translations with a Hebraic voice (Genesis 17:6)

Some translations specifically reproduce the voice of the Hebrew text of the Old Testament / Hebrew Bible.

English:
I will cause you to bear fruit exceedingly, exceedingly,
I will make nations of you,
(yes,) kings will go out from you!

Source: Everett Fox 1995

German:
Ich lasse dich fruchttragen reich, überreich,
ich gebe dir, zu Stämmen zu werden,
Könige fahren von dir aus.

Source: Buber / Rosenzweig 1976

French:
Je te fais fructifier beaucoup, beaucoup.
Je te donne à des nations: des rois sortiront de toi.

Source: Chouraqui 1985

For other verses or sections translated with a Hebraic voice, see here.

complete verse (Genesis 17:6)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 17:6:

  • Kankanaey: “I will cause-to-become-many your (sing.) descendants so-that they will-be-distributed in the various-countries, and there will also be some of them who rule-as-kings.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “I will give you many descendants. Later they will become great nations. Some of them will also become kings.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “I will-make-many your descendants and they will-build nations, and some of them will-become king(s).” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “I will enable you to have very many descendants, and I will cause them to become great nations/people-groups, and some of your descendants will become kings.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

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 Genesis 17:6

I will make you exceedingly fruitful: this metaphor was used to represent fertility in 1.22, 28; 8.17; 9.1, 7. See 1.22 for discussion. Good News Translation renders this figurative expression “I will give you many descendants.” Translators should use a figurative expression if one is available that has the meaning of increasing the number of offspring.

And I will make nations of you: this expression, as translated by Revised Standard Version, may require adjustments in translation. The sense is that the many descendants Abraham will have will eventually become nations.

Some translations take the two promises together, the promises of numerous descendants and the descendants becoming nations, and they say something like “… your descendants will be very very many, and they will take control of the land in many places.”

And kings shall come forth from you: that is, some of Abraham’s descendants will be kings. For comments on kings see 14.1. The expression shall come forth from you is the Hebrew way of saying “you will be the ancestor of…” or “kings will be among your descendants.” Kings is sometimes rendered “big chiefs, great rulers, big leaders.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .