The name that is transliterated as “Judah” or “Judea” in English (referring to the son of Jacob, the tribe, and the territory) is translated in Spanish Sign Language as “lion” (referring to Genesis 49:9 and Revelation 5:5). This sign for lion is reserved for regions and kingdoms. (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. and Steve Parkhurst)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Chronicles 17:7:
Kupsabiny: “When Jehoshaphat had ruled for three years, he sent some of his important people to go and teach in the cities of Judah. Those people were Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel and Micaiah.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “In the third year of his becoming king, he sent officials Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel and Micaiah to teach people in the cities throughout Judah.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “In the third year of his reign, he sent his officials who were Ben Hail, Obadias, Zacarias, Natanel, and Micaya to teach in the towns of Juda.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “When he had been ruling Judah for almost three years, he sent some of his officials—Ben-Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah—to teach the people in various towns in Judah.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
According to verses 7-9, Jehoshaphat sent a group of government officials, priests and Levites throughout the southern kingdom to teach God’s Law to the people. There is no parallel for this passage in 1 Kings.
In the third year of his reign indicates that Jehoshaphat took this action relatively early in his reign.
He sent his princes …: In this context the Hebrew word for princes is better rendered “officials” (New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version) or “officers” (Revised English Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). These men were not the sons of King Jehoshaphat.
Ben-hail is literally “son of strength.” The Septuagint says “the sons of strength.” A New English Translation of the Septuagint translates the beginning of this verse in the Septuagint as “And in the third year he dispatched his leaders and the sons of the mighty, Abdias and Zacharias and Nathanael and Michaias….” Following the Septuagint, some scholars propose that the Masoretic Text should be corrected to read “outstanding men” (so Myers), which refers to the following four men.
To teach in the cities of Judah: Verse 9 indicates what Jehoshaphat’s officials taught. It was God’s Law. If the receptor language has a separate word for religious instruction, it should probably be used here. In some languages it will be more natural to speak of this duty of the officials before giving their names; for example, Contemporary English Version renders this whole verse as follows:
• In the third year of Jehoshaphat’s rule, he chose five officials and gave them orders to teach the LORD’s Law in every city and town in Judah. They were Benhail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah.
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Chronicles, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2014. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
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