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 If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior.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 19:37

Pray let your servant return: in this case your servant is used by Barzillai to refer to himself. But translators must be careful, since the same words are used by the same person in the next sentence to refer to Chimham. The request to return home is made in very polite and respectful terms. And the same degree of politeness should be evident in the receptor language if at all possible.

In my own city: that is, “at home,” “in my hometown,” or possibly “at the place where I came from.”

Here is your servant: literally “behold your servant” (compare King James Version). In this case your servant refers to Chimham and not to Barzillai. This is a way of presenting Chimham to David. Translators should look for the most natural way for someone to present a servant or worker to a person in authority. In some cases one may say “I am giving my servant Chimham to you…” or “here is my servant Chimham. He now belongs to you.”

Scholars often take Chimham to be Barzillai’s son, but this is not clearly stated in the Bible. It would, however, be normal for an elderly person to offer his son to do something for a king when the older person is unable or unwilling to do what the king requests. Also, the “sons of Barzillai” are particularly recommended by David to his son, Solomon, at the end of his life (1 Kgs 2.7). Some manuscripts of the Septuagint say “my son Chimham,” and this is the basis for the rendering “Here is my son Kimham” (Revised English Bible, Bible en français courant). Other translations such as Good News Translation, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, and Nueva Biblia Española also say “my son,” but it seems that this addition is based on an interpretation of the Hebrew text rather than on the Septuagint. Such an interpretation is probably correct and may serve as a model for other translations.

The verb go over means more than merely crossing the river. In this context what is involved is accompanying David all the way to Jerusalem and continuing to serve him after arriving there.

Whatever seems good to you: literally “whatever good in your eyes.” Some other renderings are “whatever pleases you” (New International Version) and “as you see fit” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). Compare the similar expression in verse 18.

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 .