obedience / obey

The Hebrew, Aramaic, Latin, and Greek that is translated in English typically as “obedience” or “obey” is translated in Tepeuxila Cuicatec as “thing hearing,” because “to hear is to obey.” (Source: Marjorie Davis in The Bible Translator 1952, p. 34ff. )

In Huba it is translated as hya nǝu nyacha: “follow (his) mouth.” (Source: David Frank in this blog post )

In Central Mazahua it is translated as “listen-obey” and in Huehuetla Tepehua as “believe-obey” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.), and in Noongar as dwangka-don, lit. “hear do” (source: Portions of the Holy Bible in the Nyunga language of Australia, 2018).

See also disobedience.

Esther

The Hebrew and Greek that is transliterated as “Esther” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with a sign depicting a star on a crown, referring to her being a queen and her name likely meaning “star” (see here ). (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Esther” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Esther .

Translation commentary on Esther 2:20   

Verse 20 is understood by some interpreters as a parenthetical statement between verses 19 and 21, explaining why Mordecai had not been elevated to a higher position after Esther became queen. If her identity and her relationship to Mordecai had been known, it can be assumed that Mordecai would have benefitted in some way. Anchor Bible places verse 20 within parentheses.

Perhaps because of its explanatory function, the verse summarizes a complex order, or sequence, of events. In actual order of occurrence, the events of the verse are: 1) Esther obeyed her cousin at the time that she was being brought up by him; 2) Mordecai told her not to reveal her identity; 3) Esther did not tell who she was; and therefore 4) no one knew her true identity.

For her kindred or her people, see the comments on 2.10. The order is reversed here from that in 2.10. If a distinction is intended by the reversed order, it is probably because in verse 10 Esther’s Jewish nationality, that is, her people, is more the point of focus. Here in verse 20 her relationship to Mordecai, that is, her kindred, is more the point of the story.

Esther obeyed Mordecai: both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation omit the explicit direct object of the verb “obey.” The Hebrew states it to be the maʾamar “edict, mandate, instruction” of her cousin, repeating one of the words used earlier in the series of words for commands found in this book (see 1.15, also 9.32). Both Traduction œcuménique de la Bible and Louis Segond révisée follow the Hebrew pattern. Obedience is described in some languages as “hearing [or, listening to the word of]…”; for example, “Esther listened to the words of Mordecai” or “she held her head with regard to [the wishes of] Mordecai.”

Just as when she was brought up by him: literally “just as she was in the bringing up with him.” As happens very frequently throughout the story, the author draws the reader’s attention back to an earlier detail in the story. Bringing the reader back to 2.7, the author adds the new information that as a child Esther was obedient to her cousin. The translator must be careful to reflect the true sequence of events in this verse. Some languages will use a pluperfect construction; for instance, “as she had done when she was a child in her cousin’s house [or, home].”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Noss, Philip A. A Handbook on Esther (The Hebrew Text). (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .