The Hebrew and Greek that is transliterated as “Ephraim” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the sign for “palm tree” referring to the palm of Deborah in the land of Ephraim (see Judges 4:5. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
The Hebrew and Greek that is transliterated as “Benjamin” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the sign for “wolf,” referring to Genesis 49:27. (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 If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior.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.”
He made him king: the use of the two pronouns may make it unclear which of the two characters is made king and which is the kingmaker. We know, of course, that it was Abner who made Ishbosheth king, so this may be made clear in translation, as has been done in Good News Translation.
Gilead: readers are unlikely to know whether this term refers to a town, a region, or some other geographical entity. For this reason it may be necessary for translators to add a classifier term showing that it was a region. It was located in the country that is now called Jordan, and the borders were the Yarmuk and the Arnon rivers. Note that Good News Translation indicates that Gilead was one of several territories.
Ashurites: the meaning of the name here is uncertain. This uncertainty is reflected in the variety of renderings in English versions. New Revised Standard Version retains the reading of Revised Standard Version, which possibly refers to the Assyrians; but Moffatt, New Jerusalem Bible, and Revised English Bible have “Asherites,” that is, members of the tribe of Asher (see Judges 1.32). This second understanding follows the ancient Jewish Targum. The same meaning is conveyed by Good News Translation‘s “Asher.” New International Version has “Ashuri” in the text, with a footnote saying “Or Asher.”
Anchor Bible and Fox read “Geshurites,” and similarly Knox has “Gessuri,” while Biblia Dios Habla Hoy has “Gesuri.” This reading comes from the Syriac and Vulgate and is justified on the basis that Geshur would be more logical in a geographical list between the names Gilead and Jezreel. The majority of modern versions, however, seem to prefer “Asher.”
Jezreel: while the name Jezreel refers to a town as in verse 2, it is also used to include the surrounding territory between Galilee and Samaria. It is this sense that is intended here.
Ephraim and Benjamin: these were originally names of individuals, but in this context the terms are used to refer to the geographical territory where the descendants of these individuals lived. This should be made clear in translation by saying something like “the territories of Ephraim and Benjamin” or by using other grammatical devices showing that they are not the names of individuals but of geographical areas.
And all Israel: this is not intended as another name in the list, as if to say “the remainder of Israel.” Rather it is a comprehensive expression referring to the places already mentioned. Good News Translation reflects this by adding the word “indeed” or “that is to say.” Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente says “in short, of all Israel.” The name Israel is sometimes used to refer to the ten northern tribes but excluding the tribes of Simeon and Judah. This more restricted meaning is almost certainly what is intended here (see the comments on section head title at the beginning of verse 1).
Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch offers a possible model for restructuring the verse as a whole in other languages: “There he made him king over Israel. His rule extended to the regions of Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim and Benjamin.”
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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