Ephraim

The Hebrew and Greek that is transliterated as “Ephraim” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the sign for “palm tree” referring to the palm of Deborah in the land of Ephraim (see Judges 4:5. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Ephraim” 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 .

For Deborah, see here.

More information about Ephraim and the Tribe of Ephraim .

complete verse (2 Chronicles 30:10)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Chronicles 30:10:

  • Kupsabiny: “Then those messengers went round to every city including the land of Ephraim, Manasseh and that of Zebulun. But they were laughed at and insulted.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The people who gave the news went to the cities in the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, they went as far as the territory of the tribe of Zebulun. But the people laughed at them, and jeered at them.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The messengers went to each town throughout Efraim and Manase until Zebulun, but the people only laughed and mocked them.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “The messengers went to all the towns in the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, as far north as the tribe of Zebulun, and gave them this message, but most of the people there scorned them and ridiculed them.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 2 Chronicles 30:10

So the couriers went from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun: For couriers see the comments on 2Chr 30.6. The country of Ephraim and Manasseh may be rendered “the territory/region belonging to the tribes of Ephraim and West Manasseh.” The tribe of Zebulun lived in the region of Galilee, which was north of the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh. For this reason Good News Translation adds the word “north.”

But they laughed them to scorn and mocked them: These two clauses are synonymous, and in some cases they may have to be translated by a single verbal expression. But where synonyms exist, they should be used since the cumulative effect is important. The referents for the pronouns they and them should be clear in a translation. It was the people of Ephraim, Manasseh, and other northern tribes who laughed at Hezekiah’s messengers. New Jerusalem Bible says “but the people laughed and scoffed at them.” New Living Translation provides a helpful model here, saying “But most of the people just laughed at the messengers and made fun of them.” Compare also “Upon hearing this message, most of the people laughed and made fun of the messengers” (La Biblia: Traducción en Lenguaje Actual).

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 .