complete verse (2 Samuel 2:26)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Samuel 2:26:

  • Kupsabiny: “(Then) Abner called Joab that, ‘Oh, man, do you want us to continue eating the intestines of one another up to when? Don’t you know that we shall end these words/matters in pain? When will you tell your soldiers to not continue to chase their people?’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Crying out loudly, Abner said to Joab, ‘What! Will [you] continue cutting and killing? Don’t you know that the final result will be very bad? Will you not bring your people back, telling [them] to stop pursuing their kinsmen?"” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Abner shouted to Joab, ‘Should we (incl.) still continue killing-each-other? Do- you not -realize that the result of this is hating-each-other? When will- you -cause-to-stop your men to chase us (excl.) your (plur.) blood-relatives?’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Then Abner called out to Joab, saying ‘Are we going to continue to fight forever ? Do you not realize that if we continue fighting, the result will be very bad ? We are all descendants of Jacob. So we should stop fighting each other How long will it be until you tell your soldiers to stop pursuing us?/Tell your soldiers to stop pursuing us.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 2 Samuel 2:26

Called to Joab: literally “called to Joab and said.” In view of the image of two opposing armies some distance from each other on different hills, it will probably be advisable to translate called to, using a verb like “yelled” or “shouted” (New Century Version).

Shall the sword devour for ever? This rhetorical question was intended to make Joab think about the consequences of continuing in battle. A literal translation will probably be unwise in most languages. The sword stands for warfare in general, and the verb devour indicates that continued fighting would take away more and more of the population of the two groups. Revised English Bible has “Must the slaughter go on for ever?” Another way of saying this is “Shall we go on killing each other forever?” Or, changing the rhetorical question into a statement, “To continue fighting [forever] is not wise.”

Do you not know that the end will be bitter? Another rhetorical question implying that Joab knows very well that the only way continued fighting can end is in bitterness. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh transforms the question into an exclamation, “You know how bitterly it’s going to end!” Rather than use the word “bitter” as most English translations do, Contemporary English Version says “Don’t you know that the longer we keep on doing this, the worse it’s going to be when it’s all over?” Other languages may find it more natural to translate the last part of the sentence by saying simply “it will end badly.”

How long…? Or “When will you stop…?”

Your people: literally “the people” as in New American Bible (see also verses 27-28, 30). Revised English Bible translates “the troops.” But it is probably best to translate “your troops” as in New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh.

Their brethren: this is an indirect way used by Abner to refer to himself and his soldiers. They were related to David’s men as descendants of Jacob, although they were not in the literal sense “brothers” but more distant relatives. Moffatt has “fellow-countrymen.” In some languages it will be more natural to use the first person plural object pronoun, “us,” as in Good News Translation. But in order to convey the idea contained in the word brethren, it may be wise to add “We are your relatives” or something similar.

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 .