God forbid

The now commonly-used English idiom “God forbid” was first coined in 1560 in the Geneva Bible. (Source: Crystal 2010, p. 273)

For other idioms in English that were coined by Bible translation, see here.

complete verse (1 Samuel 20:2)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Samuel 20:2:

  • Kupsabiny: “Jonathan replied him that, ‘ No! He is not killing you. My father will not do anything even if it is big or small before showing/informing me! Those words are not true.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Jonathan replied, "May it not be like this! You will not die. I certainly know that my father would not do anything without asking me. Then why would my father keep this matter secret? This is not true."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Jonatan answered, ‘(It) will- not -happen that you (sing.) will-die! My father does-not do anything without confiding in me/letting- me -know, even-if that (is) not important. If he really had-tried/attempted to-kill you (sing.), he would-have let- me -know/confided in me. So that (is) not true!’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Jonathan replied, ‘My father is surely not trying to kill you! He always tells me before he does anything that he is planning. He tells me about important things and unimportant things that he plans to do. Why would he refuse to tell me if he were planning to kill me?/I am sure that he would not refuse to tell me if he were planning to kill you. So what you are saying cannot be true.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 1 Samuel 20:2

He said to him: that is, Jonathan said to David. If there is any danger that the pronouns will be misunderstood, the names may by substituted. In fact, both the Septuagint and the Syriac version, as well as many modern translations, supply the name Jonathan here. Also, the verb said may be better translated “responded” (Bible en français courant) in this context.

Far from it! See the comments on 2.30. And compare also 12.23 and 14.45, where the same expression is used. Jonathan is rejecting the idea that David should die, but he also denies that his father could be trying to kill David, as the context shows.

My father does nothing: the Masoretic Text reads “my father does for me,” but the margin of the Masoretic Text contains a suggested change to read “not” instead of “for me.” The difference in Hebrew consists of one letter only, and the sounds are very similar. The context requires a negative, and all translations, including the ancient versions, follow the reading in the margin of the Hebrew text, nothing.

Great or small is a way of saying “anything at all.” It is an all-inclusive expression. Some possible translations are “anything, slight or serious” (Moffatt); “[anything,] important or unimportant” (New Jerusalem Bible); “anything whatever” (Revised English Bible).

Disclosing it to me: literally “uncovering my ears” (see the comment on “revealed” in 9.15). The negative idea does nothing … without disclosing it to me may be more naturally expressed in a positive way in many languages. The whole sentence may be turned around to say something like “my father tells me about everything he is doing no matter how small it is.”

The question why should my father hide this from me? is intended as a strong affirmation and should be so translated in some languages: “there is no way that [or, no reason why] my father would hide this matter from me!”

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 .