throne

The Greek that is translated into English versions as “throne” is translated into Naro as ntcõó-q’oo: “he will rule.” The figure of the “throne” cannot be translated in the egalitarian Naro culture, so the idea had to be expressed more explicitly. (Source: Gerrit van Steenbergen)

In other languages it is translated as “stool/seat of the king” (Marathi), “seat of commanding/chieftainship” (Highland Totonac, Kituba), “seat of the Supreme one (lit. of-him-who-has-the umbrella)” (Toraja-Sa’dan — the umbrella being a well-known symbol of power in various parts of South and South-East Asia), “glorious place to sit” (Ekari) (source: Reiling / Swellengrebel), “where God sits and rules” (Estado de México Otomi), “where God reigns” (Central Mazahua) (source: John Beekman in Notes on Translation, March 1965, p. 2ff.), or “bed of kingship” (Kafa) (source: Loren Bliese).

In Elhomwe it is translated as “seat of the king,” unless it refers to the throne of God (such as in Matthew 19:28. Then the translation is the “seat of God.”) (Source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

dome

The Hebrew that is translated as “dome” or similar in English is translated in Maan as “round roof,” since there is no existing word for that concept. (Source: Don Slager)

complete verse (Ezekiel 1:26)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Ezekiel 1:26:

  • Kupsabiny: “There was something above the curved thing (dome) that was like a chair of rulership which was like sapphire and something like a person was sitting there.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “And there was there as-if-like a throne made from stones of sapphire, and there was-someone as-if-like a man sitting on this throne.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Above the dome was something that resembled ahuge thronethat was made of a huge sapphire/valuable blue stone. Sitting on the throne was someone that resembled a human.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Ezekiel 1:26

This is the climax of the vision, where Ezekiel sees God himself sitting on his throne. As elsewhere in this chapter, Ezekiel cannot describe in exact detail what he saw. Either the glory surrounding God was so bright that he could not make out the details properly, or (more likely) the vision of God on his throne was so wonderful and supernatural that human words were not adequate to describe it. Twice Ezekiel talks of the likeness of a throne, and his description of God is qualified three times with the words appearance, likeness, and form. In our translations the description of God and his throne should not be more explicit than the original text.

And above the firmament over their heads, that is, on the platform that was over the heads of the four creatures, there was the likeness of a throne, that is, something that looked like a throne. A throne is a large chair, on which kings and queens sit when they conduct their official business. Here it may be rendered “king’s seat” or “seat for a king.” This throne, which Ezekiel could not describe exactly, was standing on the platform above the creatures. In some languages, instead of the impersonal expression there was the likeness of a throne, it will be better to say “I saw something that looked like a seat for a king.”

The throne was in appearance like sapphire, that is, it looked as if it were “made of sapphire” (Good News Translation). Sapphire is the ancient name for the precious gemstone called lapis lazuli. This is a deep blue stone with golden flecks through it. It comes from China and is very valuable. Most translations use the word sapphire, even though the modern gem called a sapphire was not known in the time of Ezekiel. Some versions observe in a footnote that Ezekiel actually wrote “lapis lazuli,” not “sapphire” (so Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version, New International Version, Revised English Bible). But the most important aspect here is not the actual gem in view, but the color of the throne, so like sapphire may be rendered “like the blue stone that is very valuable.”

And seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness as it were of a human form, that is, “sitting on the throne was a figure that looked like a man” (Good News Translation). Ezekiel does not say the figure he saw was a human being, but he implies that the figure looked like a person. We must retain this reluctance to describe God in precise detail. Seated above seems to suggest that the figure was floating above the throne and not sitting on it. The text should not be translated like this. Rather, above refers to the position of the throne itself. It was “high above” (New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible). A good model for this whole sentence is “and on this throne high above was a figure whose appearance resembled a human” (similarly New Living Translation).

Quoted with permission from Gross, Carl & Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Ezekiel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .