LORD of hosts

The Hebrew that is translated as “Lord of hosts” in English (or: “Yahweh of Armies” [translation by John Goldingay, 2018], “Hashem, Master of Legions” [ArtScroll Tanach translation, 2011]) is translated in various ways: It’s translated as “God the Highest Ruler” in Kankanaey, as “Lord Almighty” in Newari, as Mndewa Imulungu or “Lord with all power” in Kutu (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext), as Wànjūnzhī Yēhéhuá (万军之耶和华) or “Jehovah of 10,000 [=all] armies” in Mandarin Chinese, as “Yawe God of the universe” in Mandinka, and in the German (Luther) Bible the second part of the name is transliterated: Herr Zebaoth or “Lord Zebaoth” (Swedish, Finnish and Latvian use the same translation strategy). The Russian Orthodox Synod translation uses a transliteration of the second part of the designation as well: Господь Саваоф / Gospod’ Savaof.

The traditional French translation of l’Eternel/Yahve/le Seigneur/Seigneur des armées (“Lord of the armies”) presents a problem when listened to, as Jean-Marc Babut explains (in The Bible Translator 1985, p. 411ff. ):

“For the hearer, the traditional translation l’Eternel/Yahvé/le Seigneur des armées can easily be taken in a bad sense: there is nothing, in fact, to prevent the listener from hearing l’Eternel désarmé, ‘the Eternal One disarmed’ or ‘stripped of his power’! (…). Thus the Bible en français courant [publ. 1997] has decided to use the expression Seigneur/Dieu de l’univers, “Lord/God of the Universe”. This formula, which has an undeniably liturgical ring, seems to have been favorably received by users.”

Other, later French Bibles who have chosen a similar strategy, include Parole de Vie (publ. 2017) with Seigneur de l’univers or Bible Segond 21 (publ. 2007) with l’Eternel, le maître de l’univers.

See also Lord of hosts, host / powers, Pantokrator, and Lord Almighty.

Judah, Judea

The name that is transliterated as “Judah” or “Judea” in English (referring to the son of Jacob, the tribe, and the territory) is translated in Spanish Sign Language as “lion” (referring to Genesis 49:9 and Revelation 5:5). This sign for lion is reserved for regions and kingdoms. (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. and Steve Parkhurst)


“Judah” and “Judea” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

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

See also Judah, Judah (son of Jacob) , and Tribe of Judah .

complete verse (Jeremiah 51:5)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Jeremiah 51:5:

  • Kupsabiny: “I God will not abandon (them)
    the one who is the God of power of the people of Israel and Judah,
    They have sinned against me
    the Exalted God of Israel.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “For I, the Lord GOD Almighty, the Holy God of Israel, did- not -reject Israel and Juda even though their land (is) full of wickedness.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “I, the Commander of the armies of angels, the Israelis’ God, have not abandoned Israel and Judah.
    Even though their land was full of people who sinned against me, the Holy God of Israel,
    I am still their God.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Jeremiah 51:5

For Israel and Judah … the LORD of hosts: It may be best to shift this to an active sentence; for example, “The LORD God Almighty has not forsaken Israel and Judah.” Israel and Judah are used respectively of the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel. Forsaken can also be “abandoned.” The word in the Hebrew text actually means to be made or left a widow.

The LORD of hosts: See 2.19.

But the land of the Chaldeans is full of guilt: Evidently Revised Standard Version attempts to avoid the possible ambiguity of “their land” by translating the Hebrew expression as the land of the Chaldeans. Good News Translation interprets “their land” as a reference to Israel and Judah: “… have not abandoned Israel and Judah, even though they have sinned against me.” In fact, almost all major translations retain “their land,” meaning the land of Israel and Judah, with an expression such as “even though their land is full of guilt.” Translators can also say “even though they sinned against me throughout their land.” Good News Translation and many other translations understand full of guilt as referring to the fact that they have sinned (and therefore are guilty). Translators can have “even though they are guilty of sin against me throughout the land.”

For the Holy One of Israel, see 50.29.

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 .