second-in-command

The Hebrew in Genesis 41:43 that is translated as “second-in-command” or similar in English is translated in Mwera as kujangutila jwa shitengu or “helper of the throne.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

chariot

The Hebrew, Latin, Ge’ez, and Greek that is translated into English as “chariot” is translated into Anuak as “canoe pulled by horse.” “Canoe” is the general term for “vehicle” (source: Loren Bliese). Similarly it is translated in Lokạạ as ukwaa wạ nyanyang ntuuli or “canoe that is driven by horses.” (Source: J.A. Naudé, C.L. Miller Naudé, J.O. Obono in Acta Theologica 43/2, 2023, p. 129ff. )
Other translations include:

  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “cart pulled by horses” (source: Larson 1998, p. 98)
  • Chichicapan Zapotec: “ox cart” (in Acts 8) (ox carts are common vehicles for travel) (source: Loren Bliese)
  • Chichimeca-Jonaz, it is translated as “little house with two feet pulled by two horses” (source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
  • Hausa Common Language Bible as keken-doki or “cart of donkey” (source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
  • Mairasi: “going-thing [vehicle]” (source: Enggavoter 2004)

It is illustrated for use in Bible translations in East Africa by Pioneer Bible Translators like this:

Image owned by PBT and Jonathan McDaniel and licensed with the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

See also cart.

complete verse (Genesis 41:43)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 41:43:

  • Kankanaey: “He also gave him his second horse-drawn-carriage (loan kalisa) to ride-in and there were moreover those who preceded him shouting, ‘Move-aside-for-(him)! Move-aside-for-(him)!’ That is how the king appointed Jose to be-governor of the entire country in Egipto.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “He gave him a carriage to ride lower than his own. Then wherever he went, people would go before him crying out, ‘Kneel down! Kneel down!’ In this way Joseph became head of the land of Egypt.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “He had- Jose also -use his second chariot, and there-were ones-who-told/announced who would-go-ahead of him in-order to shout, ‘[You (pl.)] bow-down to the governor!’ So from that-(time-on) Jose became governor of the entire land of Egipto.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Then he arranged for Joseph to ride around in the chariot that showed that he was the second-most important man in the country. When Joseph rode in the chariot, men shouted to the people who were on the road in front of him, ‘Get off the road!’ So the king put Joseph in charge of everything in the country.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 41:43

Made him to ride in his second chariot: according to Westermann mounting the royal chariot was part of the installation ritual. A chariot is a vehicle with two wheels drawn by one or two horses. Chariots in ancient Egypt are depicted in paintings as manned by a driver and an archer. The first chariot would be the one the king rode in. A common translation of chariot is “battle cart” or “war buggy.”

They cried before him “Bow the knee!”: they refers to the soldiers or guard of honor who accompanied his chariot. Bow the knee represents the expression abrek. For the meaning see the Revised Standard Version footnote. It is not certain how this word should be translated. Speiser says “Attention!” Good News Translation, Revised English Bible say “Make way!” In some areas assistants to local chiefs or other dignitaries go ahead of them and call out to the people “Chief is coming,” “Eyes and ears, chief is near,” or “Clear the road!”

Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt: this is essentially the same as in verse 41.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .