The Hebrew that is translated as “scoundrel” or “worthless person” or similar in English is translated in Vidunda as “troublemaker” and Kutu as “very evil person.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
horn
The musical instrument that is most often translated as “(ram’s) horn” or “trumpet” in English is translated in the following ways:
- Yakan: tabuli’ (big sea shell used to give signals) (source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Mairasi / Bariai: “Triton shell trumpet” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
- German Luther translation: Posaune, today: “trombone,” originally with the meaning of a wind instrument made from cow horn (from Latin bucina [bovi- / “cow” + the root of cano / “sing”]. Incidentally, bucina is also used in the Latin Vulgate translation). By the time of Luther’s translation it referred to the natural trumpet or a fanfare trumpet (see also trumpet). Once the meaning morphed to “trombone” in the 19th century, trombone ensembles started to play a central role in Protestant German churches and do so to the present day. In 2016, “Posaunenchöre” became added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list . (Note that Exodus 19:13 is the only exception in the Luther Bible. From the 1956 revision on, Widderhorn or “ram’s horn” is used here) (source: Zetzsche)
In the UBS Helps for Translators‘ Human-made Things in the Bible (original title: The Works of Their Hands: Man-made Things in the Bible) it says the following:
Description: The horn was a wind instrument made from the horn of an animal, usually a male sheep.
Usage: The animal horn was softened so that it could be shaped. The point of the horn was cut off to leave a small opening through which the user blew. The vibration of the lips produced the sound.
The ram’s horn served two general purposes:
1. It was blown in certain religious contexts, not as musical accompaniment to worship but as a signal for important events. Some of these events were the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai, the Day of Atonement, the bringing of the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem, and the coronation of kings.
2. It also served as a signal or alarm when war was approaching. Such references are particularly common in the prophetic books, when the prophets are calling the people to repent (Hosea 5:8; 8:1; Joel 2:1; 2:15; Amos 3:6).
Translation: In many passages the purpose of the ram’s horn called shofar in Hebrew was to sound an alarm. This will be easy to express in those cultures where the horns of animals are used as musical instruments to give signals to large groups of people. In other cultures it may be possible to find another instrument that is used for an equivalent purpose. In some languages, for example, instruments such as bells or drums are the warnings for war. Some translations have transliterated the word shofar. Unless the instrument is well known, such a borrowing should normally be accompanied by a footnote or a glossary entry.
In some passages it will be necessary to expand the translation in order to indicate that the blowing of the ram’s horn was not just for music; for example, in Ezekiel 7:14 Contemporary English Version has “A signal has been blown on the trumpet,” and the German Contemporary English Version says “An alarm is sounded” [elsewhere, the same German version refers to the horns as Kriegshörner or “war horns.”]
Man blowing ram’s horn (source: Knowles, revised by Bass (c) British and Foreign Bible Society 1994)
Quoted with permission.
complete verse (2 Samuel 20:1)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Samuel 20:1:
- Kupsabiny: “There was a certain person who was not good/trouble maker who was called Sheba son of Bicri who came from the clan of Benjamin. That person blew a horn and told the people that, ‘Our people, there is nothing that can benefit/inherit from this house of the son of Jesse. There is nothing we shall inherit in this house of the son of Jesse. I tell you, the stomach of Israel as big as it is, each of us should return back to his home.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
- Newari: “There was an evil man in Gilgal named Sheba. He was the son of Bichri, a Benjaminite. He blew the trumpet and spoke loudly like this,
"What part do we have in David?
The son of Jesse has no authority over us.
O Israel, you all go to your own tents."” (Source: Newari Back Translation) - Hiligaynon: “Now, there was a Benjamite man there who always was-looking for trouble. His name was Sheba, and he was the child of Bicri. He sounded/[lit. caused-to-make-sound] the horn and shouted, ‘Those of/from-Israel, we (excl.) have no part in David the child of Jesse! Let us (incl.) all go-home!’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
- English: “There was a man there at Gilgal named Sheba. He was a man who always caused trouble. He was from the tribe of Benjamin and was the son of Bichri. He blew a trumpet and called out, ‘We have nothing to do with David, that son of Jesse! So, men of Israel, let’s go to our homes!’” (Source: Translation for Translators)
David
The name that is transliterated as “David” in English means “beloved.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )
In Spanish Sign Language it is translated with the sign signifying king and a sling (referring to 1 Samuel 17:49 and 2 Samuel 5:4). (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. )
“Elizabeth” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España
In German Sign Language it is only the sling. (See here ).
