king

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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:

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  • 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 If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior.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 Samuel 10:1

After this: this represents the same transition expression found at the beginning of chapters 2, 8, and 15, as well as at 21.18 and 1 Sam 24.5, where it is rendered “and afterward” in Revised Standard Version. In Hebrew it includes a form of the verb “to be” and introduces a very different subject as compared with the previous chapter. The passage of a significant amount of time is indicated in a number of modern versions: “In the course of time” (New International Version); “Some time afterward” (New Revised Standard Version).

The king of the Ammonites: the king who had died is not named in the Hebrew text of this verse. However, the name Nahash is given in verse 2 (see 1 Sam 11.1-2, where “Nahash” is first mentioned as an enemy of Israel, as also in 1 Sam 12.12; in 2 Sam 17.25 “Nahash” is a woman’s name). For the sake of clarity this has been shifted forward to verse 1 in Good News Translation, and many other languages should probably do the same thing, especially since Nahash’s son is specifically named here.

The words translated Ammonites are literally “the sons of Ammon,” but the expression clearly refers to a tribal group consisting of those who descended from a man named Ammon.

Reigned in his stead: although this is the only time this expression is used in 1 and 2 Samuel, it is commonly used in other parts of the Old Testament to describe the orderly progression from one king to the next. The expression is found in Gen 36.33-39 and very frequently in 1 and 2 Kings and 1 and 2 Chronicles. In some languages there will be a special term for the succession of a chief. In others it will be necessary to use a more general expression such as “took his place,” “began to rule from his throne,” or “followed him as king.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .