The name that is transliterated as “Abiathar” in English is translated in Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) with a sign that combines “priest” and “last.” Abiathar was a priest during the reigns of Saul, David and Solomon. He was also the last priest in the lineage of Eli (1 Kings 2:27). (Source: Missão Kophós )
The Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek that are typically translated as “priest” in English (itself deriving from Latin “presbyter” — “elder”) is often translated with a consideration of existing religious traditions. (Click or tap for details)
Bratcher / Nida (1961) say this:
“However, rather than borrow local names for priests, some of which have unwanted connotations, a number of translations have employed descriptive phrases based on certain functions: (1) those describing a ceremonial activity: Pamona uses tadu, the priestess who recites the litanies in which she describes her journey to the upper or under-world to fetch life-spirit for sick people, animals or plants; Batak Toba uses the Arabic malim, ‘Muslim religious teacher;’ ‘one who presents man’s sacrifice to God’ (Bambara, Eastern Maninkakan), ‘one who presents sacrifices’ (Baoulé, Navajo (Dinė)), ‘one who takes the name of the sacrifice’ (Kpelle, and ‘to make a sacrifice go out’ (Hausa); (2) those describing an intermediary function: ‘one who speaks to God’ (Shipibo-Conibo) and ‘spokesman of the people before God’ (Tabasco Chontal).”
In Obolo it is translated as ogwu ngwugwa or “the one who offers sacrifice” (source: Enene Enene), in Mairasi as agam aevar nevwerai: “religious leader” (source: Enggavoter 2004), in Ignaciano as “blesser, one who does ritual as a practice” (using a generic term rather than the otherwise common Spanish loan word sacerdote) (source: Willis Ott in Notes on Translation 88/1982, p. 18ff.), and in Noongar as yakin-kooranyi or “holy worker” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).
For Guhu-Samane, Ernest Richert (in The Bible Translator, 1965, p. 81ff. ) reports this: “The [local] cult of Poro used to be an all-encompassing religious system that essentially governed all areas of life. (…) For ‘priest’ the term ‘poro father’ would at first seem to be a natural choice. However, several priests of the old cult are still living. Although they no longer function primarily as priests of the old system they still have a substantial influence on the community, and there would be more than a chance that the unqualified term would (in some contexts particularly) be equated with the priest of the poro cult. We learned, then, that the poro fathers would sometimes be called ‘knife men’ in relation to their sacrificial work. The panel was pleased to apply this term to the Jewish priest, and the Christian community has adopted it fully. [Mark 1:44, for instance, now] reads: ‘You must definitely not tell any man of this. But you go show your body to the knife man and do what Moses said about a sacrifice concerning your being healed, and the cause (base of this) will be apparent.'”
For a revision of the 1968 version of the Bible in Khmer Joseph Hong (in: The Bible Translator 1996, 233ff. ) talks about a change in wording for this term:
Bau cha r (បូជាចារ្យ) — The use of this new construction meaning “priest” is maintained to translate the Greek word hiereus. The term “mean sang (មាន សង្ឃ)” used in the old version actually means a “Buddhist monk,” and is felt to be theologically misleading. The Khmer considers the Buddhist monk as a “paddy field of merits,” a reserve of merits to be shared with other people. So a Khmer reader would find unthinkable that the mean sang in the Bible killed animals, the gravest sin for a Buddhist; and what a scandal it would be to say that a mean sang was married, had children, and drank wine.
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Samuel 30:7:
Kupsabiny: “Then David told Abiathar son of Ahimelech who was the high/big priest that, ‘Please bring that ceremonial cloth.’ It was brought to (him).” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, "Bring me the priest’s linen [lit.: good cotton cloth] upper garment." Then Abiathar brought it.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Then David said to Abiatar the priest, the child/(son) of Ahimelec, ‘Bring here the special cloth.’ So Abiatar brought that to him.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “David did not know what to do, so he said to Abiathar the priest, ‘Bring to me the sacred vest.’ So Abiathar brought it,” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Abiathar the priest: see 22.20-23 and 23.6-9. Some may feel that it is unnecessarily distracting to speak at this point about the father of Abiathar. Since this information is given earlier, it can be omitted.
Ephod: see the comment on 2.18. The ephod involved here was not the article of clothing worn by the priest, but rather the object used in trying to find out the will of God. Bible en français courant speaks of the “sacred objects for consulting God.” Contemporary English Version avoids the use of the technical term by translating “let’s ask God what to do.” And in the following sentence the same version says “Abiathar got everything he needed to get answers from God….”
The direct quotation of David’s request may be transformed into indirect discourse if it is more natural to do so in the receptor language. For example, translators may say “David asked Abiathar the priest … to bring him the sacred things used in consulting God.”
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 .
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