complete verse (2 Kings 9:9)

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

  • Kupsabiny: “I will do to the house of Ahab the matters I did to those of Jeroboam son of Nebat and those of Baasha son of Ahijah.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “I will do to the dynasty of Ahab like I did to the dynasties of Jeroboam, son of Nebat and Baasha, son of Ahijah.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “I will-do to the household of Ahab what I did to the household of Jeroboam the child of Nebat, and to the household of Baasha the child of Ahia.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “I will get rid of Ahab’s family, like I got rid of the families of two other kings of Israel, Jeroboam and Baasha.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 2 Kings 9:9

There seems to be no reason to render the common Hebrew conjunction at the beginning of this verse as And. In this context the presence of such a conjunction would probably give the impression that it introduces something new and different from what is talked about in the previous verse. But this is only an extension of what has already been said.

I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam … and like the house of Baasha …: See the comments on 1 Kgs 21.22. The cases of Jeroboam and Baasha are examples of families that had been completely destroyed by God (see 1 Kgs 14.10-11; 16.3-4). Some languages may need to state more clearly in what way Ahab’s family would be like the families of Jeroboam and Baasha. Contemporary English Version does this by using the verb “must be destroyed” instead of will make. Other languages may have to say something like the following:

• I will destroy the family of Ahab completely just as I destroyed the families of Jeroboam the son of Nebat and Baasha the son of Ahijah who were kings over 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 .

SIL Translator’s Notes on 2 Kings 9:9

9:9a I will make the house of Ahab

I will do the same thing to the family of Ahab

-or-

He will destroy the descendants of ⌊King⌋ Ahab.

9:9b like the houses of Jeroboam son of Nebat

as I did to the family of Jeroboam son of Nebat.

-or-

⌊He will get rid of them⌋ as ⌊he got rid of⌋ the descendants of ⌊King⌋ Jeroboam son of Nebat

9:9c and Baasha son of Ahijah.

⌊Yes, I will treat them⌋ as I did/treated the family of Baasha the son of Ahijah.

-or-

and the descendants of Baasha the son of Ahijah.

9:9a-c (reordered)

⌊He destroyed⌋ the families/dynasties of ⌊the two kings⌋ Jeroboam the son of Nebat and Baasha son of Ahijah. He will destroy the family/dynasty of Ahab too!

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