“David” in German Sign Language (source )
For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .
The (Protestant) Mandarin Chinese transliteration of “David” is 大卫 (衛) / Dàwèi which carries an additional meaning of “Great Protector.”
Click or tap here to see a short video clip about David (source: Bible Lands 2012)
Learn more on Bible Odyssey: David .
Translation commentary on 2 Samuel 20:1
Now there happened to be: the Hebrew verb translated by this expression may have the meaning “Now there was summoned…,” but most modern versions take it as meaning that Bichri’s presence at the time was a chance circumstance. The same verb is used of the chance encounters described in 1.6 and 18.9.
There: the adverb of location here refers to the assembly of the army of Judah and the army of Israel at Gilgal after the crossing of the Jordan, where the argument in 19.40-43 took place. It was a perfect setting for an agitator to begin making trouble.
A worthless fellow: the term so translated seems to be a favorite of the writer of the books of Samuel. It occurs at least ten times and is translated in a variety of ways according to the context: “base woman” (1 Sam 1.16), “worthless men” (1 Sam 2.12), “ill-natured fellow” (1 Sam 25.25), and “godless men” (2 Sam 23.6). In this context it has been rendered “rebellious individual” (New American Bible), “base rascal” (An American Translation), “wretch” (Moffatt), “scoundrel” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Revised English Bible, and New Jerusalem Bible), and “troublemaker” (New International Version, New Century Version, and Contemporary English Version). See the comments at 1 Sam 1.16.
Bichri: this name is transliterated “Bikri” in Good News Translation and “Bicri” in New International Version, but these forms are all based on the same Hebrew text. Some scholars identify this name with “Becorath” in 1 Sam 9.1, which would make Sheba close kin to Saul, but this identification is far from certain and should be confined to a footnote if used at all. Others think that the spelling of the name Bichri indicates that this is the name of a clan rather than an individual. In any case it is clear from the text that the opposition to David does come from the tribe of Saul, since Sheba is described as a Benjaminite.
Blew the trumpet: in Hebrew grammar, when reference is made to an object that is used for some specific purpose, the definite article is frequently used. This is a different use of the article from that in English, and it does not necessarily mean that the writer is referring to a particular or specific object, in this instance a particular ram’s horn. A ram’s horn was often used to call together troops for combat and also to disperse troops at the end of a battle (as in verse 22; see 2.28).
We have no portion in David: the word for portion here is not the same as “shares” in 19.44, but it may be intended to contrast with the expression used there. The word rendered portion comes from a root meaning “to divide” and may be translated “a share” (New Revised Standard Version and New Jerusalem Bible). The word translated inheritance refers to that property and goods which a person or family inherits when the owner dies. The point of the statement was to deny any relationship between David and the people of Israel. The expression that follows, we have no inheritance in the son of Jesse, constitutes a parallel statement that is really saying the same thing. No portion and no inheritance have the same essential meaning, and David and the son of Jesse refer to the same person. Translators should ensure that readers do not think that two different things are being referred to by these two expressions. If necessary they may be translated as a single unit, using something like “We have nothing to do with David, the son of Jesse. We won’t join with him.”
Every man to his tents: by using these words, Sheba is encouraging those who would follow him to abandon David and go back home. A literal rendering of this expression is likely to be misunderstood in a number of languages. It may be better translated simply “Go back home!” This appeal recalls the similar expressions in 19.8 and 1 Sam 13.2, which are descriptions in the past tense.
O Israel: in most languages this vocative form, if used at all, will probably come at the beginning of the sentence rather than at the end. Others will be more likely to use a form of address such as “People of Israel…,” but this also is more likely to come at the beginning of the appeal rather than at the end. Since Israel here clearly refers to the northern tribes and does not include the Israelites from the southern tribe of Judah, it may be helpful to make this explicit: “People from northern Israel….”
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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