30While such was the state of affairs, it happened that the people of Tarsus and of Mallus revolted because their cities had been given as a present to Antiochis, the king’s concubine.
The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “concubine” in English is translated in Kutu as “slave made to be his woman” or “female slave he married” and similarly in Makonde, “a slave who is/was a wife.”
In Kwere it is translated as “small wives.” This is the term for subsequent wives when polygamy is practiced among the Kwere. While they enjoy most of the same rights and privileges as the first wife, their status is not necessarily the same. (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
In Kalanga it is likewise translated with balongwana or “small wives.” (Source: project-specific notes in Paratext)
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 If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior.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.”
While such was the state of affairs may be expressed as “Meanwhile” (Good News Bible), “While all this was going on” (New Jerusalem Bible), or even “At this time.”
It happened that the people of Tarsus and of Mallus revolted: Good News Bible and several other versions omit it happened that. It is not necessary to keep this clause, but it does have a function. It indicates that the events just described have a relation to the events about to be described. New English Bible combines this clause with the previous one, saying “It was at this point that.” Tarsus and Mallus were cities in the province of Cilicia, on the southeast coast of Asia Minor, and translators may include “the province of Cilicia.” An alternative model for this whole clause is “the people of the Cilician cities of Tarsus and Mallus revolted.”
Because their cities had been given as a present to Antiochis, the king’s concubine: The gift of these cities to Antiochis meant that the taxes collected from them would go to her. The cities revolted because they considered this an insult to their pride, or perhaps they feared that they would have to pay even heavier taxes. A concubine was a woman who regularly slept with a man, and had a recognized place in the household, but who was not his wife. The word “mistress” (Good News Bible) is a rough but adequate modern equivalent in English. In other languages such women are called “minor wives” or “second wives.”
One way to approach this verse is to mention the giving of the cities first before their revolt, since the gift was earlier in time. Then the revolt can be tied closely with the next verse. Here is a model that does this:
• While all this was happening, King Antiochus gave the cities of Tarsus and Mallus [in the province of Cilicia] as a gift to his mistress [or, concubine/minor wife] Antiochis. The people of these two cities then rebelled….
Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Maccabees. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.
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