complete verse (2 Kings 10:3)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Kings 10:3:

  • Kupsabiny: “appoint one of those sons of Ahab whom you consider suitable to be ruling. When you have done that, prepare yourselves to fight me.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “choose the best and most worthy of the men among your master’s sons and make him king. Then do battle for your master’s dynasty."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “So as-soon- you (plur.) -receive this letter, [you (plur.)] choose the most worthy to become king from the descendants of King Ahab, and [you (plur.)] fight against us (excl.) to defend the family of King Ahab.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “choose one of the king’s sons, the one who is the best qualified, and appoint him to be your king. Then prepare to fight to defend him.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

formal 2nd person plural pronoun (Japanese)

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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a formal plural suffix to the second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, anata-gata (あなたがた) is used, combining the second person pronoun anata and the plural suffix -gata to create a formal plural pronoun (“you” [plural] in English).

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on 2 Kings 10:3

The command of Jehu is given here. Those to whom the letter is addressed are instructed to determine which one of Ahab’s descendants would be best suited to be their leader and then they must be prepared to fight in order to protect him.

The Hebrew verb translated select is literally “see” (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, New Jerusalem Bible), but it is used here in the sense of “find out” or “decide” (New American Bible). The leaders must “determine” who is best qualified to be king on the basis of an examination of the facts. So the translation select is a good choice of words for the meaning here.

Best and fittest: The two Hebrew words used together here are elsewhere rendered in terms of what is “good and right” (Deut 12.28; Josh 9.25; 1 Sam 12.23; Jer 26.14). In this context the emphasis is on finding the best possible person to become king and to fight Jehu for the position.

Set him on his father’s throne: This literal rendering may not be the best way of speaking of the installation of a king in some languages. Good News Translation and New Century Version translate in more general terms, saying “make him king.” Others may say “crown him king” or “accept him as your ruler.”

Fight for your master’s house: The leaders in Samaria are then instructed to prepare for battle in defense of the kingdom of Ahab’s descendants. There is no question here of defending a palace or any sort of literal house. New Jerusalem Bible and Peregrino capture the meaning with “fight for your master’s dynasty.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .