messenger

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “messenger” in English is translated in Noongar as moort yana-waangki or “person walk-talk” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (2Sam 11:23)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, the Jarai and the Adamawa Fulfulde translation both use the exclusive pronoun, excluding David.

complete verse (2 Samuel 11:23)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Samuel 11:23:

  • Kupsabiny: “That person told David that, ‘The enemies chased us starting from their city into the open field. But, we returned up to that city gate.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “He told David, "The enemy came out from the city overpowered us and gathered against us in the open fields. but we drove them back up to main gate of the city.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “He said to David, ‘We (excl.) had-been-attacked by the enemies at the valley, but we (excl.) pursued them back to the entrance/gate of their town.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “The messenger said to David, ‘Our enemies were very brave, and came out of the city to fight us in the fields. They were defeating us but we forced them back to the city gate.” (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 11:23

The messenger said to David: in this context it may be unnecessary or unnatural to repeat the two nouns in this clause. In some languages to do so would unnecessarily change the focus from the messenger to David.

The words The men refer to the enemy forces of the Ammonites. It will be wise to clarify this in translation. One may say, for example, “the opposing army.” Revised English Bible and Knox have “the enemy,” while New Century Version renders this term “the men of Ammon.”

Gained an advantage over us: that is, the Ammonites were winning the battle against the Israelites.

Came out: what is implied here, of course, is that the Ammonite forces left the confines of their walled city and began to fight in the open field.

If the direct quotation of the messenger is transformed to an indirect statement, it may read something like this:

• He told David that the enemy soldiers came out of the city to fight the Israelite soldiers and began to beat them. But then the Israelites forced them to go back to the city gate.

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 .