king

Click here to view graphically

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:

(Click or tap here to see details)

  • Piro: “a great one”
  • Highland Totonac: “the big boss”
  • Huichol: “the one who commanded” (source for this and above: Bratcher / Nida)
  • Ekari: “the one who holds the country” (source: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • Una: weik sienyi: “big headman” (source: Kroneman 2004, p. 407)
  • Pass Valley Yali: “Big Man” (source: Daud Soesilo)
  • 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 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 If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior.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.”

(Source: Faye Edgerton in The Bible Translator 1962, p. 25ff. )

Translation commentary on 2 Kings 16:9

The events recorded in this verse happened in 732–731 B.C.

Instead of the title the king of Assyria, it may be wise in certain languages to use the proper name “Tiglath Pileser” as Good News Translation has done. The second occurrence of this title may then be replaced by a pronoun in most languages.

Hearkened to him: The rather archaic English verb here means “listened” (New Revised Standard Version), but the meaning of the whole phrase is perhaps conveyed better by expressions like “granted his request” (New Jerusalem Bible) or “complied” (New International Version).

Marched up is literally “went up.” The Assyrian king did not do this alone, but he went with his army, so Good News Translation has “marched out with his army.”

Damascus was the capital city of Syria.

Carrying its people captive is literally “caused it to remove.” The text does not actually mention the people. But the pronoun “it” obviously refers to the inhabitants of Damascus who were deported. See the comments on 2 Kgs 15.29.

Kir: This proper name is the same as the Hebrew word for “wall.” The exact location of this place is unknown. The prophet Amos predicts the destruction of Damascus and the subsequent exile of the people of Syria to Kir (Amos 1.5). This location, however, should not be confused with the Moabite capital mentioned in Isa 15.1.

Some interpreters consider the Hebrew word for Kir to be a common noun meaning “the city” and not the name of a city named Kir. If this interpretation is correct, then the reference may be to the Assyrian capital Nineveh. Assyrians did in fact refer to their capital city as “the City.” Compare Gray, who has “Nineveh (lit. the city).” The note in Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente also suggests that the reference may be to Nineveh, referred to as “the city.” The ancient Greek translation of this verse omits the words to Kir and this leads some interpreters to think this Hebrew word has been added under the influence of the prophecy in Amos, but the words to Kir should be included in translation.

And he killed Rezin: The structure of this verse is altered by Good News Translation to show that King Rezin was in all likelihood killed in battle prior to the deportation of the people of Damascus to the city of Kir. New Revised Standard Version makes it sound as if King Rezin was first transported to Kir and was then put to death. Although both interpretations of the Hebrew are possible, the rendering in Good News Translation more likely expresses the intended sense of the Hebrew text.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .