These two verses make the point that idols have no power, even though they are devised in such a way that they hold in their hands the instruments of power. Three such instruments are named: a scepter in verse 14, and a dagger and an axe in verse 15.
In referring to these three instruments, the Greek is not clear. Is the author depicting one idol holding all three items? New English Bible sounds like it, and New American Bible goes so far as to say that each idol holds all three. That is clearly unlikely. New Jerusalem Bible and New Revised Standard Version understand the Greek differently, so that verse 14 describes one idol and verse 15 another: “One holds … another holds….” This is effective. Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version say substantially the same thing. Good News Translation uses the plural “they” (Contemporary English Version has “these idols”) rather than speaking of “a god” in each verse. When Good News Translation says in verse 15, “Sometimes they have daggers and axes in their hands…,” the ordinary English-speaking reader will take both verses, properly, as generalizations: some idols may have one item, some others, and some may not hold anything. The point is made. Though the idols are depicted as powerful, they are really powerless.
Like a local ruler the god holds a scepter is literally “And it has [or, holds] a scepter like a man, a judge of a region.” Note that the Revised Standard Version footnote on the god should be “it” and not “he.” The pronoun “it” expresses the Greek better and is consistent with the pronouns Revised Standard Version uses for the god in verse 15. Revised Standard Version concentrates on “of a region” with the word local and assumes that the ruler is human. New Revised Standard Version is a bit better with “like a district judge.” New Jerusalem Bible may be better still: “like the governor of a province.” Good News Translation (similarly Contemporary English Version) concentrates on “like a man,” describing idols as “like human judges,” but it ignores the idea of the region, assuming that any judge’s jurisdiction is limited. Either approach is justified.
A scepter was a metal rod, either short or long, and often decorated. It was held in the hand as a symbol of authority, usually royal authority. The British monarch holds a scepter at formal affairs of state. The baton of a field marshal or general, or the mace carried by a university president, are examples of the idea. It is possible to express the idea of authority without reference to such an object at all by beginning verse 14 as follows: “They look like powerful men—judges—but they have no power….”
Though unable to destroy any one who offends it may be translated “but they have no power to punish anyone who wrongs them” (Good News Translation), or even “yet these idols have no power to punish any criminal” (Contemporary English Version). The irony lies in the fact that a real judge, though a mere human being, has the authority to punish those who have wronged others, but an idol, even though made to look like a judge, can’t even defend itself, let alone exert authority over others.
It has a dagger in its right hand, and has an axe: Dagger correctly represents the Greek, although the Hebrew behind it could refer more generally to a “sword.” Contemporary English Version has “small swords,” and in cultures where swords are unknown, something like “machete” or even “large dagger” will be permissible. Axes are generally used around the world for cutting down trees or doing other work with wood. The axe referred to here was a weapon of war, so many translators will need to clarify this by saying “axe used for fighting.” The Greek seems to say that the idol holds both a dagger and an axe in its right hand; New English Bible and New Jerusalem Bible translate it that way, but it is odd, to say the least. New American Bible has “Each has in its right hand an axe or dagger,” which is certainly clearer. Good News Translation helps avoid the problem here by the use of plurals (see the comments above), but it fails to say that the weapons are in the right hand. It would be an easy addition and translators could say, for example, “Sometimes they have daggers or axes in their right hands” or “Some of them even hold small swords or axes in their right hands.” (See illustration: jmp Idol with Axe|fig:Idolwithaxe_Image.jpgjmp*.)
But it cannot save itself from war and robbers: Since war is an abstraction and robbers are people, the two nouns are not easily linked. War destroys, robbers steal. Good News Translation spells it out: “but they cannot protect themselves from being destroyed in war or from being carried off by thieves.” Another approach would be to say “but they cannot defend themselves in war or protect themselves from robbers.” The irony here is that though the idols are pictured with offensive weapons, with which to go on the attack, they can’t defend themselves against even a common thief.
Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Shorter Books of the Deuterocanon. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2006. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.