Absalom (image)

Hand colored stencil print on momigami by Sadao Watanabe (1972).

Image taken with permission from the SadaoHanga Catalogue where you can find many more images and information about Sadao Watanabe.

For other images of Sadao Watanabe art works in TIPs, see here.

See also Absalom.

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.)

Absalom

The Hebrew that is transliterated as “Absalom” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the signs depicting “hair + caught” referring to 2 Samuel 18:9. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


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

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

See also Absalom (image).

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Absalom .

complete verse (2 Samuel 14:21)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Samuel 14:21:

  • Kupsabiny: “(Then the) king called Joab and told him that, ‘I have agreed to do as you want. So, go up to Geshur and call Absalom to come here.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The king said to Joab, "Good, I will do it. Go and bring back the young man, Absalom."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “So the king sent-for Joab and said-to-him, ‘Okay, go and bring back Absalom here.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Then the king summoned Joab and said to him, ‘Listen! I have decided to do what you want. So go and get that young man Absalom and bring him back to Jerusalem.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

king

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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:

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  • Piro: “a great one”
  • Highland Totonac: “the big boss”
  • Huichol: “the one who commanded” (source for this and above: Bratcher / Nida)
  • Ekari: “the one who holds the country” (source: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • Una: weik sienyi: “big headman” (source: Kroneman 2004, p. 407)
  • Pass Valley Yali: “Big Man” (source: Daud Soesilo)
  • 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 (Dinė) 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.”

(Source: Faye Edgerton in The Bible Translator 1962, p. 25ff. )

See also king (Japanese honorifics).

Translation commentary on 2 Samuel 14:21

Then: this may give the impression that Joab was present during the conversation between David and the woman of Tekoa, and that David turned immediately to Joab and spoke to him. (Contemporary English Version gives this impression, with “David turned to Joab…”). It is, however, more probable that what is described in this verse took place some time after the encounter in the previous verses, and that Joab was not present for the conversation between the woman of Tekoa and King David. For this reason Good News Translation translates the conjunction “Later on….” Another way of expressing this may be “David called for Joab and said to him…” (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente).

Behold now: David’s statement to Joab begins with two particles in Hebrew that serve to focus attention on what he is about to say. Most modern translations leave both of these particles untranslated. New Century Version, on the other hand, starts the quotation with “Look…,” while Traduction œcuménique de la Bible and Osty-Trinquet begin “So be it!” New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, and New Revised Standard Version attempt to translate these words by beginning David’s statement to Joab with “Very well….”

I grant this: the demonstrative pronoun this refers to the whole idea of bringing Absalom back from exile. In some languages the idea can be made more explicit by saying “this thing you want,” or the whole phrase may be rendered “I am acting according to your advice” (Anchor Bible).

The young man Absalom: this is the first of five occurrences of this expression in 2 Samuel. It seems to stress the youth of Absalom, who is again referred to in this way in chapter 18 (verses 5, 12, 29, and 32). New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh takes this to be a kind of affectionate term and translates it “my boy Absalom.” This may be a good model for a number of other languages to follow.

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 .