12:6a
And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place for her: God prepared the place for the woman before she arrived. In some languages a time word or other phrase will be needed to make that clear. For example:
The woman fled into the desert to a place that God had prepared for her ⌊earlier⌋
-or-
The woman fled into the desert to a place. God had prepared that place for her ⌊beforehand⌋
wilderness: The Greek word the Berean Standard Bible translates as wilderness refers to a place that is empty, desolate, or uninhabited. Other ways to translate this word are:
desert (New International Version (1984))
-or-
desolate region
-or-
empty land
This word occurs in Matthew 3:1, Mark 1:3, Luke 3:2, and John 1:23. If you have translated any of these verses, see how you translated the word there.
where God had prepared a place for her: This Greek clause is more literally “where she has a place prepared by God” (Revised Standard Version). This clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause, as the Berean Standard Bible does.
12:6b
to be nourished for 1,260 days: This clause indicates the purpose for fleeing to that place. It is implied that she was actually taken care of there for that many days. After the woman fled (12:6a), angels began to take care of her.
The Greek grammar probably indicates that the 1,260 days began at this point. Other ways to translate this clause are:
where they took care of her for 1,260 days
-or-
so she could be taken care of for 1,260 days (NET Bible)
to be nourished: The Greek clause is literally “they might take care of her.” It probably indicates that God’s angels took care of her. But the pronoun “they” does not clearly refer to anyone in the previous verses. So some English versions use a passive clause as the Berean Standard Bible does. Other ways to translate this clause are:
they might take care of her
-or-
⌊God’s angels⌋ might take care of her
nourished: The Greek word refers to providing food, but it is implied that shelter and other needs were also provided. Other ways to translate this Greek word are:
taken care of (New International Version)
-or-
looked after (New Jerusalem Bible)
1,260: The Greek phrase uses number words: “one-thousand two-hundred sixty.” See how you translated this in 11:3.
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