complete verse (1 Kings 20:17)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Kings 20:17:

  • Kupsabiny: “Then at midday, those soldiers went to war/raid. The two hundred and thirty two young warriors led/went in front. During this time Ben-hadad was drinking with those 32 rulers. When Ben-hadad sent his people to go and check it out, they returned coming to say to him, ‘The people of Samaria are coming.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The young captains under the commanding generals of the provinces went out first.
    Ben-hadad had sent out spies. They reported to him that one group of soldiers was coming from Samaria.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The first to attacked were the young soldiers.
    Now, those who were-sent by Ben Hadad to spy in Samaria told him, ‘There-are soldiers that-are-coming here from Samaria.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “The young soldiers advanced first. Some scouts who had been sent out by Ben-Hadad reported to him, ‘There are men coming out of Samaria city’!” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 1 Kings 20:17

The servants of the governors of the districts: See the comments on verse 14.

Went out: See the comments on this verb in verse 16. The same verb occurs at the end of this verse, where it is rendered are coming out.

Ben-hadad sent out scouts is literally “Benhadad sent” (so Anchor Bible). Some scholars suggest that the Hebrew text should be corrected on the basis of the Septuagint (“they sent”) to read “they sent to Benhadad.” This is the basis for the rendering “Ben-hadad received word” (New American Bible; similarly Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible). According to this corrected reading, Benhadad did not send out scouts. The identity of those who sent word to Benhadad is left unclear. Perhaps they were the young soldiers who went out first. But the Masoretic Text makes sense without being corrected, and Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {B} rating to it. The sense of the Masoretic Text is that Benhadad sent for information. Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation follow this understanding by saying he sent out scouts.

The word scouts may be difficult to translate in some languages. The English word, which is supplied by Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation, refers to soldiers who are sent out to explore an area and report information back to their superiors. In some languages it may be necessary to say simply “some men” (Parole de Vie) or “soldiers.”

They reported to him is literally “they reported to him saying.”

Men is a literal rendering of the Hebrew. Good News Translation translates it according to context as “a group of soldiers.”

The report of the scouts is given in a direct quotation in Hebrew, but Good News Translation changes this into an indirect quotation (also Revised English Bible, New American 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 .