Jerusalem

The name that is transliterated as “Jerusalem” in English is signed in French Sign Language with a sign that depicts worshiping at the Western Wall in Jerusalem:


“Jerusalem” in French Sign Language (source: La Bible en langue des signes française )

While a similar sign is also used in British Sign Language, another, more neutral sign that combines the sign “J” and the signs for “place” is used as well. (Source: Anna Smith)


“Jerusalem” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL, used with permission)

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Jerusalem .

Translation commentary on 2 Maccabees 5:22

And he left governors to afflict the people: Good News Bible is lacking the idea that Antiochus left governors while he was back in Antioch. This should be expressed, even at the cost of adding words. Governors may not be the best rendering of the Greek word here. In English the word “governor” implies someone with authority over a particular piece of territory. We read below that one man was stationed in Jerusalem and another at Gerizim, but then Menelaus is mentioned as another who was left. Good News Bible gets into trouble with “appointed governors” because Menelaus was not appointed at this time and he was never appointed a “governor.” But he was an official that Antiochus left to afflict the people. A more general term such as “official” would be better. For this clause Contemporary English Version has “Antiochus picked cruel rulers to govern the people,” which is a good model. But we may also say “He left behind officials to cause trouble for the people [or, make the people miserable]” or “He appointed officials to cause trouble for the people [or, make the people miserable] while he was gone.”

At Jerusalem, Philip, by birth a Phrygian and in character more barbarous than the man who appointed him: This Philip is otherwise unknown. “Phrygia” was a territory in the interior of Asia Minor (modern Turkey). The writer claims that this man was more barbarous than Antiochus. “More cruel,” “more savagely cruel,” and even “more of a savage” (Contemporary English Version) are better translations than “more evil” in Good News Bible. The verb appointed is an appropriate translation of the Greek here. Good News Bible avoids confusion between this word and left by rendering the last half of this verse as “In Jerusalem he placed Philip, a man from Phrygia who was more evil than Antiochus himself.” This is simple enough and unambiguous.

Verses 22-23 are one long sentence in Greek. Good News Bible divides it into several sentences, which other languages may find helpful.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Maccabees. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.