Elijah

The name that is transliterated as “Elijah” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language as “whirlwind” (according to 2 Kings 2:11) (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff.)


“Elijah” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

Click or tap here to see how other sign languages are translating “Elijah”

In American Sign Language it is translated with a depiction of being taken up to heaven with a chariot of fire. (Source: ASL Sign Language Directory )


“Elijah” in American Sign Language (source )

Likewise in Estonian Sign Language, but with a different sign (source: Liina Paales in Folklore 47, 2011, p. 43ff.)


“Elijah” in Estonian Sign Language (source )

In Finnish Sign Language it is translated with the sign signifying “fire” (referring to 1 Kings 18:38). (Source: Tarja Sandholm)


“Elijah” in Finnish Sign Language (source )

Following is a Russian Orthodox icon of Elijah from the late 13h century.

 
Orthodox Icons are not drawings or creations of imagination. They are in fact writings of things not of this world. Icons can represent our Lord Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the Saints. They can also represent the Holy Trinity, Angels, the Heavenly hosts, and even events. Orthodox icons, unlike Western pictures, change the perspective and form of the image so that it is not naturalistic. This is done so that we can look beyond appearances of the world, and instead look to the spiritual truth of the holy person or event. (Source )

See also Moses and Elijah during the Transfiguration.

complete verse (Matthew 11:14)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 11:14:

  • Uma: “There was a prophet long ago who foretold that the prophet Elia would come again. So, if you want to believe it, this Yohanes is the prophet Elia who was foretold long ago.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “It has been foretold hep that Nabi Eliyas will come back to the world. If you want to believe the words of the prophets, Yahiya is hep Nabi Eliyas.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And if you are able to believe what they caused to be understood, you will know that John really is Elijah, for they prophesied the return of Elijah.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “And if you want to believe what one prophet said, you will understand that Juan himself is the Elias that he foretold would come.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “And if you want to believe the truth, you will comprehend that this Juan was fulfilling what was told by the prophet that Elias would return here again.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Concerning Elijah who was spoken about before by the spokesmen for God, if you want to know about this matter, this John is the one who is said to be Elijah.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Matthew 11:14

If you are willing to accept it: the word willing can also be translated as “prepared.” Another way is to say “if you will accept it.”

Accept it (Good News Translation “believe their message”): in Greek the verb accept is without an object, but most languages will require one: “if you will believe me” (New Jerusalem Bible), “if you are prepared to accept it” (New American Bible), “if you care to believe it” (Moffatt), “if you are ready to accept the idea” (An American Translation), and “if you will accept it” (Zürcher Bibel).

Many translators tie the it of accept it to the following phrase, as in “accept that John is Elijah, whose coming was promised.” This link can also be made by those who give “me” as the object, as in “believe me when I say John is Elijah.” It is equally possible to refer to “prophesied” in verse 13, as in “if you are willing to believe what they said, then John is Elijah.” However one renders it in the sentence, the point remains that Jesus was asserting that John was Elijah, and he was asking people if they were prepared to accept that.

He is Elijah is an allusion to John the Baptist, and he is mentioned by name in a number of modern translations. Many readers will take he is Elijah literally, as if John were a reincarnation of Elijah, or as if somehow Elijah had returned to earth. This would be wrong, of course. To avoid this, translators might say “John is the man the prophet was talking about when he said Elijah would return” or “when the Scriptures said Elijah would return, they were speaking of John.”

Who is to come: Barclay translates “who was destined to come,” and New American Bible “the one who was certain to come.” However, the focus seems not to be so much upon the certainty of his coming as upon the fact of his coming, because it had been promised through the Law and the Prophets. In Malachi 4.5 it is stated that Elijah would return prior to the day of final judgment, and the present verse confirms that John fulfils the role of Elijah. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates the verse “And if you believe it or not: John is actually Elijah, whose coming was predicted.”

Note from some of the examples we have given for who is to come that it may be necessary to say who predicted or promised Elijah would return: “the man the prophets were talking about” or “when the Scriptures said Elijah would return.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .