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)
In Malay, the pronoun beta for the royal “I” (or “my” or “me”) that is used by royals when speaking to people of lower rank, subordinates or commoners to refer to themselves in these verses. This reflects the “language of the court because the monarchy and sultanate in Malaysia are still alive and well. All oral and printed literature (including newspapers and magazines) preserve and glorify the language of the court. Considering that the language of the court is part of the Malaysian language, court language is used sparingly where appropriate, specifically with texts relating to palace life.” (Source: Daud Soesilo in The Bible Translator 2025, p. 263ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Samuel 9:9:
Kupsabiny: “Then the king called/summoned Ziba and told (him/her) like this, ‘I am going to give Mephibosheth who is the son of your master, all the things of Saul and his home.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Then David, sending to summon Saul’s servant Ziba, gave him this order [lit.: an order like this], "I have given all the property of Saul and his family to your master’s grandchild.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Then the king had-called Ziba, the former servant of Saul, and said-to-him, ‘I am giving Mefiboshet, the grandchild of your master Saul, all the properties of Saul and of his family.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “Then the king summoned Saul’s servant Ziba and said to him, ‘Saul was your master; now I am giving to Mephibosheth everything that belonged to Saul and his family.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
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.”
Saul’s servant: the Hebrew term for servant here is not the same as in verse 1 above. The word here is translated “steward” by New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh and Anchor Bible. New American Bible has “attendant.” But many versions take it as having exactly the same meaning as the term used in verse 1. Since Saul was already dead at this time, it may be better in many languages to say “who used to be Saul’s steward” or “who had attended Saul.”
The inverted structure of the direct quotation in Revised Standard Version reflects the Hebrew but may be unnatural in some languages. Good News Translation puts the subject and main verb first in what David says here. This is followed by the grammatical object.
The verb rendered I have given in Revised Standard Version represents a verb form that emphasizes the fact that a firm decision has been made, but it may be unnatural to translate as a past tense in other languages. Several modern English versions represent this verb form by a present tense, “I give” (An American Translation and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible); “I am giving” (New American Bible); “I assign” (Revised English Bible).
Your master’s son: this refers to Mephibosheth, who was actually Saul’s grandson (see verse 6). It will be better in many cases to translate son as “grandson” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New International Version, New Revised Standard Version, and Revised English Bible as well as Good News Translation) and to mention the name of Mephibosheth specifically. The term “grandson” should also be used in the same context in verse 10 and 19.24.
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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