5The king ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” And all the people heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders concerning 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)
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:
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 If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior.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.”
Ordered …: literally “ordered … saying.” In view of the fact that this order was probably heard by thousands of soldiers and intended for all, it may be better to translate the verb here as “shouted” or something similar. Contemporary English Version has “Then in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear, he said,” which actually translates the meaning of the last sentence in this verse as well as the verb here.
Deal gently: there is actually no verb here in the Hebrew. And the meaning of what is probably a prepositional phrase, which is more literally “with gentleness,” is debated. It is translated “softly” in the story of Jael (Judges 4.21). Some scholars claim that the word comes from a verb meaning “cover” or “veil,” and that the meaning is “to protect from harm.” Anchor Bible has “Protect young Abishalom for me.” Knox translates “spare me my son….” And Contemporary English Version says “be sure that Absalom comes back unharmed.”
For my sake: literally “for me.” David was asking his commanders to do something that was not normal in a battle situation, but to do so because of him. The idea of doing something “for the sake of” someone else is found in the story of Sodom (Gen 18) and in the treatment of Mephibosheth in 2 Sam 9.1, 7.
The young man Absalom: this expression shows a certain amount of tenderness and concern for the rebel leader. The same expression was used in 14.21 and occurs again in this chapter at verses 12, 29, and 32 in quotations from the lips of David.
All the people: that is, all the fighting men who were going out to battle. The impression is that the troops had probably passed through the city gate and were assembled on the outside of the town when David gave his final orders to the three commanders in their hearing.
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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