complete verse (2 Samuel 17:11)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Samuel 17:11:

  • Kupsabiny: “So, what I am telling you is this: Call all the young warriors of Israel beginning from Dan in the north to Beersheba there in the south. When those people have gathered until they are many like bees, lead them to war.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “So I have this advice: Assemble in one place all the Israelites from Dan to the southern border of Beersheba. Like the sand of the seashore they will be innumerable, and you, being their leader, take them along into battle.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “So I advise you to gather all the Israelinhon from Dan to Beerseba, as numerous as the sand on the seashore. And you yourself will-lead them into battle.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “‘o what I suggest is that you summon all the Israeli soldiers, from Dan in the far north to Beersheba in the far south. They will be as many as the grains of sand on the seashore. And then you yourself lead us into the battle.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Honorary "rare" construct denoting God ("go out")

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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme rare (られ) is affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, de-rare-ru (出られる) or “go out” is used.

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

sea / lake

The various Greek, Aramaic, Ge’ez, and Latin and Hebrew terms that are translated as “sea,” “ocean,” or “lake” in English are all translated in Chichewa with one term: nyanja. Malawi, where Chichewa is spoken, has a lot of lakes but does not share a border with the ocean. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 2 Samuel 17:11

But: this does not represent the common Hebrew conjunction but rather a different transition word that usually means “because” or “that.” In this context Revised Standard Version seems to take it as marking the contrast between Hushai’s advice and that of Ahithophel. But in some languages this may be the wrong place for it, since it comes in the middle of Hushai’s discourse. If this is the case this conjunction need not be translated. Others prefer to understand it as a logical connector, based on the suppositions presented in the previous verse. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh and New International Version, for example, translate it “So….” Similarly Traduction œcuménique de la Bible uses a word meaning “Therefore.” This kind of connecting word seems preferable.

That all Israel be gathered to you: this passive expression will have to be transformed into an active one in some languages. This may be done by saying something like “that you assemble all the people of Israel in your presence” or “that you command all the Israelites to come together before you….”

From Dan to Beer-sheba: as in 3.10 and 1 Sam 3.20, this expression is used to refer to the whole of the land of Israel. The phrase also occurs in 2 Sam 24.2, 15; Judges 20.1. Some translators may prefer to translate the meaning of the expression without reference to the place names, as Good News Translation has done. Or it is also possible to retain the place names and add information that will bring out the meaning. For example, it is possible to say “from Dan in the northernmost part of the country to Beersheba in the south” or something similar.

As the sand by the sea for multitude: the size of the force proposed by Hushai contrasts with the smaller group of twelve thousand that Ahithophel had advised in verse 2. The larger group is compared to the grains of sand on the seashore. If this comparison is not meaningful to readers of the proposed translation, a more general statement may be made. Some may say “an extremely great multitude that cannot be counted” or something similar.

To battle in person: literally “and your presence [or, faces] leading into battle.” The ancient Greek version has “among them” or “with them” in place of “into battle.” New Jerusalem Bible combines the readings of the Masoretic Text and the Septuagint, “and you take the field in person with them.” Certain other versions also follow the Septuagint. However, there seems to be no convincing reason for not following the traditional Hebrew text at this point.

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 .