21When King David heard of all these things, he became very angry, but he would not punish his son Amnon because he loved him, for he was his firstborn.
The name that is transliterated as “David” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language 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.)
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 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 If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior.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.”
All these things: this, of course, refers to what had happened between Tamar and Amnon. In some languages this will have to be made clearer in translation. Some possible ways to do this will be to say “what Amnon had done to Tamar” or “how Amnon had violated Tamar.”
He was very angry: literally “he burned very much.” Compare the similar idiom in 3.8; 12.5; and 1 Sam 18.8.
Some manuscript evidence indicates that the original may have added the following words at the end of this verse: “But he did not grieve his son Amnon’s spirit because he loved him, since he was his firstborn.” This is recommended by Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament, which gives it an {A} rating, and is followed by New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, New Revised Standard Version, Osty-Trinquet, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, and Bible en français courant. Probably a scribe accidentally jumped over part of this verse while copying it. The same idea is translated in Contemporary English Version as “But Amnon was his oldest son and also his favorite, and David would not do anything to make Amnon unhappy.” Although these words are not found in either Revised Standard Version or Good News Translation, translators are advised to include this idea in their rendering of this verse. That Amnon was the firstborn means that he was the first in line to become king when David died.
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 .