Most High

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The Hebrew, Aramaic, Latin, or Greek that is translated as “(God) the Most High” or “Most High God” in English is translated in various way:

  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “he the completely glorified God”
  • San Mateo del Mar Huave: “Father God who is high in heaven”
  • Teutila Cuicatec: “God who has such tremendous authority”
  • Chichimeca-Jonaz: “he who is the native of the highest place”
  • Palantla Chinantec: “the Big God Himself”
  • Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “God who has authority over all”
  • Estado de México Otomi: “most exalted God”
  • Isthmus Mixe: “God who is in heaven”
  • Teutila Cuicatec: “God who has a great rule” (source for this and above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
  • Sa’a: “God, the Surpassing One” (source: Carl Gross)
  • Elhomwe: Mulluku Muullupalli or “God the Great” (source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Chichewa: Wammwambamwamba: A name of God. While this word is difficult to translate into English, its sense implies that God is highly above everything in his power and greatness. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 1 Esdras 8:21

Let all things prescribed in the law of God be scrupulously fulfilled for the Most High God, so that wrath may not come upon the kingdom of the king and his sons: Here King Artaxerxes of Persia wants to ensure the goodwill of Israel’s God, fearing that wrath, that is, God’s anger, might come on his kingdom if he does not—if not during Artaxerxes’ lifetime, then later. Let all things prescribed in the law of God be scrupulously fulfilled may be rendered “Let everything that God commands in his Law be carefully carried out.” In languages that do not have the passive voice translators may say “I want them to carefully carry out [or, follow] everything that God’s Law commands.” His sons does not refer only to Artaxerxes’ sons, but to any of his male descendants who become kings of Persia after him. Since Artaxerxes is the speaker here, Good News Bible renders upon the kingdom of the king and his sons as “with me or with those who reign after me,” which other languages may find helpful.

Here are possible models for this verse:

• I want everything that is commanded in God’s Law to be carefully carried out. I do not want the Most High God to punish my kingdom because he is angry with me or any of my descendants who reign after me.

• I want them to carefully carry out [or, follow] everything that God’s Law commands. I do not want….

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.