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.

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 18:17)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Samuel 18:17:

  • Kupsabiny: “The people of David took the body of Absalom there in the forest and threw (it) into a deep pit and covered with stones until it heaped. All that time, the Israelites were escaping/fleeing going to their homes.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Then they took Absalom’s corpse, threw it into a great pit in the forest, and heaped rocks on top of it. At that time all the Israelites ran away to their homes.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “They took the corpse of Absalom and threw into a deep pit there at the forest and covered-it with many stones. On the other side, all the soldiers of Israel fled home.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “They took Absalom’s body and threw it into a huge pit in the forest, and covered it with a huge pile of stones. Then all the remaining Israeli soldiers who had been with Absalom fled to their own towns.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 2 Samuel 18:17

The pronoun they may refer to Joab’s ten bodyguards who dealt the death blows to Absalom, or it may be an indefinite pronoun that is sometimes used as a substitute for a passive form. If a more definite subject is required, it is possible to say “Joab’s men” (New Century Version) without identifying them further.

A great pit: that is, a deep hole. There is no indication that they had to dig out the hole. It was probably already there. But they did cover the body with a very great heap of stones.

And all Israel fled …: in some languages this may begin a new paragraph, since it shifts the scene back to what was left of Absalom’s army. In order to avoid giving the impression that all Israel refers to the fighting men on both sides of the battle, some may choose to translate “all the soldiers loyal to Absalom.” In keeping with the interpretation that Israel refers to the people of the northern tribes only, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente says “All the men of the north fled toward their land.”

Every one to his own home: the word for home is actually “tents” (New American Bible), but this refers to the tents in which their nomadic ancestors had lived and not tents of war. By this time in Israel’s history, people did not generally live in tents. The Hebrew expression remained in use long after people began living in houses (for example, 1 Sam 4.10; 13.2; 1 Kgs 8.66; 12.16).

Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch restructures the order of events in verses 16-17 in a way that may be helpful in other languages also:

• The troops of Israel were in full flight. With a trumpet signal, Joab called his troops back from their pursuit. The Israelite troops disbanded and each went to his home. Joab’s men threw the corpse of Absalom into a deep pit in the forest and piled up big heaps of stones on it.

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 .