25Now Absalom had set Amasa over the army in the place of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra the Ishmaelite, who had married Abigal daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab’s mother.
The Greek and Hebrew that is translated as “daughter of” in English is translated in all Icelandic Bible versions of the Icelandic Bible Society (latest edition 2007) in parallel with the Icelandic patronymic or matronymic naming system . This means that for instance in Luke 2:36 the name that is transliterated and translated in English as “Anna the daughter of Phanuel” becomes “Anna Fanúelsdóttir” or in Jeremiah 52:1 “Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah” becomes “Hamútal Jeremíadóttir” where in both cases the “-óttir” means “daughter of.
In cases where “daughter of” does not refer to a literal father or perhaps stepfather but to lineage (or is uncertain), however, this system is not used. So in 1 Chronicles 1:50 “Mehetabel daughter of Matred daughter of Me-zahab” is translated as “Mehetabeel, dóttir Matredar, dóttur Mesahabs.” (Source: Halldór Elías Guðmundsson)
The Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, Ge’ez, and Latin that is translated as “army” in English is translated in Chichewa as “group of warriors.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Samuel 17:25:
Kupsabiny: “Absalom had set aside/appointed Amasa to lead the army to replace/take over the position of Joab. Amasa was the son of Jether, who was from the clan of Ishmael, but the mother was Abigail daughter of Nahash, was the sister of Zeruiah Joab’s mother.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Absalom had appointed Amasa over the army in place of Joab. He was the son of Jether, an Israelite, and the son of Abigail, [who was the] daughter of Nahash, and [the] younger sister of Zeruiah, the mother of Joab.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Absalom chose Amasa to substitute Joab as commander of the soldiers. This Amasa was the child of Jeter the Ishmaelinhon. His mother Abigail, the child of Nahash, sibling of the mother of Joab which is Zeruya.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “Absalom had appointed his cousin Amasa to be the commander of his army, instead of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Jether, a descendant of Ishmael. Amasa’s mother was Abigail, the daughter of Nahash and the sister of Joab’s mother Zeruiah.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
This verse gives details about the leadership of Absalom’s army and provides specific information about Amasa, the newly appointed commander. Amasa, Joab, and Absalom were all cousins, and both Amasa and Joab were nephews of David. The conflict was therefore very much a family affair.
Ishmaelite: the traditional Hebrew text has “Israelite” at this point, but the parallel in 1 Chr 2.17, as well as in a few manuscripts of the ancient Greek version, has “Ishmaelite.” Some scholars have proposed that the original reading was “Jezreelite” (Moffatt and Goldman). New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New International Version, New American Standard Bible, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, Stuttgarter Erklärungsbibel, and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible hold to the traditional text and translate “Israelite,” but in addition to textual considerations, it would be strange indeed for the writer to make a special comment if Amasa had been an Israelite. There would be nothing unusual or noteworthy in this. Most modern versions translate “Ishmaelite” as in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation, although this is not the recommendation of Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament, which gives a {B} rating to the Masoretic Text. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament suggests that at the time of David an Israelite was considered to be a foreigner in a Judean family. According to Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament the term “an Israelite” is used here in a way that was archaic at the time of writing. Translators may follow either the recommendation of Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament or the example of Revised Standard Version.
Ithra: this name refers to the same person as “Jether” (see 1 Kgs 2.5, 32; and 1 Chr 2.17). For this reason New International Version and New Century Version as well as Good News Translation use the same form in both cases.
Had married: literally “had gone in to” (compare King James Version). This Hebrew verb is used several times in the Old Testament with the meaning “to have sexual relations with a woman,” whether with one’s wife or with another woman (for example, Gen 6.4; 16.2, 4; Deut 22.13). It may be overtranslating here to say had married. Better are those translations that say “had had intimate relations with” (Biblia Dios Habla Hoy) or “who lived with” (Nueva Biblia Española). Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch avoids the problem of whether Ithra (or, Jether) and Abigail were married by stating “Amasa was the son of the Ishmaelite Jether and his mother was Abigail….” Compare also Revised English Bible, “he was the son of a man named Ithra, an Ishmaelite, by Abigail daughter of Nahash….”
Abigal: the spelling of this name in Revised Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version, and Revised English Bible reflects the Hebrew spelling. Good News Translation, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, and New International Version reflect the Hebrew spelling of this same name earlier in 1 and 2 Samuel. In 1 Chr 2 the Hebrew spelling of this woman’s name is “Abigail.” Translators should use one spelling consistently for the same name, even though the Hebrew does not.
The words the daughter of Nahash constitute another textual problem. The ancient Greek version has “the daughter of Jesse,” which is followed by Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Nueva Biblia Española,Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, New American Bible, and New Jerusalem Bible. The genealogical explanation in 1 Chr 2.16-17 also indicates that Jesse was the father of Abigail. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {D} rating to the Masoretic Text and admits that the reading “Jesse” may be original. Translators may follow either reading here, Jesse or Nahash.
The relationships between the persons named are the following: Zeruiah, Abigail, and King David were brother and sisters according to 1 Chr 2.16. The difficulty, from the standpoint of interpretation, is that, since Jesse is the father of David, Jesse should also be the father of Abigail; but the Masoretic Text of this verse, 2 Sam 17.25, claims that Nahash was the father of Abigail. Interpreters have proposed various solutions to remove what seems to be a contradiction, but none are satisfactory; so translators must simply choose between the two names “Nahash” and “Jesse.”
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 .
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