3Then all the officials of the king of Babylon came and sat in the middle gate: Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebo, Sarsechim the Rabsaris, Nergal-sharezer the Rabmag, with all the rest of the officials of the king of Babylon.
The name that is transliterated as “Jerusalem” in English is signed in French Sign Language with a sign that depicts worshiping at the Western Wall in Jerusalem:
While a similar sign is also used in British Sign Language, another, more neutral sign that combines the sign “J” and the signs for “place” is used as well. (Source: Anna Smith)
“Jerusalem” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL, used with permission)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Jeremiah 39:3:
Kupsabiny: “Then the leaders of the king of Babylon came and sat down where it is called the Middle Gate. Those were Nergal-sarezer, Samgar-nebo and Sarsekim who was in charge of the people working in the home of the king, and another Nergal-sarezer together with all the other leaders of the king of Babylon.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “When they have already entered Jerusalem, the officials of the king of Babilonia sat at the Middle Gate. They were Nergal Sharezer whose-from Samgar, Nebo Sarsekim a leading official, and another Nergal Sharezer also a high official, and the other officials of the king of Babilonia.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “Then all the officers of the king of Babylon came in and sat down at the Middle Gate to decide what they would do to the city. They included Nergal-Sharezer from Samgar, Nebo-Sarsekim who was one of the chief army officers, another Nergal-Sharezer, the king’s advisor, and many other officials.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, Ge’ez, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as “king” in English. Here are some (back-) translations:
Ninia Yali: “big brother with the uplifted name” (source: Daud Soesilio in Noss 2007, p. 175)
Nyamwezi: mutemi: generic word for ruler, by specifying the city or nation it becomes clear what kind of ruler (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
Ghomála’: Fo (“The word Fo refers to the paramount ruler in the kingdoms of West Cameroon. He holds administrative, political, and religious power over his own people, who are divided into two categories: princes (descendants of royalty) and servants (everyone else).” (Source: Michel Kenmogne in Theologizing in Context: An Example from the Study of a Ghomala’ Christian Hymn))
Faye Edgerton retells how the term in Navajo (Dinė) was determined:
“[This term was] easily expressed in the language of Biblical culture, which had kings and noblemen with their brilliant trappings and their position of honor and praise. But leadership among the Navajos is not accompanied by any such titles or distinctions of dress. Those most respected, especially in earlier days, were their headmen, who were the leaders in raids, and the shaman, who was able to serve the people by appealing for them to the gods, or by exorcising evil spirits. Neither of these made any outward show. Neither held his position by political intrigue or heredity. If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior. If the shaman failed many times in his healing ceremonies, it was considered that he was making mistakes in the chants, or had lost favor with the gods, and another was sought. The term Navajos use for headman is derived from a verb meaning ‘to move the head from side to side as in making an oration.’ The headman must be a good orator, able to move the people to go to war, or to follow him in any important decision. This word is naat’áanii which now means ‘one who rules or bosses.’ It is employed now for a foreman or boss of any kind of labor, as well as for the chairman of the tribal council. So in order to show that the king is not just a common boss but the highest ruler, the word ‘aláahgo, which expresses the superlative degree, was put before naat’áanii, and so ‘aláahgo naat’áanii ‘anyone-more-than-being around-he-moves-his-head-the-one-who’ means ‘the highest ruler.’ Naat’áanii was used for governor as the context usually shows that the person was a ruler of a country or associated with kings.”
When Jerusalem was taken: See the comment at 38.28. Translators can also say “When the Babylonians captured Jerusalem.”
Princes: Good News Translation has “high officials.” See 1.18.
Sat in the middle gate: The Babylonian officers took their position to form a military court of government. It could also be a strategic place from which to control the city. If translators feel this information is helpful, they can either put it in a note, or possibly say “took their places in the Middle Gate to control the city.” The location of the middle gate is uncertain.
Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebo, Sarsechim the Rabsaris, Nergal-sharezer the Rabmag: Hebrew Old Testament Text Project proposes that these names (and titles) be merely transliterated. However, it would seem better to attempt some meaning for the two titles. Good News Translation does this by grouping all the men together as “high officials of the king of Babylonia.” New Jerusalem Bible, on the other hand, renders the Rabsaris as “a high dignitary of state,” while Moffatt has “the field marshal,” New American Bible “the chief officer,” and Revised English Bible “the chief eunuch.” However, “eunuch” may be misleading, since this title may refer to a high office more than to bodily mutilation (see the comment at 29.2). Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “the chief palace official.”
For the Rabmag, the translations also vary: New Jerusalem Bible has “the chief astrologer,” Revised English Bible “the commander of the frontier troops,” Moffatt “the calvary commander,” and New American Bible “the high dignitary.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “the king’s chief adviser.” Since the meaning of these titles is not clear, and not really relevant, a general term such as “high officials” seems the most appropriate.
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 .
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