Most High

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The Hebrew, Aramaic, Latin, or Greek that is translated as “(God) the Most High” or “Most High God” in English is translated in various way:

  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “he the completely glorified God”
  • San Mateo del Mar Huave: “Father God who is high in heaven”
  • Teutila Cuicatec: “God who has such tremendous authority”
  • Chichimeca-Jonaz: “he who is the native of the highest place”
  • Palantla Chinantec: “the Big God Himself”
  • Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “God who has authority over all”
  • Estado de México Otomi: “most exalted God”
  • Isthmus Mixe: “God who is in heaven”
  • Teutila Cuicatec: “God who has a great rule” (source for this and above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
  • Sa’a: “God, the Surpassing One” (source: Carl Gross)
  • Elhomwe: Mulluku Muullupalli or “God the Great” (source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Chichewa: Wammwambamwamba: A name of God. While this word is difficult to translate into English, its sense implies that God is highly above everything in his power and greatness. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 2 Esdras 7:37

Then the Most High will say to the nations that have been raised from the dead: The word nations here refers to the wicked only, perhaps a reflection of the Old Testament use of the word to mean Gentile nations. Contemporary English Version renders have been raised from the dead as “have been brought back to life.” This whole sentence may be translated “Then God Most High will bring back to life all the wicked people who have died, and say” or “Then God Most High will say to all the wicked people whom he has raised from the dead [or, brought back to life].”

Look now, and understand whom you have denied, whom you have not served, whose commandments you have despised!: Compare verses 22-24. The guilty are commanded to think about the God whom they now face, this same God whose commandments they ignored, whom they did not worship, and whose existence they even denied. Look now may be rendered “Listen to me!” (Contemporary English Version). Understand whom you have denied may be translated “I am the one whom you have denied [or, ignored].” Whom you have not served may be expressed as “I am the one whom you refused to serve [or, worship].” Whose commandments you have despised may be rendered “It is my commands that you have disobeyed.”

Here is an alternative model for this verse:

• Then God Most High will say to the wicked people whom he has raised from death [or, brought back to life], ‘Look now! I am the God whom you denied and refused to serve. I am the God whose commands you disobeyed.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.