complete verse (1 Chronicles 6:25)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Chronicles 6:25:

  • Kupsabiny: “And those that came from the house of Elkanah were Amasai, Ahimoth,” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The sons of Elkanah were Amasai and Ahimoth.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “From the descendants of Elkana: Amasai, Ahimot,” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Elkanah’s other sons were Amasai and Ahimoth.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 1 Chronicles 6:25

The sons of Elkanah: Amasai and Ahimoth: The next verse lists the descendants of Ahimoth, but nothing more is said regarding Amasai, unless the Amasai in verse 35 is the same person. According to verses 25-26, the Elkanah mentioned in verse 26 was a son of Ahimoth and the nephew of Amasai. But according to verse 35, Elkanah was the son of Mahath and grandson of Amasai. Since verse 35 lists Mahath as the father of Elkanah, Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia suggests that Ahimoth in verse 25 should be corrected to read “his brother Mahath.” Some scholars think that the text of verse 25 originally read “Amasai and Mahath” instead of Amasai and Ahimoth. Then someone added a note in the margin of the Masoretic Text, identifying Mahath as “his brother” (ʾahiw in Hebrew). Then the Hebrew words ʾahiw and mahath were read together as ʾahimoth, resulting in the name Ahimoth. Klein accepts this conjecture and translates this verse as “The sons of Elkanah: Amasai and his brother Mahath.” Such a reconstruction of a supposed original text makes good sense, but it is simply speculation. Therefore translators should follow the Masoretic Text here.

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 .