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 name that is transliterated as “Absalom” in English means “father of peace,” “my father is peace.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )

It 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 18:18)

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

  • Kupsabiny: “(In those days when Absalom was still alive, he had taken a stone and raised it in a place which was called Valley of the King. He did like that because, he did not have a son whom he could give/call his name. So, that stone is called ‘Stone of Absalom" until today.)” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “While Absalom was alive, he erected a pillar in the king’s valley, for he thought like this: "So that my name survives even though I do not have a son." So he gave his own name to that pillar, and even today that pillar is called Absalom’s Statue.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “When Absalom was still alive he set-up/built a monument for himself in the Plain/Valley of the King, for he had no male child/(son) to carry his name. He named it ‘Monument of Absalom’, and the name of it is still the same until now.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Absalom had no sons to preserve his family name. So, while Absalom was alive, he built a monument to himself in the King’s Valley near Jerusalem, in order that people would remember him. He put his name on the monument, and people still call it Absalom’s monument.” (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, Ge’ez, 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 18:18

Now … in his lifetime: this introduces a kind of flashback to a time long before Absalom was killed. While some languages have special devices to begin a flashback, it will be sufficient in others to say in his lifetime, “while he was living,” or “before he died.”

The pillar: the use of the definite article may suggest that this was something well known to the original hearers and readers. But since Hebrew sometimes uses a definite article where an indefinite article is used in English, it is not certain whether this pillar was indeed known to the readers. While some modern translations say “the pillar” (Revised English Bible), others say “a pillar” (New Revised Standard Version, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible). A pillar was usually a large stationary stone monument with a symbolic meaning. In this case the meaning is clearly given in the text. Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente calls it “a funeral monument.”

This pillar is situated in the King’s Valley, which is mentioned in the book of Genesis and is also called “the Valley of Shaveh” (see Gen 14.17). This valley is probably located about four hundred meters (or less than half a mile) east of Jerusalem, where the Hinnom, Tyropoeon, and Kidron Valleys come together, although its location is not absolutely certain. Most of the evidence, however, suggests that it was in the vicinity of Jerusalem. Translators may wish to make explicit, as in Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, that the King’s Valley is “near Jerusalem.”

I have no son: it is stated in 14.27 that Absalom had three sons. Either they had died early in life, before this monument was set up, or they were considered unworthy to keep the name of Absalom alive.

The direct quotation of what Absalom said may be better as an indirect quote in some languages. If this is the case, Good News Translation may provide a helpful model.

He called the pillar after his own name: that is, Absalom “gave his own name to the pillar” (New Jerusalem Bible). In many cultures people name children or grandchildren after themselves in order to be remembered after their death. Absalom had no children, so he thought that giving the monument his name would make people remember him.

It is called Absalom’s monument: or perhaps better “people call it…” or “they [indefinite] call it…” in languages where passive forms are problematic. At the beginning of this verse, pillar translates the Hebrew term matsevah, but here monument translates the Hebrew noun meaning “hand,” as also in 1 Sam 15.12 (see also comments on 2 Sam 8.3). Probably the monument had somewhat the shape of a hand.

To this day: that is, up to the time when the books of Samuel were being written. The same expression occurs in 4.3 and 1 Sam 5.5.

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 .

2Sam 18.:20

And translates the common Hebrew conjunction. Since Joab’s response is contrary to what Ahimaaz had expected, it may be better in some languages to indicate contrast. Compare “But Joab said…” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible).

The threefold repetition of carry tidings in this verse may prove to be too heavy if imitated in the receptor language. A possible model is as follows:

• But Joab refused, saying, “You may take news to the king another time, but not today. I will not allow it today because the king’s son is dead.”

The expression because the king’s son is dead provides the reason Joab gives for not allowing Ahimaaz to take the news to the king. In some languages this reason may have to be given earlier in the sentence. A model following this structure is:

• “No,” said Joab, “the king’s son is dead. I cannot let you take this news today. You may do it another day.”

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 .