Most High

The Hebrew, Aramaic, Latin, or Greek that is translated as “(God) the Most High” or “Most High God” in English is translated in various way:

Translation commentary on 2 Esdras 10:50

For now the Most High, seeing that you are sincerely grieved and profoundly distressed for her … is better rendered “When God Most High saw that you were grieving for the woman with all your heart and soul…” (Good News Bible). The phrase “with all your heart and soul” is closer to the Latin than sincerely and profoundly.

Has shown you the brilliance of her glory, and the loveliness of her beauty: The phrases the brilliance of her glory and the loveliness of her beauty are close in meaning. Good News Bible says “all her glory and majestic beauty,” New English Bible has “her radiant glory and her beauty,” and Contemporary English Version translates “the bright light of her beauty and glory.” This last half of the verse may be rendered “he showed you how radiant and glorious she really is, and how lovely and beautiful.”

We suggest the following model for this verse:

• When God Most High saw that you grieved and felt distress for the woman with all your heart and soul, he showed you how radiant and glorious she really is, how lovely and beautiful.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.