3:8a
Furthermore, let both man and beast be covered with sackcloth: Here again, the Hebrew word translated man is ʾaḏam and means a human being. Also, as mentioned in 3:7c, the Hebrew word behemah translated beast is a general term and refers to any domestic animal.
covered with sackcloth: In the Hebrew text, the same verb is used for people and animals covered with sackcloth. In your language, you may need to use two different verbs. For example:
“let the people wear sackcloth and the animals be covered in sackcloth.”
The king hoped that by including the animals in the fasting, and having them also covered in sackcloth, that God would no longer be angry with the people.
3:8b
and have everyone call out earnestly to God: The king also commanded the people to pray to God for mercy.
The Hebrew text here is literally “let them call upon God.” Take care that you do not use a pronoun here and in 3:8c which gives the impression that the king was ordering the animals to pray or turn from their evil behavior! The Berean Standard Bible has solved this problem by using the word everyone, which can only apply to people.
3:8c
Let each one turn from his evil ways and from the violence in his hands: The king also ordered them to stop behaving in a wicked and violent way.
his evil ways: Literally, “their evil path,” that is, “their evil behavior.”
the violence in his hands: The Hebrew word translated the violence in his hands is not limited to physical injury but includes any wrong done to someone else. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:
stop doing harm (New Century Version)
-or-
stop being…cruel (Contemporary English Version)
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