complete verse (2 Samuel 18:1)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Samuel 18:1:

  • Kupsabiny: “David collected/gathered the leaders and then he made some to be in charge of one thousand soldiers and others to be in charge one hundred soldiers.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “David and the men who were with him assembled to do battle, and [he] chose captains of groups of a thousand and groups of a hundred.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “David grouped his men into a 1,000 and a 100, and he chose commanders to lead them.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “David arranged his soldiers for the battle. He divided them into groups, and appointed a commander for each 100 soldiers and a commander for each 1,000 soldiers.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

David

The name that is transliterated as “David” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the sign signifying king and a sling (referring to 1 Samuel 17:49 and 2 Samuel 5:4). (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. )


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

In German Sign Language it is only the sling. (See here ).


“David” in German 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 .

The (Protestant) Mandarin Chinese transliteration of “David” is 大卫 (衛) / Dàwèi which carries an additional meaning of “Great Protector.”

Click or tap here to see a short video clip about David (source: Bible Lands 2012)

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: David .

Translation commentary on 2 Samuel 18:1

Then: in many languages the common conjunction may be adequately translated by the beginning of a new paragraph and section, without any further transition word. But in those languages that have special words to introduce a new phase of a story, such a word may be used here.

Mustered: the English word mustered is a technical military term meaning to assemble and arrange soldiers in order to go fight. The same Hebrew verb occurs with this same sense in 1 Sam 11.8, and a different Hebrew verb has this same meaning in 1 Sam 13.5, 11. The verb used here may be translated “numbered” (Goldman, King James Version), “appointed,” or “counted” (New Century Version). This verb has also been understood to mean “reviewed” (New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible) or “passed … under review” (Knox). In view of the context of the rest of the verse, the verb may even be understood to carry the idea “divided … into groups” (Contemporary English Version), but it seems more likely that the verb expresses the idea of bringing the troops together. The Hebrew leaves implicit that the troops, having been brought together, were then divided into groups.

The organization of David’s remaining loyal troops included groups of thousands that were further divided into groups of hundreds. The translation should not give the impression that there were some groups of a thousand men and other groups of a hundred men without any relationship between the two units. The idea is that of a hierarchical structure. Compare 1 Sam 8.12; 10.19; 22.7. There were commanders in charge of the different groups, and those who commanded the smaller units were then in turn under the authority of the commanders of thousands. The overall size of the fighting force seems to indicate that the group that left Jerusalem picked up many additional followers along the way as they went on to Mahanaim.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .