covenant

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The Hebrew, Greek, and Latin that are translated as “covenant” in English are translated in a variety of ways. Here are some (back-) translations:

  • Mossi: “helping promise”
  • Vai: “a thing-time-bind” (i.e. “an arrangement agreed upon for a period of time”)
  • Loma (Liberia): “agreement”
  • Northwestern Dinka: “agreement which is tied up” (i.e. “secure and binding”)
  • Chol: “a word which is left”
  • Huastec: “a broken-off word” (“based on the concept of ‘breaking off a word’ and leaving it with the person with whom an agreement has been reached”)
  • Tetelcingo Nahuatl: “a death command” (i.e. “a special term for testament”)
  • Piro: “a promised word”
  • Eastern Krahn: “a word between”
  • Yaka: “promise that brings together” (source for this and all above: Bratcher / Nida)
  • Nabak: alakŋaŋ or “tying the knot” (source: Fabian 2013, p. 156)
  • Kâte: ʒâʒâfic or “tie together” (source: Renck 1990, p. 108)
  • Nyamwezi: ilagano: “agreement, contract, covenant, promise” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Bariai: “true talk” (source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Q’anjob’al: “put mouths equal” (representing agreement) (source: Newberry and Kittie Cox in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 91ff. )
  • Manikion, Indonesian: “God’s promise” (source: Daud Soesilo)
  • Natügu: nzesz’tikr drtwr: “oneness of mind” (source: Brenda Boerger in Beerle-Moor / Voinov, p. 164)
  • Tagalog: tipan: mutual promising on the part of two persons agreeing to do something (also has a romantic touch and denotes something secretive) (source: G. Henry Waterman in The Bible Translator 1960, p. 24ff. )
  • Tagbanwa: “initiated-agreement” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Guhu-Samane: “The concept [in Mark 14:24 and Matthew 16:28] is not easy, but the ritual freeing of a fruit and nut preserve does afford some reference. Thus, ‘As they were drinking he said to them, ‘On behalf of many this poro provision [poro is the traditional religion] of my blood is released.’ (…) God is here seen as the great benefactor and man the grateful recipient.” (Source: Ernest Richert in The Bible Translator, 1965, p. 81ff. )
  • Chichewa: pangano. This word can also be translated as a contract, agreement, or a treaty between two parties. In Chewa culture, two people or groups enter into an agreement to help each other in times of need. When entering into an agreement, parties look at the mutual benefits which will be gained. The agreement terms are mostly kept as a secret between the parties and the witnesses involved. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
Law (2013, p. 95) writes about how the Ancient Greek Septuagint‘s translation of the Hebrew berith was used by the New Testament writers as a bridge between the Old and New Testaments (click or tap here to read more):

“Right from the start we witness the influence of the Septuagint on the earliest expressions of the Christian faith. In the New Testament, Jesus speaks of his blood being a kaine diatheke, a ‘new covenant.’ The covenant is elucidated in Hebrews 8:8-12 and other texts, but it was preserved in the words of Jesus with this language in Luke 22:20 when at the Last Supper Jesus said, ‘This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. Jesus’s blood was to provide the grounds for the ‘new covenant,’ in contrast to the old one his disciples knew from the Jewish scriptures (e.g., Jeremiah 31:31-34). Thus, the earliest Christians accepted the Jewish Scriptures as prophecies about Jesus and in time began to call the collection the ‘Old Testament’ and the writings about Jesus and early Christianity the ‘New Testament,’ since ‘testament’ was another word for ‘covenant.’ The covenant promises of God (berith in Hebrew) were translated in the Septuagint with the word diatheke. In classical Greek diatheke had meant ‘last will, testament,’ but in the Septuagint it is the chosen equivalent for God’s covenant with his people. The author of Hebrews plays on the double meaning, and when Luke records Jesus’ announcement at the Last Supper that his blood was instituting a ‘new covenant,’ or a ‘new testament,’ he is using the language in an explicit contrast with the old covenant, found in the Jewish scriptures. Soon, the writings that would eventually be chosen to make up the texts about the life and teachings of Jesus and the earliest expression of the Christian faith would be called the New Testament. This very distinction between the Old and New Testaments is based on the Septuagint’s language.”

See also establish (covenant) and covenant (book).

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Covenant in the Hebrew Bible .

complete verse (2 Chronicles 23:1)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Chronicles 23:1:

  • Kupsabiny: “In the seventh year that Athaliah was ruling, the priest Jehoiada took courage and made a covenant with these commanders of soldiers: Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zikri.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “In the seventh year Jehoiada the priest showed his power. He made a pact with five captains of the army. These were the captains of the army — Azariah son of Jehoram, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zicri.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “In the seventh year, Jehoyada made a move. He made a covenant with the five commanders of hundred soldiers. They were Azaria the child of Jehoram, Ismael the child of Jehonanan, Azaria the child of Obed, Maasea the child of Adaya, and Elishafat the child of Zicri.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “After Joash had been hidden in the temple for six years, Jehoiada the priest decided that it was necessary to do something. So he made an agreement with the army commanders of groups of 100 soldiers: Azariah the son of Jeroham, Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, Azariah the son of Obed, Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zicri.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 2 Chronicles 23:1

But in the seventh year Jehoiada took courage: But translates the common Hebrew conjunction. The priest Jehoiada had been afraid of Queen Athaliah for six years while he and his wife Jehosheba hid Joash, the son of Ahaziah, from her (see 2 Chr 22.11-12), but now he was no longer afraid to act by making Joash king. The majority of modern versions do not translate this conjunction since it is an awkward way to begin a new section. The seventh year would have been 837 or 835 B.C. Good News Translation says “After waiting six years,” which is a natural way in English of expressing this time lapse. Took courage is literally “strengthened himself” (King James Version, NASB). But this expression may be understood in two rather different ways. God’s Word interprets it to mean “strengthened his position,” and Dillard is similar with “consolidated his power.” But the majority of modern versions take it in the same sense as Revised Standard Version by saying “determined” (Anchor Bible), “decided to take action” (New Jerusalem Bible), “made a bold move” ( NET Bible), or “was emboldened to act” (Knox).

And entered into a compact with the commanders of hundreds …: Compact translates a Hebrew noun that Revised Standard Version usually renders “covenant” (so New International Version, NASB). Several versions translate it simply as “agreement” (New Century Version, God’s Word, Revised English Bible) or “pact” (Good News Translation, New Living Translation, NET Bible, New Jerusalem Bible). But New American Bible brings out the intrigue involved by rendering entered into a compact as “entered a conspiracy.” Commanders of hundreds refers to military commanders (see the comments on 1 Chr 13.1). Good News Translation and Moffatt say “army officers,” which is a more generic expression than what is in the Hebrew. New International Version has “commanders of units of a hundred,” and New Jerusalem Bible translates “regimental commanders.” The text then provides the names of five of these officers. (This list of names does not occur in the parallel text of 2 Kgs 11.) Each person is said to be the son of someone else. For languages where it is important to know this information, the names that follow this expression were most likely the fathers of the men mentioned and not their mothers.

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 .