fast (verb)

The Aramaic, Hebrew, Latin and Greek that is translated as “fast” in English is translated in Isthmus Mixe as “going without food to worship God,” in Lacandon as “leaving eating in order to talk to God” (source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.), in Vidunda as “resting to eat” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext), and in Kankanaey as “endure hunger” (source: Kankanaey Back Translation).

See also fast (Luke 5:33).

complete verse (1 Kings 21:9)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Kings 21:9:

  • Kupsabiny: “Those letters said, ’Prepare a day for people to fast. Call a meeting and make Naboth to sit in front so that he can be accused and convicted.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “This is what was written in this letter,
    "Proclaim a day to keep a fast. Assemble all the people in one place. Seat Naboth in a place of honor among the people.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “This is the message of her letter: ‘You (plur.) gather the people to fast, and you (plur.) have- Nabot -sit a little-ahead/in front of the people.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “This is what she wrote in the letters: ‘Proclaim a day when all the people will gather together and fast/abstain from eating food. Give to Naboth an important place to sit among them.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 1 Kings 21:9

She wrote in the letters is literally “she wrote in the letters saying.” As in verse 8, New Jerusalem Bible maintains the singular by saying “In the letter, she wrote” (similarly Osty-Trinquet).

Proclaim a fast: A fast is more than merely not eating. It is a deliberate act of denying oneself food because of a particular reason or for a specific purpose. Jezebel’s aim is to get the people to think that Naboth has sinned against God, so she instructs the people to fast so that God might have mercy on them. To Proclaim a fast means to make known the fact that people should abstain from eating. It also involved bringing people together for this purpose, but this information is implicit in the Hebrew text. In some languages this may be rendered “Tell people that they must refrain from eating and come together,” “Call together the people of the town for a ceremony of fasting” (Parole de Vie), or “Call the citizens together for fasting and prayer” (New Living Translation).

Set Naboth on high among the people: On high is literally “at the head” (New American Bible, New Revised Standard Version, Osty-Trinquet). An American Translation says “in a conspicuous place,” while New International Version and New Jerusalem Bible speak of “in a prominent place.” Jezebel did not want Naboth to suspect anything was being planned against him, so she gave him the “place of honor” (Good News Translation, New Living Translation). On the other hand, some interpreters claim that the intended sense is something like “bring him to the court of justice as a defendant before all the people.” But this interpretation is less likely and is not recommended. The sense of these words could also be that Naboth was to preside over the assembly. Bible en français courant makes this interpretation explicit by rendering Jezebel’s words here as follows: “Call together the people of the city to a ceremony of fasting, and ask Naboth to preside at this assembly.”

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 .