4But the king’s word prevailed against Joab and the commanders of the army. So Joab and the commanders of the army went out from the presence of the king to take a census of the people of Israel.
The Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek and Latin that is translated as “army” in English is translated in Chichewa as “group of warriors.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Samuel 24:4:
Kupsabiny: “But David refused the words of Joab (to listen to) and those of the leaders of soldiers. Joab left that place with the other leaders of soldiers and went around counting the men of Israel.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “But the king insisted that Joab and commanders take the census. So they went out from the presence of [lit.: from before] the king, walking all over Israel to count the people.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “But David really insisted, so Joab and the officers of the soldiers went-out to take-a-census of the people of Israel.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “But the king commanded Joab and his officers to do it. So they left the king and went out to count the people of Israel.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as “king” in English. Here are some (back-) translations:
Ninia Yali: “big brother with the uplifted name” (source: Daud Soesilio in Noss 2007, p. 175)
Nyamwezi: mutemi: generic word for ruler, by specifying the city or nation it becomes clear what kind of ruler (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
Ghomála’: Fo (“The word Fo refers to the paramount ruler in the kingdoms of West Cameroon. He holds administrative, political, and religious power over his own people, who are divided into two categories: princes (descendants of royalty) and servants (everyone else).” (Source: Michel Kenmogne in Theologizing in Context: An Example from the Study of a Ghomala’ Christian Hymn))
Faye Edgerton retells how the term in Navajo (Dinė) was determined:
“[This term was] easily expressed in the language of Biblical culture, which had kings and noblemen with their brilliant trappings and their position of honor and praise. But leadership among the Navajos is not accompanied by any such titles or distinctions of dress. Those most respected, especially in earlier days, were their headmen, who were the leaders in raids, and the shaman, who was able to serve the people by appealing for them to the gods, or by exorcising evil spirits. Neither of these made any outward show. Neither held his position by political intrigue or heredity. If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior. If the shaman failed many times in his healing ceremonies, it was considered that he was making mistakes in the chants, or had lost favor with the gods, and another was sought. The term Navajos use for headman is derived from a verb meaning ‘to move the head from side to side as in making an oration.’ The headman must be a good orator, able to move the people to go to war, or to follow him in any important decision. This word is naat’áanii which now means ‘one who rules or bosses.’ It is employed now for a foreman or boss of any kind of labor, as well as for the chairman of the tribal council. So in order to show that the king is not just a common boss but the highest ruler, the word ‘aláahgo, which expresses the superlative degree, was put before naat’áanii, and so ‘aláahgo naat’áanii ‘anyone-more-than-being around-he-moves-his-head-the-one-who’ means ‘the highest ruler.’ Naat’áanii was used for governor as the context usually shows that the person was a ruler of a country or associated with kings.”
The same conjunction as in the beginning of verse 3 now introduces the response of King David, which is contrary to the implicit advice of Joab and is therefore correctly rendered But. Others have translated it “However” (New American Bible), “Nonetheless” (New Jerusalem Bible), and “Notwithstanding” (Goldman).
The king’s word prevailed against Joab: some other ways of saying this are “the king very strongly commanded Joab…” (New Century Version), “the king … overruled Joab” (New American Bible), “the king’s command remained firm…” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), “the king … enforced his order…,” or “David refused to change his mind…” (Contemporary English Version).
The twofold repetition of Joab and the commanders of the army in this verse may be awkward and unnecessary in many languages. The second occurrence should probably be replaced by the pronoun “they” as in Good News Translation.
Went out from the presence of the king: some may wish to say “departed from the royal court,” but probably it will be most natural to say simply “left the king.”
In the first verse of this chapter the noun Israel referred specifically to the northern tribes, in distinction from the southern tribe of Judah. Here, however, Israel is used inclusively of both groups, as verses 5-7 make clear. And the people still refers to “the fighting men” (New International Version).
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 .
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