hair (body hair)

The Hebrew that is translated as “hair” in English (relating to body hair is translated in Kwere as upipi — a word indicating small hairs. In Makonde, there is also a differentiation between body and head hair with the former being the same than animal hair. (source for both: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

See also (human) head hair and hairy (like Esau).

Elijah

The name that is transliterated as “Elijah” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language as “whirlwind” (according to 2 Kings 2:11) (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. )


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

Click or tap here to see how other sign languages are translating “Elijah”

In American Sign Language it is translated with a depiction of being taken up to heaven with a chariot of fire. (Source: ASL Sign Language Directory )


“Elijah” in American Sign Language (source )

Likewise in Estonian Sign Language, but with a different sign (source: Liina Paales in Folklore 47, 2011, p. 43ff.)


“Elijah” in Estonian Sign Language (source )

In Finnish Sign Language it is translated with the sign signifying “fire” (referring to 1 Kings 18:38). (Source: Tarja Sandholm)


“Elijah” in Finnish Sign Language (source )

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

Following is a Russian Orthodox icon of Elijah from the late 13h century.

 
Orthodox Icons are not drawings or creations of imagination. They are in fact writings of things not of this world. Icons can represent our Lord Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the Saints. They can also represent the Holy Trinity, Angels, the Heavenly hosts, and even events. Orthodox icons, unlike Western pictures, change the perspective and form of the image so that it is not naturalistic. This is done so that we can look beyond appearances of the world, and instead look to the spiritual truth of the holy person or event. (Source )

The following is a stained glass window depicting Elijah by Endre Odon Hevezi and Gyula Bajo from 1965 for the Debre Libanos Monastery, Oromia, Ethiopia:

Photo by Timothy A. Gonsalves, hosted by Wikimedia Commons under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license

Stained glass is not just highly decorative, it’s a medium which has been used to express important religious messages for centuries. Literacy was not widespread in the medieval and Renaissance periods and the Church used stained glass and other artworks to teach the central beliefs of Christianity. In Gothic churches, the windows were filled with extensive narrative scenes in stained glass — like huge and colorful picture storybooks — in which worshipers could ‘read’ the stories of Christ and the saints and learn what was required for their religious salvation. (Source: Victoria and Albert Museum )

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Elijah .

complete verse (2 Kings 1:8)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Kings 1:8:

  • Kupsabiny: “Those people answered, ‘He was wearing a dress which was made from (animal) hair and he had tied a belt around (the) waist.’ The king said, ‘That was the prophet of God Elijah.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The messengers said to Ahaziah, "He was wearing clothing of hair and his waist was bound with a leather belt."
    Then he said, "That was Elijah the Tishbite."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “They answered, ‘He was-wearing a garment/cloth made from the hair/fur of an animal and wearing- a leather -belt.’ The king said, ‘That was Elias who is from-Tishbe.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “They replied, ‘He was a hairy man and he had a wide leather belt around his waist.’ The king exclaimed, ‘That was Elijah!’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 2 Kings 1:8

He wore a garment of haircloth is literally “[He was] a man master of hair.” This expression has two possible meanings. It may mean that he was a hairy man (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Revised English Bible, New Revised Standard Version, Contemporary English Version, American Bible, An American Translation, Hobbs), that is, he had a long, bushy beard and long, uncut hair. Or it may mean that he was a man wearing a cloak made of hair (Bible en français courant “He wore a garment made of camel hair,” New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, La Bible du Semeur, Nouvelle version Segond révisée). While it is impossible to be certain which meaning was intended, it is true that the generally recognized sign of a prophet was his wearing of a garment made of hair (Zech 13.4; Matt 3.4).

A girdle of leather: According to several versions, this would have been “a leather belt” (New Revised Standard Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, American Bible), although New Jerusalem Bible has “a leather loincloth” (also Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). The full lexicon by Koehler, Baumgartner, and Stamm (1994–2000, KBS) gives the meaning for girdle here as “the under garment which is taken off last, loincloth.” The word “girdle” has very different connotations in modern English.

About his loins: In more modern English this is translated “around his waist” (New Revised Standard Version) or “around his middle” (Hobbs).

John the Baptist, the “second Elijah,” is described in similar terms in Matt 3.4 and Mark 1.6.

The context may require a more dramatic translation of the verb said to introduce the response of the king. In addition to Good News Translation, New American Bible and Nueva Versión Internacional also have “exclaimed.” Others may find it adequate to say “answered” or “replied.”

The Tishbite: See verse 3. Since this is the second time Elijah is qualified in this way in the same story, it may be considered unnecessary to repeat it here.

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 .