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 38:1)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Jeremiah 38:1:

  • Kupsabiny: “Then one day, Shephatiah son of Mattan, Gedaliah son of Pashhur, Jukal son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur son of Malkijah heard that I was telling all the people,” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Shefatia the child of Mattan, Gedalia the child of Pashur, Jehucal the child of Shelemia, and Pashur the child of Malkia heard what Jeremias said to the people. This is what Jeremias has said, ‘The LORD is saying that” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Four officials, Shephatiah the son of Mattan, Gedaliah the son of Pashhur, Jehucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur the son of Malkijah, heard what I had been telling all the people.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Jeremiah 38:1

Now: This indicates the beginning of a new section or discourse unit, and is not a time marker. In some languages a marker may not be necessary, as in Good News Translation, but in others, an expression such as “It happened” or “Now it came about” may be desirable.

Shephatiah is mentioned only here in Jeremiah. Several other persons of the same name are mentioned elsewhere in the Scriptures, but none of them are to be identified with this person.

Gedaliah the son of Pashhur is probably a son of the Pashhur who put Jeremiah in stocks (20.1-6).

Jucal is the same as Jehucal (38.3); although in Hebrew the name is spelled differently, it would be better to use a common spelling.

For Pashhur the son of Malchiah, see 21.1.

In translation it may be more natural to change the order of clauses in this verse by stating that Jeremiah was preaching to the people of Jerusalem, and these men heard him, and then to indicate what Jeremiah was saying.

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 .