6In it was written, “It is reported among the nations—and Geshem also says it—that you and the Jews intend to rebel; that is why you are building the wall; and according to this report you wish to become their king.
The Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, and Latin that is often translated as “gentiles” (or “nations”) in English is often translated as a “local equivalent of ‘foreigners,'” such as “the people of other lands” (Guerrero Amuzgo), “people of other towns” (Tzeltal), “people of other languages” (San Miguel El Grande Mixtec), “strange peoples” (Navajo (Dinė)) (this and above, see Bratcher / Nida), “outsiders” (Ekari), “people of foreign lands” (Kannada), “non-Jews” (North Alaskan Inupiatun), “people being-in-darkness” (a figurative expression for people lacking cultural or religious insight) (Toraja-Sa’dan) (source for this and three above Reiling / Swellengrebel), “from different places all people” (Martu Wangka) (source: Carl Gross).
Tzeltal translates it as “people in all different towns,” Chicahuaxtla Triqui as “the people who live all over the world,” Highland Totonac as “all the outsider people,” Sayula Popoluca as “(people) in every land” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.), Chichimeca-Jonaz as “foreign people who are not Jews,” Sierra de Juárez Zapotec as “people of other nations” (source of this and one above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.), Highland Totonac as “outsider people” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.), Uma as “people who are not the descendants of Israel” (source: Uma Back Translation), “other ethnic groups” (source: Newari Back Translation), and Yakan as “the other tribes” (source: Yakan Back Translation).
In Chichewa, it is translated with mitundu or “races.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Nehemiah 6:6:
Kupsabiny: “This letter was saying: It is heard (reported that) people of all nations saying and also Geshem saying that you and the Jews are intending to reject to be ruled, and that is what has made you to build the wall. It is also said that you are preparing to become their king.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “And this is was-written: ‘Geshem told me that whenever he goes he heard that you (sing.) and the Jews plan to rebel, and that is why you (plur.) are-building-up again the stone-wall. And as what he had-heard, you (sing.) want to become king of the Jews,” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “that said, ‘Gesem told me that there-is that which they are causing-to-be-reported in the surrounding/neighboring nations that it is reportedly the intention of you Judio to fight-against the one who rules-over you and that is the reason you are building the fence. They also said that it is your (sing.) intention to be-king” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
English: “This is what was written in the message: ‘Some people in the nearby countries have heard a report that you and the other Jews are rebuilding the wall in order to be able to resist attacks, because you are planning to revolt against the king of Babylon. And the report also says that you are planning to become the king of the Israelis. Geshem says that what they have reported is true.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
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:
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.”
In it was written: From the preceding verse it can be assumed that Sanballat wrote the letter. Good News Translation restructures this according to normal English form, and translators should do the same. Bible en français courant continues the sentence from the preceding verse with the words, “which said.” This introduces the direct quotation of the writing in the letter. Good News Translation slightly indents the left margin of this letter in verses 6-7 to set it apart from the surrounding text.
It is reported among the nations, and Geshem also says it: It is reported renders the same word in Hebrew as in verse 1 indicating what had been heard. This is presented in the form of indirect quotation. Good News Translation describes this report as a “rumor,” meaning that the report was circulating without evidence of being true (also Contemporary English Version, New Jerusalem Bible). Sanballat affirms the validity of the report by referring to Geshem. The substance of the “report” or “rumor” is “said” (so Revised Standard Version, New International Version, Contemporary English Version) or “confirmed” (so Revised English Bible) by Geshem. According to Good News Translation, Sanballat asserts that the report was from Geshem who had received information from among the nations (also Bible en français courant). It is preferable to follow the rendering of Good News Translation or Contemporary English Version, which says “A rumor is going around among the nations … And Geshem says it’s true!”
Geshem is the same person who was referred to as “Geshem the Arab” in verse 1 above and Neh 2.19. Some translations retain the spelling “Gashmu” as it is found here in MT, which is the correct spelling of this name (so New Jerusalem Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). However, most translations harmonize with the spelling in 2.19, and this is recommended.
Among the nations refers to the neighboring nations around Judah (see Neh 5.9).
The report included a series of accusations that would make Nehemiah a traitor in the eyes of the Persian authorities: 1) intend to rebel, 2) building the wall to become independent, 3) wish to become their king, and 4) “set up prophets to proclaim…, ‘There is a king in Judah’ ” (see verse 7 below). Sanballat threatened to report all this to the Persian king. These were the same charges made earlier to Artaxerxes (Ezra 4.8-16) that resulted in his order to stop the rebuilding of Jerusalem (Ezra 4.17-23).
You and the Jews intend to rebel: The Hebrew verb for intend expresses a range of meaning that may be rendered by several different verbs, for example, “thinking of” (New Jerusalem Bible) or “planning” (Contemporary English Version). It often introduces a plan that is not good, so New English Bible and New International Version say “plotting,” which has negative connotations. The object of the Jews’ intention is reported to be to rebel, that is, to revolt or to rise up against the authorities ruling over them (see Neh 2.19).
And you wish to become their king: In Hebrew an independent second person singular pronoun (you) is used pointing directly to Nehemiah in this accusation. The idea of intention or desire is understood to be implicit, and Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation make it explicit (also Revised English Bible). New American Bible translates “and that you are to be their king” (also New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh; similarly Chouraqui). In some languages a causative will be used: “You think to cause yourself to become their king.”
According to this report is literally “according to these words.” The rumor was introduced by the formal expression, It is reported, and now Sanballat underscores the widespread nature of his information by referring again to the reports that he has been receiving.
Quoted with permission from Noss, Philip A. and Thomas, Kenneth J. A Handbook on Nehemiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2005. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
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