complete verse (2 Kings 9:33)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Kings 9:33:

  • Kupsabiny: “Jehu said to those people, ‘Throw (her) down.’ (She) was thrown down. And/But when that lady hit the ground, blood splashed out all over the wall and on the horses of Jehu. Then, those horses trampled on the body of Jezebel.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Jehu said, "Throw her down!" So they threw her down. Drops of her blood splattered the wall and when the horses trampled her, drops of blood also splattered their bodies.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Jehu said to them, ‘[You (plur.)] throw- her -down!’ So they threw-down Jezebel. And her blood sprayed/splashed on the stone-wall and on the horses, and she was-trampled by the horses of Jehu.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Jehu said to them, ‘Throw her down here!’
    So they threw her down, and when she hit the ground and died, some of her blood splattered on the city wall and on the horses that were pulling the chariots.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 2 Kings 9:33

He said: While the text does not indicate explicitly whom Jehu addressed, it is quite clear that it was the palace officials who had indicated that they were on his side. It is for this reason that Good News Translation adds the words “to them.”

In view of the situation, the verb said may be better translated “shouted” (Contemporary English Version) or “ordered” (New American Bible, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, Parole de Vie).

Some of her blood spattered on the wall and on the horses: In some languages it will be necessary for stylistic reasons to add something like “and when she hit the ground” (so NET Bible) before these words.

They trampled on her: This translation is based on the Latin Vulgate and one manuscript of the Septuagint. The Hebrew text has “he trampled on her,” in which the singular pronoun “he” clearly refers to Jehu. Among those translations that follow the Hebrew text, some clearly indicate that Jehu was in a chariot as he trampled Jezebel’s corpse. Good News Translation, for example, says that “Jehu drove his horses and chariot over her body” (similarly New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Bible en français courant). Other translations say that Jehu himself trampled on her body (so Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Nouvelle version Segond révisée, Nouvelle Bible Segond, Reina-Valera revisada). Either interpretation of the Hebrew text is possible and acceptable. Instead of only the pronoun her, some languages will need to say “her corpse” or “her body” (Good News Translation).

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 .