Saul

The Hebrew and Greek that is transliterated as “Saul” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the sign that depicts “sword in chest” (referring to 1 Samuel 31:4 and 1 Chronicles 10:4) and also “self-centered.” (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Saul” 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 .

Click or tap here to see a short video clip about King Saul (source: Bible Lands 2012)

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Saul .

complete verse (2 Samuel 21:13)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Samuel 21:13:

  • Kupsabiny: “David took those bones of Saul and Jonathan, and (he) collected those of the seven people who died in Gibeah.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “He brought the bones of Saul and Jonathan to that place, and he also gathered the bones of Saul’s descendants who had been hanged.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “David brought the bones of Saul and Jonatan, and also including the bones of the seven who were-killed by the Gibeonhon.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “David and his men took the bones of Saul and Jonathan, and they also took the bones of the seven men from Gibeon whom the men from Philistia had hanged.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 2 Samuel 21:13

At the beginning of the new sentence here, the pronoun he may be better rendered by the noun “David” in some languages, but this will depend on the way in which this whole section is structured. Similarly, though Hebrew says from there, it may be better in some languages to say “from Jabesh” (so Bible en français courant), since verse 12 also mentions Beth-shan and Gilboa.

The pronoun they has no definite reference but probably refers to David’s men. However, given the indefinite nature of the pronoun, some translators may prefer to say “some people….”

Those who were hanged: since this refers to the seven people that David had turned over to the Gibeonites to be executed (see verse 9), it will be helpful to the reader to make this reference clearer, as Good News Translation has done in saying “the seven men” (Good News Translation), “the descendants of Saul,” or “the seven men hanged by the Gibeonites” (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente). On the meaning of the verb hanged, see the comments at verse 6 above.

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 .