The name that is transliterated as “Jerusalem” in English is signed in French Sign Language with a sign that depicts worshiping at the Western Wall in Jerusalem:
While a similar sign is also used in British Sign Language, another, more neutral sign that combines the sign “J” and the signs for “place” is used as well. (Source: Anna Smith)
“Jerusalem” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL, used with permission)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Chronicles 11:4:
Kupsabiny: “Then, David went with his people to Jerusalem. The city was called Jebus in those days and the Jebusites lived there.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “King David and all the Israelites went and attacked the city of Jerusalem. At that time the city of Jerusalem was called Jebus. At that time the Jebusites were living there.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “One time, David and the Israelinhon went-out/set-out to attack Jerusalem (that was Jebus before). The Jebusnon who lived there” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “David and all the Israeli soldiers went to Jerusalem. At that time, Jerusalem was called Jebus, and the people who lived there were the Jebus people-group.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem: The text does not state explicitly why David and all the Israelites went to Jerusalem. Good News Translation and Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente translate according to the context and say that they “attacked” Jerusalem, and Bible en français courant says that they went to “besiege” Jerusalem. Traduction œcuménique de la Bible and Knox use the expression “marched on,” which also has an undeniable military meaning. The author emphasizes throughout 1 Chronicles that from the very beginning of David’s reign all Israel was united in support of David. So in this context all Israel should not be translated “the whole Israelite army” ( NET Bible).
That is Jebus: Jerusalem was known as Jebus before David conquered the city (see Josh 15.8; 18.28; Jdg 19.10). A literal translation of the Hebrew as in Revised Standard Version may incorrectly suggest that Jerusalem continued to be known also as Jebus. Good News Translation correctly says “It was then known as Jebus” (similarly Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch).
Where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land: The Jebusites were descendants of Canaan (Gen 10.15-19), who were not expelled during Israel’s conquest of Canaan (Josh 15.63; Jdg 1.21), but lived in Jerusalem until David conquered them. Good News Translation renders the inhabitants as “the original inhabitants” (similarly NET Bible) in order to avoid giving the impression that the Jebusites were still living there at the time the book of 1 Chronicles was written.
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Chronicles, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2014. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
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