chariot

The Hebrew, Latin, Ge’ez, and Greek that is translated into English as “chariot” is translated into Anuak as “canoe pulled by horse.” “Canoe” is the general term for “vehicle” (source: Loren Bliese). Similarly it is translated in Lokạạ as ukwaa wạ nyanyang ntuuli or “canoe that is driven by horses.” (Source: J.A. Naudé, C.L. Miller Naudé, J.O. Obono in Acta Theologica 43/2, 2023, p. 129ff. )
Other translations include:

  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “cart pulled by horses” (source: Larson 1998, p. 98)
  • Chichicapan Zapotec: “ox cart” (in Acts 8) (ox carts are common vehicles for travel) (source: Loren Bliese)
  • Chichimeca-Jonaz, it is translated as “little house with two feet pulled by two horses” (source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
  • Hausa Common Language Bible as keken-doki or “cart of donkey” (source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
  • Mairasi: “going-thing [vehicle]” (source: Enggavoter 2004)

It is illustrated for use in Bible translations in East Africa by Pioneer Bible Translators like this:

Image owned by PBT and Jonathan McDaniel and licensed with the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

See also cart.

complete verse (2 Kings 5:21)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Kings 5:21:

  • Kupsabiny: “Then, Gehazi followed Naaman. And when Naaman looked behind, he saw a man running following behind him. Then he immediately alighted from the cart and welcomed/received that man. When they had met, Naaman asked him, ‘What news do you have?’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “So Gehazi was hastily running after Naaman. Naaman saw Gehazi running after him. Then, getting down from his chariot to meet him he asked, "Is everything all right?"” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “So Gehazi hurriedly pursued Naaman. When Naaman saw Gehazi running toward him, he got-down from the chariot and met him. Naaman asked, ‘Is-there-something bad that has-happened?’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “So Gehazi hurried to catch up with Naaman. When Naaman saw Gehazi running toward him, he stopped the chariot in which he was riding, jumped out, and went to see what Gehazi wanted. He asked him, ‘Is everything all right?’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 2 Kings 5:21

So: Most versions agree that the common Hebrew conjunction here should be rendered by a logical connector at this point in the story.

Gehazi followed Naaman: The Hebrew verb rendered followed is often used of chasing after a person and frequently includes the idea of hostile intent (see 1 Kgs 20.20, where Revised Standard Version has “pursued”). Here it is perhaps best translated “hurried after,” as in New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Revised English Bible and New International Version.

Naaman saw some one running after him: The words some one running are literally “one running.” The Hebrew may be understood to mean that Naaman saw someone running but did not recognize him from a distance (so Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation). Compare also “Aware that someone was running after him” (New American Bible). Or it may be understood to mean that Naaman did recognize who it was, so Contemporary English Version has “Naaman saw Gehazi running after him.” Compare also “Naaman saw who was running after him” (La Bible Pléiade).

He alighted from the chariot is literally “he fell from the chariot.” But the meaning here is that Naaman intentionally got down from the chariot in which he had been riding. The Hebrew verb found here is the same one used in 2 Kgs 1.2 to describe King Ahaziah falling through the lattice work, but it is a common way of depicting a person dismounting from a camel, horse or some other animal. It is also used of a person getting down from a chariot. Some modern translations are “he jumped down from his chariot” (New Jerusalem Bible) and “he climbed down from his chariot” (American Bible).

Is all well?: This question uses the same Hebrew word for “peace” that is found in Elisha’s farewell in verse 19. But here it is accompanied by the interrogative particle, yielding the meaning “Is there peace?” Since Gehazi comes to the departing group so quickly after their having left the house of Elisha, Naaman wonders if some unexpected problem has arisen.

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 5:21

5:21a So Gehazi pursued Naaman.

So Gehazi pursued/followed Naaman.

-or-

So Gehazi left and followed Naaman.

5:21b And when Naaman saw him running toward him,

When Naaman saw Gehazi running toward him,

-or-

When Naaman saw that Gehazi was hurrying toward him,

5:21c he got down from the chariot to meet him

he quickly got down from the chariot to meet him.

-or-

he ⌊stopped⌋ his chariot and jumped down/out.

5:21d and asked, “Is everything all right?”

He/Naaman asked ⌊him⌋ , “Is all well?”

-or-

Naaman asked ⌊Gehazi⌋ , “Is something wrong?”

-or-

He asked Gehazi if everything was all right.

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