The name that is transliterated as “Asa” in English is translated in Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) with a sign that depicts the concept of order and mandates. As the third king of Judah, Asa ordered the destruction of the altars, he took the cult prostitutes out of the land and removed all the idols that his fathers had made (see 1 Kings 15:11 and following). (Source: Missão Kophós )
The name that is transliterated as “Judah” or “Judea” in English (referring to the son of Jacob, the tribe, and the territory) is translated in Spanish Sign Language as “lion” (referring to Genesis 49:9 and Revelation 5:5). This sign for lion is reserved for regions and kingdoms. (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. and Steve Parkhurst)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Kings 15:17:
Kupsabiny: “One day, Baasha attacked the land of Judah and captured the city of Ramah. Baasha started to renew that city to be guarded so that he could block people when a person was going to or coming from Judah.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “King Baasha of Israel attacked Judah and Strengthening the built walls and gates in Ramah so that it might not be possible for anyone to go into or come out of King Asa’s Judah.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Baasha attacked Juda, and he had-caused-to-be-strong the town of Rama so-that no one can-go-out or can-go-inside in the territory of King Asa of Juda.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “Baasha’s army invaded Judah. They captured Ramah town north of Jerusalem. Then they started to build a wall around it in order to prevent people from entering or leaving the area in Judah that was ruled by King Asa.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
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:
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 (Dinė) 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.”
Verse 16 states that Asa was at war with Baasha throughout Baasha’s reign. Now verse 17 introduces one specific battle by way of illustration. Contemporary English Version introduces verse 17 with the words “One time” as a way of showing that what follows is only one instance of the numerous battles between the two kings.
Baasha … went up against Judah: Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch says that “Baasha moved toward the south against Judah.” Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, and New Living Translation translate the Hebrew verb here according to the context as “invaded.” Others may prefer a verbal expression like “attacked” (New American Bible), “marched on” (New Jerusalem Bible), or “fought against” (International Children’s Bible).
Built Ramah: Ramah was a town about seven kilometers (less than five miles) north of Jerusalem. It already existed so the Hebrew verb rendered built must be understood in this context to mean “fortified” (so Good News Translation, La Bible Pléiade, and most modern versions). The Hebrew text leaves implicit that Baasha first captured the town of Ramah before he was able to begin fortifying it, but compare Contemporary English Version for the last half of the verse: “captured the town of Ramah. He started making the town stronger, so he could put troops there to stop people from going in and out of Judah.”
That he might permit no one to go out or come in: This describes the purpose of Baasha’s military action. The sense of the Hebrew may be that Asa’s military troops were prevented from traveling north. Revised Standard Version gives a fairly literal translation here. More idiomatic translations include “so he could keep people from leaving or entering Judah, Asa’s country” (New Century Version; similarly Revised English Bible, New Living Translation), “in order to cut off communications with Asa, king of Judah” (Osty-Trinquet,Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente; similarly New American Bible, Peregrino), and “to blockade Asa king of Judah” (New Jerusalem Bible).
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
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