Jeremiah

The name that is transliterated as “Jeremiah” in English is translated in American Sign Language with the sign signifying “prophet (seeing into the future)” and “crying.” (Source: Phil King in Journal of Translation 16/2 2020, p. 33ff.)


“Jeremiah” in American Sign Language (source )

In Swiss-German Sign Language it is translated with a sign that depicts to lament often.


“Jeremiah” in Swiss-German Sign Language, source: DSGS-Lexikon biblischer Begriffe , © CGG Schweiz

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Jeremiah .

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

complete verse (Jeremiah 26:24)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Jeremiah 26:24:

  • Kupsabiny: “But another person who was called Ahikam son of Shaphan protected me so that the people did not hold me and kill me.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Jeremias on-the-other-hand was-helped by Ahikam the child of Shafan, so he was- not handed-over to the people in-order to-be-killed.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “However, Ahikam the son of Shaphan defended me, and persuaded the officials not to allow the mob to murder me.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Jeremiah 26:24

Ahikam: See 2Kgs 22.12, 14. He must have been a leader of considerable status and influence; we know that his son Gedaliah was made the governor of Judah after the fall of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. (2Kgs 25.22).

The hand of Ahikam … was with Jeremiah: The meaning is that Jeremiah “had the support of Ahikam” (Good News Translation). In Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch the entire verse reads:

• Nevertheless Jeremiah escaped execution—but only because Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, protected him and would not allow him to be handed over to the furious crowd.

Another way to render the verse is:

• But Ahikam the son of Shaphan supported Jeremiah, and therefore would not allow the crowd to take Jeremiah and kill him.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Jeremiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2003. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .