12King Jehoiachin of Judah gave himself up to the king of Babylon: himself, his mother, his servants, his officers, and his palace officials. The king of Babylon took him prisoner in the eighth year of his reign.
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)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Kings 24:12:
Kupsabiny: “Jehoiakin surrendered/humbled himself and accepted for the king of Babylon to take him along. He also accepted for his mother, servants, leaders and advisers to be taken along. Jehoiakin was taken and went into exile when it was the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar having ruled.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Jehoiachin, king of Judah, his mother, his advisors and all his administrators surrendered themselves into his hand. In the eighth year of his reign, the King of Babylon took Jehoiachin and imprisoned him.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “And King Jehoyakin surrendered to him, together-with his mother, his servants, his noble men, and his officers. In the eight year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar in Babilonia, he took-captive Jehoyakin.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “Then King Jehoiachin and his mother and his advisors and important officers and palace officials all surrendered to the Babylonian army. These thngs happened when Nebuchadnezzar had been king for eight years. He arrested Jehoiachin and took him to 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.”
The prophet Jeremiah prophesied the defeat and exile of Jehoiachin and continued to prophesy during the time of the Exile (Jer 22.24-30; 24.1-10; 29.1-2).
Jehoiachin the king of Judah gave himself up to the king of Babylon …: The Hebrew text has a singular subject (Jehoiachin the king of Judah) followed by a list of other people who are, in fact, included as real subjects of the verb gave … up. In some languages the model of Good News Translation will be a good one to follow, but in other cases a separate sentence may be required stating that “Jehoiachin’s mother, his sons, his officers, and the palace officials also surrendered.”
Good News Translation does not indicate that Jehoiachin was king of Judah, but because this information is not clearly stated in the immediate context, it may be better to include it here.
Gave himself up to is literally “went out to” (so King James Version, Nouvelle version Segond révisée, La Bible Pléiade). As in 1 Sam 11.3, this verb has the sense of “surrendered to” (Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible) in this context.
His servants, and his princes, and his palace officials: According to the Hebrew text, three groups of people are mentioned following the mention of Jehoiachin’s mother. The wide differences in the following translations are confusing: “his sons, his officers, and the palace officials” (Good News Translation), “his courtiers, his officers, and his eunuchs” (Revised English Bible), “his ministers, officers, and functionaries” (New American Bible), and “his retinue, his nobles and his officials” (New Jerusalem Bible).
Servants here refers to court officials or government officials. Princes translates a Hebrew word with a wide range of meanings. Throughout the Old Testament, this word refers to a variety of military or civil positions of leadership (see 1 Kgs 4.2, where it is rendered “high officials”). It may also refer to princes, which explains the Good News Translation rendering “sons.” The Hebrew word translated palace officials is sometimes rendered “eunuchs,” and is, in fact, so rendered here by Revised English Bible, em>Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, La Bible Pléiade, and certain other versions. Probably, however, the more general meaning of trusted officials is what is intended here. See the comments on this term at 1 Kgs 22.9 and 2 Kgs 8.6; 9.32.
Took him: Some manuscripts of the Septuagint read “took them,” and are followed by Osty-Trinquet. The plural is historically correct, as verse 15 shows, but the writer’s focus is here on the king himself; so translators should follow the singular reading in the Masoretic Text.
In the eighth year of his reign refers to the reign of Nebuchadnezzar and not that of Jehoiachin, as might be supposed in reading Revised Standard Version. This information is placed in a separate sentence at the end of the verse in Contemporary English Version as follows: “These things took place in the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar’s rule in Babylonia.” The city of Jerusalem was captured in March of 597 B.C.
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 .
24:12a Jehoiachin king of Judah, his mother, his servants, his commanders, and his officials
Jehoiachin king of Judah, his mother, his servants, his top/chief officials, and his palace attendants
-or-
Then King Jehoiachin of Judah, his own mother, his government officials/ministers, his important/leading men, and his palace officials
24:12b all surrendered to the king of Babylon.
The Hebrew word that the New International Version translates as “surrendered” is literally “went out.”
all left the city and surrendered/submitted to him.
-or-
all gave themselves up to him.
24:12a-b (reordered)
Jehoiachin went out ⌊of the city⌋ to surrender to the king of Babylon. With him went his mother, his servants, his noblemen, and his palace officials.
24:12c So in the eighth year of his reign,
This is the year now referred to as 597 B.C.
It was eight years after Nebuchadnezzar became the king of Babylon
-or-
This took place when the king of Babylon had ruled for eight years.
24:12d the king of Babylon took him captive.
that he took Jehoiachin as a prisoner.
-or-
That year he ⌊seized⌋ Jehoiachin and made him a captive/prisoner.
24:12a-d (reordered)
Jehoiachin immediately surrendered, together with his mother and his servants, as well as his army officers and officials. Then Nebuchadnezzar had Jehoiachin arrested. These things took place in the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar’s rule in Babylonia. (Contemporary English Version)
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