inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (2Kings 7:13)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, the Adamawa Fulfulde translation uses the inclusive pronoun, including everyone.

complete verse (2 Kings 7:13)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Kings 7:13:

  • Kupsabiny: “Then one officer said, ‘There are still a few horses around. Why should we not now send some people to ride on five horses to the camp of the people of Syria to find out about this matter? There is no other alternative, after all we shall die like those who have already died.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “One of the officials said, "Give five of the horses that are left in the city and send men to find out what has happen there. Their trouble will be no different from that of the Israelites who remain here. It will be like that of the Israelites who die here. Let’s send them to find out what happened."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “One of his officers replied, ‘We (incl.) still have five horses left, why do- not we (incl.) -send some men to inquire what really had-happened? Come-what-may if they will-be-killed, anyway if they are here, they still will-die with us (incl.).’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “But one of his officials said, ‘Many of our Israeli people have already died from hunger/not having anything to eat. If those of us who are still alive all stay here, we also will die anyway. So let’s send some men with five of our horses that are still alive to go and see what has really happened.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 2 Kings 7:13

One of his servants refers to one of the high-ranking officials who had heard the king’s outline of what he believed to be the enemy plot.

Said is literally “answered and said.” Bible en français courant and Peregrino translate this verb according to the context as “proposed.”

The structure of the official’s quotation is altered by Good News Translation, which begins with the statement about the welfare of those in the city and then goes on to the proposition that agents should be sent out to investigate the situation. The structure of the original contains this proposition both at the beginning and at the end of the quotation in different forms. So it may be more logical in other languages to follow the structure of Good News Translation.

Revised Standard Version has simplified a rather complicated text by doing away with the repetition found in the official’s quotation. In Hebrew the words “who are left here, behold, they as all the multitude of Israel” occur twice in succession in this verse, but the second occurrence is omitted in all the ancient versions and in some Hebrew manuscripts. Most textual experts consider this repetition a scribal error that should not be included in modern translations, and Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {C} rating to the shorter text. A number of translations, nevertheless, include the duplicated material (New International Version, Revised English Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Nouvelle Bible Segond).

Let some men take is literally “And let them please take.” The Hebrew conjunction here may be an error. In any case, it may be left untranslated.

Five of the remaining horses: The number five is taken by some scholars as meaning simply “a few” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, American Bible) or “some” (Revised English Bible) rather than as a specific number. But most modern versions retain the number five.

Seeing that those who are left here: In the Masoretic Text these words seem to refer to the horses and not to the people. Good News Translation seems to suggest that they refer to the people.

Will fare like the whole multitude of Israel is rendered “will suffer the fate of…” in New Revised Standard Version. The Hebrew text does not have a verb but reads “behold, they as all the multitude of Israel.” However, Revised Standard Version and New Revised Standard Version have added a verb according to the sense of the verse. Some other translations are “will be as well off as all the other Israelites” (Revised English Bible), “are not better off than all the throng” (New American Bible), and “would die in any case like all the rest” (New Jerusalem Bible).

The Hebrew verb translated have already perished is ambiguous and can mean either “to perish” or “to be in good condition.” Gray, who accepts the meaning “to be in good condition,” corrects the text by omitting the Hebrew words translated seeing that those who are left here and by omitting the second occurrence of the words “behold, they as all the whole multitude of Israel.” Gray, therefore, translates the official’s suggestion as follows: “Let them take then five of the remaining horses—see! they are all which are left here of the multitude of Israel which are sound—and let us send and see.”

Let us send and see: This repeats the proposal made at the beginning of the official’s discourse. What is therefore implied is “let us send some men with the five horses to find out what the situation really is.”

As the note in Good News Translation indicates, the Hebrew of this verse is not at all clear. One commentator writes concerning this verse: “The textual problems of the servant’s comment are impossible to solve. The advice, however, seems plain: ‘Send someone to see!’ ” (Hobbs, page 91). New Jerusalem Bible (also American Bible) omits the words like the whole multitude of Israel and says “Five of the surviving horses still left us had better be taken—they would die in any case like all the rest. Let us send them and see.” For the whole verse Revised English Bible reflects an interpretation that is quite different:

• One of his staff said, “Send out a party of men with some of the horses that are left; if they live, they will be as well off as all the other Israelites who are still left; if they die, they will be no worse off than all those who have already perished. Let them go and see what has happened.”

Bible en français courant provides still a different way of understanding the verse:

• One of the officers proposed to the king: “Let us take five of the horses still living—in any case, they risk dying like all the people of the city—and let us send some men with these horses to see what happens.”

Since the exact meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain, translators must simply choose one of these possible translations.

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 .