opobalsamum (balsam; balm)

The Hebrew word bosem, which is often rendered “balm” (derived from “balsam”), can refer to any type of aromatic healing substance, but it also designates the product of a particular tree, the balsam or opobalsamum Commiphora gileadensis. Arabs call it balasam or balasham. In the Talmud it is called afarsimon. Excavations near En Gedi have uncovered an ancient processing plant for balsam oil.

The opobalsamum tree likes a desert or semi-desert climate. It grows to 2‑3 meters (7‑10 feet) tall and has small, wrinkled, three-part leaves, white flowers, and pea-sized red berries that have a fragrant yellow seed inside. The bark of younger branches is gray, turning brown with age. The resin appears by itself in green droplets from the stems and branches, but collectors also make cuts in the branches to speed the process. The droplets turn from green to brown, clump together, and fall to the ground, where they are collected.

In Bible times, balsam oil was used in holy anointing oil, as medicine, and as an ingredient of perfume.

A generic word or phrase for sweet-smelling substances is appropriate to render bosem, although where a specific name for the balsam tree is available, as in southwestern Arabia and Somalia, this could also be used. At least one hundred species of the genus Commiphora are spread throughout dry areas of the world. Translators in some areas will know the plants; others may know only the dried resin of Commiphora sold in spice markets.

Balsam tree, Photo by Nigel Hepper

Source: Each According to its Kind: Plants and Trees in the Bible (UBS Helps for Translators)

fat, oil

The different Hebrew and Greek terms that are translated as “(olive) oil” and “(animal) fat” in English are translated in Kwere with only one term: mavuta. (Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

Hezekiah

The Hebrew, Greek, and Latin that is transliterated as “Hezekiah” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the signs for “king” and “facing the wall” referring to Isaiah 38:2. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


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

In Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) it is translated with a sign that signifies a model, a parameter for his life, referring to “he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, just as his ancestor David had done” of 2 Kings 18:3. (Source: Missão Kophós )


“Hezekiah” in Libras (source )

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

Click or tap here to see a short video clip about Hezekiah (source: Bible Lands 2012)

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Hezekiah .

complete verse (Isaiah 39:2)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Isaiah 39:2:

  • Kupsabiny: “When those people arrived at the home of Hezekiah he welcomed (them) and showed (them) how great his wealth was in his home and the whole of his country. He showed (them) silver, gold, things for spicing up food, oil that is bought for/costs much money, where he kept the weapons and everything that was in his house.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “King Hezekiah welcomed the messengers who brought it. Hezekiah showed those messengers gold, silver, spices, fragrant oils and all the weapons in his treasury. There was also nothing in the palace or government treasury that Hezekiah did not show them.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Hezekia greeted the messengers and he showed to them the things from the treasury/[lit. store-place] of his wealth/riches — silver(s), gold(s), spices, fine/good kinds of oil, his weapons, and his other wealth. There is nothing in his palace or kingdom that he did- not -show to them.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “When the messengers arrived, Hezekiah welcomed them gladly. Then he showed them everything that was in his treasure houses/places where very valuable things were kept—the silver, the gold, the spices, and the nice-smelling olive oil. He also took them to see the place where they kept their soldiers’ weapons, and he showed them the other valuable things that were in the storehouses. Hezekiah showed them everything that was in the palace or in other places.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Isaiah 39:2

Hezekiah probably showed his wealth to the Babylonians to indicate that he was able to fund his part in any rebellion against Assyrian power (see the introductory comments on this section [39.1-8]). It is less likely that he showed them to boast. It would have been very unwise to do that in the world of international conflicts of that day. Hezekiah had already stripped gold from the Temple and paid Assyria a large amount as spoils (2 Kgs 18.13-16), so there may not have been very much left to show the Babylonians.

And Hezekiah welcomed them is literally “And he rejoiced over them.” Good News Translation did not make “envoys” explicit in the previous verse, so it renders the pronoun them as “the messengers” for clarity (similarly New International Version). Revised Standard Version does not have to do this since it made the envoys explicit in the previous verse.

And he showed them his treasure house: Hezekiah showed the messengers his treasury. For treasure see the comments on 2.7 even though a different Hebrew word is used there. Treasure house refers to a building where precious things are kept. Revised English Bible and New Jerusalem Bible say “treasury,” and Bible en français courant has “the building where the valuable things were kept.” Good News Translation has simply “wealth.”

The silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his whole armory, all that was found in his storehouses is the list of items in the treasury. The Hebrew word rendered spices refers specifically to the resin from the balsam tree, which was used as perfume and medicine. Here it is used broadly for any perfume, as in 3.24 (see the comments there). Like Revised Standard Version, most versions say “spices,” but that is misleading since spices are used primarily to add flavor to food, not to give off fragrance. Bible en français courant correctly says “perfumes.” The precious oil (literally “good oil”) probably refers to good quality olive oil rather than “fragrant oil” as Revised English Bible and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh suggest. New International Version and New American Bible express it well with “fine oil.”

His whole armory refers to the place where Hezekiah stored weapons. It may be rendered “the place where he [or, the king] kept all the weapons.” Contemporary English Version has “He even showed them where he kept his weapons.”

All that was found in his storehouses may refer to any other treasures the king had, or it may summarize that he showed the envoys everything he had. If this clause refers to other treasures, they are probably grain and other food goods. The passive form was found can be expressed as an active form by saying “and everything else he kept in his storehouses.”

There was nothing in his house or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them is a summary statement. It simply means that Hezekiah showed the Babylonians everything he owned—things in his palace as well as throughout his kingdom. In all his realm may be a slight exaggeration since it is unlikely that the king traveled with the envoys everywhere in Judah. However, the point is clear—Hezekiah showed them all he had.

Translation examples for this verse are:

• Hezekiah welcomed the envoys and then showed them his treasury. He showed them silver and gold, perfumes and fine oil, all his weapons, and everything else he kept in his storehouses. There was nothing in his palace or throughout his kingdom that he did not let them see.

• Hezekiah was happy to see the envoys. He showed them his treasures, which included silver, gold, perfumes, and fine [olive] oil. He showed them everything he had stored away. Nothing in his palace or throughout his realm/domain did he fail to show them.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .