Saul

The Hebrew and Greek that is transliterated as “Saul” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the sign that depicts “sword in chest” (referring to 1 Samuel 31:4 and 1 Chronicles 10:4) and also “self-centered.” (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Saul” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

Click or tap here to see a short video clip about King Saul (source: Bible Lands 2012)

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Saul .

complete verse (1 Samuel 17:57)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Samuel 17:57:

  • Kupsabiny: “When David came back from where he had fought with Goliath, Abner took him to Saul. At that moment, David was still having the head of Goliath in his hands.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “When David had come back, having killed that Goliath, Abner brought him before Saul. David was holding the head of that Philistine in his hand.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “When David returned to their camp after he killed Goliat, Abner brought him to Saul. David was- still -carrying-in-(his)-hand the head of Goliat.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Later, as David returned from killing Goliath, Abner took him to Saul. David was carrying Goliath’s head.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 1 Samuel 17:57

As the context makes clear, the Philistine is Goliath.

Took … and brought: These two verbs are probably to be understood in the sense that Abner “took him and presented him to Saul” (New Jerusalem Bible) or “sought him out and led him to Saul” (Bible en français courant). But since they are somewhat redundant, it may be better in certain languages to translate the two by a single verb in the receptor language.

His hand: the pronoun his almost certainly refers to David, just as the pronoun him does. The addition of the word “still” in Good News Translation suggests that the antecedent of the pronoun is David and not Abner, since David would have been the first to pick up Goliath’s head. To avoid the ambiguity, however, Good News Translation uses the proper noun, David, rather than the pronoun.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .