11Many nations shall join themselves to the Lord on that day and shall be my people, and I will dwell in your midst. And you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you.
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.
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Zechariah 2:11:
Kupsabiny: “When those days arrive, many communities will come to me and become my people and I shall live with them.’ That is when you (plur.) shall know that it is the God of authority who has sent me.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “In that day many nations shall be gathered unto the LORD and shall become my people. I will dwell among you. Because of this, you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “The LORD said, ‘[You (plur.)] shout with joy, you (plur.) residence of Zion, for I will-arrive and will-live among you (plur.). And in that time/period, many nations will-cause-(themselves)-to-be-subject under me. And they will-become my people.’ When this happens you (plur.) will-know that the LORD Almighty (was) the(-one-who) has-sent me to you (plur.).” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “At that time, people of many nations will be united to Yahweh and will become his people. He will live among all of you; and you will know that the Commander of the armies of angels is the one who sent me to you.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.
One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a first person singular and plural pronoun (“I” and “we” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used watashi/watakushi (私) is typically used when the speaker is humble and asking for help. In these verses, where God / Jesus is referring to himself, watashi is also used but instead of the kanji writing system (私) the syllabary hiragana (わたし) is used to distinguish God from others.
Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.
Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.
One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme are (され) is affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, tsukawas-are-ru (遣わされる) or “send” is used.
A major question for translators to decide in this and the following verses is where the direct speech of the LORD finishes. Moffatt and Good News Translation finish the LORD’s words at the end of verse 10 (supported by Petersen). Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, and Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente carry them to the middle of verse 11 (supported by Merrill). Revised Standard Version carries them down to the end of verse 12. New International Version, New Living Translation, Contemporary English Version, Beck, and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible carry them down to the end of verse 13 (supported by Amsler, R. L. Smith). Many other versions do not use quotation marks and so are not clear on this point. No available commentary discusses the question in any detail, but we may make the following observations:
(1) The Hebrew states clearly that verse 10 is the words of the LORD, so this is not in dispute.
(2) The occurrence of “says the LORD” at the end of verse 10 could possibly be interpreted as an indication that the LORD’s words finish there, but it does not have to be.
(3) In the Hebrew of verse 11, the LORD refers to himself in the first person, my people … I will dwell, which strongly suggests that he continues to be the speaker.
(4) The words at the end of verse 11, you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you, may be the words of the prophet, though they could equally well be treated as an aside that interrupts the LORD’s words (compare with verse 9).
When these points are taken into consideration, we can add the following comments:
(5) On the whole it seems best not to follow the Greek in verse 11, and end the LORD’s words at the end of verse 10. This is the choice of Moffatt and Good News Translation, and is probably the intended choice of Bible de Jérusalem, Jerusalem Bible/New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, New English Bible/ Revised English Bible, and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh.
(6) If the traditional Hebrew text is followed, as Hebrew Old Testament Text Project and Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament propose, the LORD’s words could be taken to extend as far as in the midst of you in verse 11. Versions taking this view include Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, and Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente. The problem is that this view leads to an abrupt change of speaker in the middle of the verse.
(7) There is no evidence in the Hebrew text that the LORD’s words could not include verse 12. Therefore translators are recommended to follow the punctuation of Revised Standard Version.
Many nations shall join themselves to the LORD: This indicates that the LORD’s blessing will extend beyond the limits of the Jewish nation. In more natural English, Good News Translation expresses this as “many nations will come to the LORD.” Compare Isa 2.2-4; Micah 4.1-3. Translators may also say, “People from many countries will become the LORD’s people.”
In that day refers to a period of time longer than 24 hours. Good News Translation translates with the more general “At that time.” Compare the notes on Hag 2.23. Translators could also say “from that day [or, time] onwards.”
And shall be my people: The foreign nations will turn to the LORD and share the same kind of relationship with him as the Jews.
And I will dwell in the midst of you: In Hebrew these words are identical with those in verse 10, and you refers back to “daughter of Zion” there. This clause may indicate a position of special privilege for the LORD’s people when the gentile nations turn to him. If so, then it may be better to translate the opening conjunction as “but” rather than and. In this clause there is an abrupt change from the previous two clauses in the way the LORD is referred to. He now speaks of himself in the first person, as in verse 10. Some translators may prefer to keep this abrupt change in their translation. Others, however, may decide to follow the example of Good News Translation, and change my people and I will dwell to “his people” and “he will dwell.” Another possibility is to use the first person in the first half of verse 11, and say, “Many nations will come to me [rather than “to the LORD”] and will become my people.” But if this possibility is accepted, it may cause some confusion with the use of me in the last part of the verse to refer to the prophet.
You shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you: These words are not identical with those of verse 9. In verse 9 “you” was masculine plural, whereas here it is feminine singular. Here also the words to you (again feminine singular) are added at the end. In this context you can refer back only to “daughter of Zion” in verse 10. But since “daughter of Zion” is a way of speaking collectively about the people of Jerusalem, it may be necessary to translate you as plural in many languages.
Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Zechariah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2002. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
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