self-referencing pronoun for king or queen

In Malay, the pronoun beta for the royal “I” (or “my” or “me”) that is used by royals when speaking to people of lower rank, subordinates or commoners to refer to themselves in these verses. This reflects the “language of the court because the monarchy and sultanate in Malaysia are still alive and well. All oral and printed literature (including newspapers and magazines) preserve and glorify the language of the court. Considering that the language of the court is part of the Malaysian language, court language is used sparingly where appropriate, specifically with texts relating to palace life.” (Source: Daud Soesilo in The Bible Translator 2025, p. 263ff.)

Jerusalem

The name that is transliterated as “Jerusalem” in English is signed in French Sign Language with a sign that depicts worshiping at the Western Wall in Jerusalem:


“Jerusalem” in French Sign Language (source: La Bible en langue des signes française )

While a similar sign is also used in British Sign Language, another, more neutral sign that combines the sign “J” and the signs for “place” is used as well. (Source: Anna Smith)


“Jerusalem” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL, used with permission)

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Jerusalem .

complete verse (2 Samuel 11:12)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Samuel 11:12:

  • Kupsabiny: “David said, ‘You now stay here today, then tomorrow go back to the war.’ So, Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Then David said to Uriah, "If it is like that, stay here one more day and then tomorrow I will let you go." So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “David said to him, ‘You stay here for another one night, and I will-send- you -back to the camp tomorrow.’ Therefore Uria remained that day in Jerusalem. The next day,” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Then David said to Uriah, ‘Stay here today. I will let you return to the battle tomorrow.’ So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and that night.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

David

The name that is transliterated as “David” in English means “beloved.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )

In Spanish Sign Language it is translated with the sign signifying king and a sling (referring to 1 Samuel 17:49 and 2 Samuel 5:4). (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. )


“Elizabeth” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

In German Sign Language it is only the sling. (See here ).


“David” in German Sign Language (source )

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

The (Protestant) Mandarin Chinese transliteration of “David” is 大卫 (衛) / Dàwèi which carries an additional meaning of “Great Protector.”

Click or tap here to see a short video clip about David (source: Bible Lands 2012)

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: David .

Translation commentary on 2 Samuel 11:12

Then: a logical rather than a temporal transition word may be more natural in some languages at this point.

Remain here: perhaps David was hoping that Uriah would weaken and spend the night with his wife if given another day. If the direct quotation needs to be made indirect, translators may consider saying “Then David told Uriah to stay in Jerusalem for another day and then he would let him return [to the battle].”

Today also, and tomorrow …: in some languages it will be much more natural to say “stay here until tomorrow and then I will send you back…” or possibly “spend another night here….”

I will let you depart: while Uriah did not specifically ask to go back to the battle, that is the sense of all that he says in the previous verse. The word translated depart does not simply mean to go away from the presence of the king but implies going back to the war zone. In some languages it may be wise to supply this information by saying something like “I will send you back to the battle” if a direct quotation is used.

So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day, and the next: in Hebrew there is often repetition in the context where an authority gives a command (whether the authority is a king or God himself), and then there is a statement to the effect that the command is obeyed. This shows that every detail of the command was followed. But instead of repeating these words, it may be more natural in some languages to say something like “So Uriah did just exactly as the king had said.”

According to the Masoretic Text, the words and the next are connected to what precedes. The meal mentioned in verse 13 seems to have taken place the next day. According to some manuscripts of the Septuagint and the ancient Syriac, the words and the next are connected to what follows in verse 13 (so New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Osty-Trinquet), in which case the meal mentioned in verse 13 definitely took place the next day. This second way of punctuating the text may be followed, since it does seem to express the intended meaning better than Revised Standard Version or Good News Translation.

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 .