complete verse (2 Samuel 13:9)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Samuel 13:9:

  • Kupsabiny: “When those cakes were ready, she took (them) from the fire and gave Amnon to eat. But Amnon refused to eat and told her sister that, ‘Tell all the people to go out.’ Then those people went away.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Then she brought the bread pan to Amnon but Amnon did not agree to eat. Amnon said, "Everyone go out from here." So everyone left his room.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “When-it-was-cooked, she took it in-order to serve/feed Amnon, but Amnon will- not -eat. Amnon said, ‘Send-outside all the people/men here!’ So the people/men went-out.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “She took them out of the pan and put them on a plate in front of him, but he refused to eat them. Then he said to everyone else in the room, ‘All the rest of you, leave me now!’ So all the others left his room.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 2 Samuel 13:9

The pan: this is the first reference to the instrument in which the food was being prepared. The term so translated is found only here in the Old Testament, but it comes from a root meaning “to hollow out.” If the dough was indeed boiled, the word pan does not seem appropriate, since it would not be deep enough to be used for boiling. It may be better to speak of a “pot.”

In those languages where there is no distinction between masculine and feminine pronouns, translators should be careful to ensure that the pronoun references are clear in this verse. In some cases this will mean translating certain pronouns by proper nouns.

Emptied it out before him: that is, transferred the food from the utensil in which it was prepared into a dish from which it could be eaten. The image is still that of actions taking place in an adjoining room where Amnon could see, since Tamar does not enter the “chamber” until verse 10.

But he refused to eat: some interpreters suppose that the cakes, or dumplings, were given to a servant who then presented them to Amnon to eat. Since this was not in keeping with Amnon’s plan to be alone with Tamar, he rejected the food and demanded that everyone except Tamar be sent away.

Send out every one from me: commentators have observed that this second person plural verb form is a kind of royal command used elsewhere (compare Gen 45.1 and Judges 3.19) to get rid of surrounding subjects. Instead of the verb send it may be more natural in some languages to use a more direct command like “All of you, get out of my presence!” Or the direct quotation may be changed into indirect speech as in New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, “and ordered everyone to withdraw.”

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 .