desert, wilderness

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The Greek that is translated as “desert” or “wilderness” in English is translated in a number of ways:

Note that in Luke 15:4, usually a term is used that denotes pastoral land, such as “eating/grazing-place” in Tagbanwa (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation).

See also wilderness and desolate wilderness.

David

The name that is transliterated as “David” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the sign signifying king and a sling (referring to 1 Samuel 17:49 and 2 Samuel 5:4). (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff.)


“Elizabeth” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

In German Sign Language it is only the sling. (See here ).


“David” in German Sign Language (source )

The (Protestant) Mandarin Chinese transliteration of “David” is 大卫 (衛) / Dàwèi which carries an additional meaning of “Great Protector.”

Click or tap here to see a short video clip about David (source: Bible Lands 2012)

Translation commentary on 1 Samuel 25:21

The first part of this verse repeats the statements found in verses 7 and 15 above.

The verb had said is taken by Good News Translation as meaning “had said to himself.” New Jerusalem Bible is similar with “had decided.” But most English versions prefer the interpretation that David was speaking out loud, almost certainly to those traveling with him. The verb form in Hebrew is also significant. It indicates something said or thought at some time before the moment that David encountered Abigail on the trail. Both New International Version and New Century Version translate “had just said,” implying that it was only a matter of a few moments between the time that he uttered these words and the time when he met Abigail. New American Bible and Contemporary English Version similarly say “had just been saying.”

In vain: the root meaning of the word so translated has to do with deception. But the idea is well translated by Moffatt: “it was all for nothing.”

He has returned me evil for good: as the verb tense of Revised Standard Version indicates, Nabal had already done wrong to David by refusing to help his men.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .