chariot

The Hebrew, Latin and Greek that is translated into English as “chariot” is translated into Anuak as “canoe pulled by horse.” “Canoe” is the general term for “vehicle” (source: Loren Bliese). Similarly it is translated in Lokạạ as ukwaa wạ nyanyang ntuuli or “canoe that is driven by horses.” (Source: J.A. Naudé, C.L. Miller Naudé, J.O. Obono in Acta Theologica 43/2, 2023, p. 129ff. )
Other translations include:

  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “cart pulled by horses” (source: Larson 1998, p. 98)
  • Chichicapan Zapotec: “ox cart” (in Acts 8) (ox carts are common vehicles for travel) (source: Loren Bliese)
  • Chichimeca-Jonaz, it is translated as “little house with two feet pulled by two horses” (source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
  • Hausa Common Language Bible as keken-doki or “cart of donkey” (source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
  • Mairasi: “going-thing [vehicle]” (source: Enggavoter 2004)

It is illustrated for use in Bible translations in East Africa by Pioneer Bible Translators like this:

Image owned by PBT and Jonathan McDaniel and licensed with the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

See also cart.

soldier

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “soldier” in English didn’t have a direct equivalent in Enlhet so it was translated with “those that bind us” (source: Jacob Loewen in The Bible Translator 1969, p. 24ff. ) and in Noongar it is mammarapa-bakadjiny or “men of fighting” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

Solomon

The Hebrew, Latin and Greek that is transliterated as “Solomon” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the sign for “wise” referring to 1 Kings 3:12. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Solomon” 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 .

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

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Solomon .

complete verse (2 Chronicles 8:9)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Chronicles 8:9:

  • Kupsabiny: “But Solomon did not make any Israelite to become a slave, but they were the ones who were soldiers including the soldiers who rode in carts and those who rode on horses together with all the commanders of soldiers.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “But Solomon did not get any Israelites as slaves for this work. They would work as soldiers, chariot commanders, charioteers, and captains over soldiers.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “But Solomon did not make slaves any (of the) Israelinhon. Instead, he made them his soldiers, officials, leaders/[lit. head] of soldiers, commanders of his chariots, and horsemen/horse drivers/horse riders/charioteers.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “But Solomon did not force Israelis to work for him. Israelis became his soldiers and commanders of his chariots and his chariot-drivers.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 2 Chronicles 8:9

But of the people of Israel Solomon made no slaves for his work: But renders the common Hebrew conjunction. Here it marks the contrast between the way that the non-Israelites and the Israelites were treated with regard to the forced labor. New Jerusalem Bible and Anchor Bible use “however.” BNT makes the contrast even stronger by rendering this whole clause as “Not one of the seed of Israel was used for these works.”

They were soldiers, and his officers, the commanders of his chariots, and his horsemen: His officers is literally “the officers of his lieutenants” in the Masoretic Text. Revised English Bible, which follows the Septuagint, says “his captains and lieutenants.” Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {B} rating to the Masoretic Text.

For the Hebrew word rendered horsemen, see the comments on 2Chr 8.6. Since this word has several possible meanings, other possible renderings for his horsemen are “the commanders … of his cavalry” (New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible), “his … cavalry commanders” (New Jerusalem Bible), “his … cavalry troops” (Contemporary English Version), and “his chariot drivers” (New Century Version).

Contemporary English Version goes a step beyond Good News Translation and restructures the whole of verses 7-9 as follows:

• Solomon did not force the Israelites to do his work. Instead, they were his soldiers, officers, army commanders, and cavalry troops. But he did make slaves of the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites who were living in Israel. These were the descendants of those foreigners the Israelites did not destroy, and they remained Israel’s slaves.

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 .