priest

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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.

See also idolatrous priests.

Levite

The Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic and Latin that is transliterated “Levites” in English (only the Contemporary English Version translates it as “temple helpers”) is translated in Ojitlán Chinantec as “temple caretakers,” Yatzachi Zapotec as “people born in the family line of Levi, people whose responsibility it was to do the work in the important church of the Israelites,” in Alekano as “servants in the sacrifice house from Jerusalem place,” and in Tenango Otomi as “helpers of priests.” (Source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)

In American Sign Language with a sign that combines “temple” + “servant.” (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)


“Levite” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor

For the sign in Spanish Sign Language, see Levi.

More information about Levites .

Hezekiah

The Hebrew, Greek, and Latin that is transliterated as “Hezekiah” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the signs for “king” and “facing the wall” referring to Isaiah 38:2. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Hezekiah” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

In Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) it is translated with a sign that signifies a model, a parameter for his life, referring to “he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, just as his ancestor David had done” of 2 Kings 18:3. (Source: Missão Kophós )


“Hezekiah” in Libras (source )

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

Click or tap here to see a short video clip about Hezekiah (source: Bible Lands 2012)

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Hezekiah .

complete verse (2 Chronicles 31:2)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Chronicles 31:2:

  • Kupsabiny: “After that, Hezekiah again prepared the priests and the Levites for their work like the work of each one was (originally) so that each person could do the work that they were assigned in the Home of God. The work of those people were to make sacrifices that were burnt completely, sacrifices of fellowship. praising and thanking God.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Then Hezekiah assigned responsibilities for the work of the temple of the LORD to the priests and Levites according to their divisions and to each person according to his service — to offer burnt offerings and peace offerings and to give thanks and praise and at the gates.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “King Hezekia grouped the priests and the Levites according to their works — to offer burnt offerings and offerings for the good relationship, to serve in the temple of the LORD, to give-thanks and to sing praises at the gates of the temple.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Hezekiah divided the priests and other descendants of Levi into groups. He appointed some of the groups to offer sacrifices that would be completely burned on the altar and offerings to maintain fellowship with Yahweh. He appointed some groups to do other work at the temple: some to lead the people in their worship, some to thank Yahweh, and some to sing songs to praise to Yahweh at the gates of the temple.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 2 Chronicles 31:2

And Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and the Levites …: Hezekiah may be rendered “King Hezekiah” (Good News Translation) since he is first mentioned here in this section. Solomon had previously organized the priests and the Levites according to King David’s instructions (see 2 Chr 8.14), so appointed the divisions of the priests and the Levites is better translated “reestablished the organization of the priests and Levites” (Good News Translation; similarly New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, Bible en français courant, Parole de Vie).

Each according to his service, the priests and the Levites …: The priests were responsible for making the sacrifices; the Levites were in charge of guarding the Temple gates and the singing.

For burnt offerings and peace offerings, to minister in the gates of the camp of the LORD and to give thanks and praise: This last part of the verse in the Masoretic Text is literally “for burnt offering and for peace offerings, to minister, and to give thanks and to praise in [or, within] the gates of the camps of the LORD.” Revised Standard Version follows the Septuagint by changing the word order so that the phrase in the gates of the camp of the LORD is taken with the verb to minister. If the Masoretic Text is followed, the sense of the verb to minister should be taken in a general sense as in Good News Translation, which says “taking part in the Temple worship.” But if the Septuagint is followed, then the meaning may be either “guarding the Temple gates” (so Moffatt) or “worshiping at the Temple” (so New Living Translation, New Century Version).

For burnt offerings and peace offerings, see the comments on 1 Chr 16.1.

The camp of the LORD refers to the Temple in this context. But the Chronicler uses an unusual term at this point. The Masoretic Text has the plural word “camps,” and this is a term often used in the context of warfare. Here it refers to the various parts of the Temple (compare 1 Chr 9.18-19). Contemporary English Version and New Living Translation translate the camp of the LORD as simply “the temple,” but this rendering loses the unusual nature of the text here, but to translate it literally may be misleading to the reader. A possible solution may be to say “the Temple, the place where the LORD camps on earth.” The Septuagint says “the courts of the house of the Lord,” and Revised English Bible follows the Septuagint by saying “the several quarters in the LORD’s house.”

To give thanks and praise may be a way of amplifying the meaning of the verb to minister.

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 .