessen, publ. 1933, republ. 2006). Similarly, in the German Luther Bible it is translated as Entmannter or “de-masculated.” (Source: Jost Zetzsche)
When the mentioning of “eunuch” does not play an important part of the story, such as in Esther 2:3 or Esther 1:15, the Elhomwe translation uses “servant or “someone working at the palace” “because otherwise element of being castrated too much emphasis.” (Source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Kings 20:18:
Kupsabiny: “And again some of your grandchildren/descendants will be castrated to become slaves in the homestead/palace of the king of Babylon.’ ’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “And from among your own descendants, your own flesh and blood who will be born to you, some will be captured and taken away to Babylon. Then they will be made eunuchs to serve in the palace of the king of Babylon."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “And some of your (sing.) upcoming descendants will-be-captured, and they will-become servants in the palace of the king of Babilonia.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “Furthermore, some of your own descendants will be forced to go there, and they will be castrated in order that they may become servants in the palace of the King of Babylon.’” (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.”
Some of your own sons, who are born to you: The wording of Revised Standard Version makes it sound like the reference here in Hebrew is to the literal sons of Hezekiah. But the meaning is rather that enemies will capture and take away members of the family of Hezekiah in generations to come. New American Bible, for example, says “Some of your own bodily descendants.” The Contemporary English Version rendering, “Some of your own sons,” is not recommended as a model since it suggests the literal sons of the king.
Shall be taken away: This passive construction will have to be made active in certain languages. Where this is necessary, the sentence may be restructured in such a way as to avoid being too specific about the agent or agents involved. But it is clear from the context that the Babylonians would be involved in taking captive the descendants of Hezekiah. It will be possible, therefore, to say something like “the Babylonians will take away….” Or in some languages the passive form may be translated by using the third person plural pronoun without a definite antecedent, saying “they will take away….”
They shall be eunuchs: For the Hebrew word rendered eunuchs, see the comments at 1 Kgs 22.9 (“officer” in Revised Standard Version); 2 Kgs 8.6 (“officer” in Revised Standard Version) and 9.32. The focus here is not so much on the sexuality of the eunuchs as on the fact that they will be forced to serve a foreign ruler. For this reason New Century Version and New American Bible translate the word as “servants” in the present context (similarly Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente). Jewish Publication Version, which normally translates rather literally, renders this word “officers,” focusing on their service to the king rather than on their sexuality. Contemporary English Version includes the element of humiliation involved and translates “they will be disgraced and made to serve.”
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 .
Even some of your (sing.) ⌊future⌋ grandchildren/descendants,
20:18b your own flesh and blood,
who will be born in/to your (sing.) own family,
-or-
who belong to your (sing.) family line,
20:18c will be taken away
will be taken away ⌊as captives/slaves⌋ .
-or-
they will capture and take ⌊to Babylon⌋ .
20:18d to be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”
Some of them will be made eunuchs ⌊to work⌋ in the palace of the king of Babylon.”
-or-
There they will castrate them ⌊and force them to work as slaves⌋ for the king of Babylon.”
20:18a-d (reordered)
⌊The Babylonians⌋ will come and take away some of your direct descendants and make them work/serve as slaves/eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”
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