complete verse (2 Samuel 11:7)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Samuel 11:7:

  • Kupsabiny: “When Uriah arrived, David asked that, ‘Is Joab and (the) soldiers fine? And how is the war/battle?’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “When Uriah arrived at David’s place, David asked him, "How is it going with Joab and his troops [lit. his group] and [with] the battle?"” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “When- Uria -arrived, David asked him how was Joab, the soldiers, and their fighting/battle.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “When he arrived, David asked if Joab was well, and if other soldiers were well, and how the war was progressing.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 2 Samuel 11:7

When Uriah reports to King David, he is asked three questions. Although translated in three different ways, the same word is used in each case in Hebrew. The verbal expressions was doing, fared, and prospered all represent the same word, which is related to “welfare,” “well-being,” or “peace.” He asks first about his general, then about the rest of the army, and finally about the execution of the battle plan. Anchor Bible attempts to reflect this by using the same word in all three cases: “asked if Joab was well and if the army was well and if the war was going well.” It is, however, not necessary to use the same word in all three cases if it is unnatural to do so in the receptor language.

The people: in this context this is a clear reference to the army and not to the people or to Israel in general. It has been rendered “troops” in New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh and Revised English Bible as well as Good News Translation. New Jerusalem Bible has “the army,” while New International Version has translated “the soldiers.”

Anchor Bible includes a specific response from Uriah: “ ‘Yes, well,’ he replied.” It is claimed that this dropped out of the traditional Hebrew text but was a part of the original and is reflected in some Greek translations of the Old Testament. Although this addition has little support, something like this may need to be supplied for translation reasons in certain languages.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .