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 If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior.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 Joshua 24:9 - 24:10

For the account of Balak and Balaam, see Numbers 22.1–24.25. The king of Moab, Balak son of Zippor may be translated as “King Balak of Moab” or “Balak, king of Moab,” without the modifier son of Zippor. As with so many of these “son of…” modifiers, so here also it gives information which was important for the Hebrew writer and his readers, but not for present-day readers, and it adds awkwardness to the text.

In verse 9 fought does not agree with the accounts in Numbers 22.6, 11; Deuteronomy 2.9; Judges 11.25, which specify that Balak, in fact, did not go to battle against the Israelites. So some commentators and translations propose “prepared to fight” as the meaning of the verb. It is possible to use the verb in a more general sense of “stood up against” or “opposed.” Some translations use the idiomatic “stood in your way” or “placed himself in your way.” It may be better to translate “opposed.”

Balaam son of Beor may be rendered, “Balaam” (see above comments on “son of Zippor”).

Asked him to put a curse on you may be translated as direct discourse: “asked him, ‘Put a curse on the people of Israel,’ ” The problem, however, is that this would make a third layer of discourse, a quotation within a quotation, which is difficult for many readers. A simpler solution would be to translate the two verb structures sent word and asked by a single verb: “He sent for the prophet Balaam to put a curse on you” or “He sent for the prophet Balaam to come and place a curse on you.”

But I would not listen to Balaam (so also Revised Standard Version) represents a literal rendering of the Hebrew text. The meaning may be expressed “But I would not allow Balaam to place a curse on you.”

So he blessed you may be expressed more fully, “Against his will, he blessed you.” It may also be translated, “Instead I caused him to pronounce a blessing on you.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Newman, Barclay M. A Handbook on Joshua. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1983. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .