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 9:24)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Kings 9:24:

  • Kupsabiny: “Then Jehu pulled his bow with all (his) strength and shot an arrow to hit Joram in the upper part of the back going through the heart and passing through the chest. Joram fell down inside his chariot.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Taking out his bow, Jehu shot Joram between the shoulder blades. The arrow pierced his heart. Then he collapsed in the chariot.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Jehu took his bow-and-arrow and shot Joram on the back. The arrow went-through into his heart, and he slumped-down in his chariot.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “But Jehu drew his bow mightily and shot an arrow that pierced Joram between his shoulder blades. The arrow went through his body and pierced his heart, and he slumped down dead in his chariot.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 2 Kings 9:24

And: In some languages the conjunction at the beginning of this verse may have to be translated “But,” as in New American Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh and New Jerusalem Bible.

Jehu drew his bow with his full strength is literally “Jehu filled his hand with his bow,” which may mean “Jehu set an arrow on his bow.” One ancient interpretation of this expression is that he drew the bow with his full strength, and this understanding is found in several versions (Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation). But this interpretation is not followed in New International Version, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible and New Century Version, which read “Jehu drew his bow” (similarly New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). Either interpretation is acceptable.

Between the shoulders is literally “between his arms.” A more natural way of saying this in English is “between the shoulder blades” (Hobbs, New Jerusalem Bible), showing more clearly that the arrow entered from the back.

He sank in his chariot: The context shows that Joram died as a result of the arrow through his heart. But the wording here is more picturesque. Modern versions use verbs such as “slumped down” (Revised English Bible, New International Version) and “collapsed” (New American Bible, American Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh).

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 9:24

9:24a Then Jehu drew his bow

The literal rendering of this first part is “Jehu filled his hand with his bow.” One ancient interpretation of this expression is that Jehu drew the bow with his full strength. You may wish to follow your majority-language versions here.

But Jehu drew back an arrow on his bow

-or-

Jehu ⌊quickly⌋ took his bow ⌊and set an arrow on it⌋ .

9:24b and shot Joram between the shoulders.

and shot Joram between his shoulder blades.

-or-

⌊He aimed at King Joram⌋ and hit him in the back.

9:24c The arrow pierced his heart,

The arrow went through his heart

-or-

The arrow pierced his heart,

9:24d and he slumped down in his chariot.

and he collapsed in his chariot. (New American Bible, Revised Edition)

-or-

and he/Joram fell/sunk down ⌊dead⌋ in his war cart.

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