army

The Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek and Latin that is translated as “army” in English is translated in Chichewa as “group of warriors.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

king

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Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as “king” in English. Here are some (back-) translations:

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  • Piro: “a great one”
  • Highland Totonac: “the big boss”
  • Huichol: “the one who commanded” (source for this and above: Bratcher / Nida)
  • Ekari: “the one who holds the country” (source: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • Una: weik sienyi: “big headman” (source: Kroneman 2004, p. 407)
  • Pass Valley Yali: “Big Man” (source: Daud Soesilo)
  • 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 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 If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior.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.”

(Source: Faye Edgerton in The Bible Translator 1962, p. 25ff. )

See also king (Japanese honorifics).

Translation commentary on Judges 8:12

This verse closes this short episode. Gideon and his forces are portrayed as courageous and unrelenting, while the Midianites are portrayed as cowards (compare verse 1.6). The actions are short and quick, while the names of the kings are repeated twice here. Translators can try to catch some of this style, as well as the mocking tone.

And Zebah and Zalmunna fled: Repetition of the names of the two kings, Zebah and Zalmunna, serves as an inclusio for 8.10-12. In many languages such repetition conveys a mocking tone, showing the villains of the story have been defeated. Fled renders the same Hebrew word (nus) that is used throughout this book to describe Israel’s enemies (verse 1.6; verse 4.15, 17; verse 7.21-22; verse 9.40, 51). The narrator is skillful, since describing the fear of the enemy emphasizes how strong and courageous the Israelites were.

And he pursued them: The pronoun he refers to Gideon, but obviously he does not act alone here. Pursued renders the same Hebrew verb as in verse 8.4-5. The pronoun them refers to the two Midianite kings.

And took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna: Took renders the same Hebrew verb as in verse 7.25 (see comments there). This verb may be rendered “took captive” or “captured” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version).

And he threw all the army into a panic: And renders the Hebrew waw conjunction, but another possible connector is “Meanwhile.” The pronoun he refers again to Gideon. Threw … into a panic renders a single Hebrew verb meaning “make afraid” or “terrify.” Several versions underline the notion of panic: “caused … to panic” (Good News Translation) and “routed in panic” (New Jerusalem Bible). Most languages will have an idiomatic way to express this panic. The Septuagint reads “annihilated,” but Hebrew Old Testament Text Project gives an {A} rating to the reading in the Masoretic Text, followed by Revised Standard Version. All the army is literally “all the camp.” In most languages it will be easier to say “all the Midianite soldiers.” Another possibility is “the rest of the enemy army,” since the two Midianite kings were also part of this army. In Hebrew this phrase occurs at the beginning of the clause, and thus we may begin with “and as for the whole army….” Though the text says it was Gideon who terrified the Midianite army, there were certainly several factors that led to their panic: the surprise attack and the flight and capture of their kings. Thus some languages may prefer to say “Because of Gideon’s attack, all the Midianite soldiers panicked.”

Contemporary English Version changes the order of the events in this verse, saying “and the enemy panicked. Zebah and Zalmunna tried to escape, but Gideon chased and captured them.” This is natural English, but it seems quite far from the text. Better translation models for this verse are:

• And the two Midianite kings, Zebah and Zalmunna, ran away! But Gideon and his men pursued them and captured them. Meanwhile, the rest of the enemy army panicked.

• Zebah and Zalmunna tried to get away, but Gideon chased them and captured those two Midianite kings. Gideon’s surprise attack threw all the remaining soldiers into a complete panic.

Quoted with permission from Zogbo, Lynell and Ogden, Graham S. A Handbook on Judges. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .