The last word of Nahum 2:10 in Hebrew is of uncertain meaning. It refers to some color, but it is not clear what color. Some translators render it as “black” (the English version by James Moffatt, 1926/1935) or cramoisis — “crimson” (the French Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, 2010), but the majority think that paleness fits better with a description of fear. Translators should use word pictures or idioms which are natural in their languages for expressing reactions to fear; for example, “soul (guardian spirit) disappears and bile is stirred up” (Thai). (See also terrified / afraid and also Seat of the Mind for traditional views of “ways of knowing, thinking, and feeling.”)
Translation commentary on Habakkuk 1:7
Verses 7-11 give a vivid description of the military power and arrogant attitude of the Babylonians.
The Babylonians are described as Dread and terrible. Good News Translation expresses this in a more personal way as “They spread fear and terror.” One may also translate this clause as “They cause people everywhere to shake with fear.” In some languages, however, “terror” is described idiomatically; for example, “They cause the hearts of people in countries everywhere to shrink so that their bodies tremble.” In still other languages it may be necessary to state this from the opposite point of view and say “People in other nations fear them very much” or “People in other nations are so afraid of them that their bodies tremble.”
The second half of the verse is not very clear in Revised Standard Version. The meaning is that the Babylonians do not acknowledge any other power greater than themselves, and so they set their own rules for the treatment of other people. (Compare “whose own might is their god” in verse 11.) Dignity in this context refers to “pride.” Good News Translation expresses this in rather idiomatic English as “in their pride they are a law to themselves.” Another way to express this clause is “They are so proud that they feel (or, consider) that anything they do is right and lawful,” or one can say “They are so proud that they feel (or, consider) that nothing they do is wrong or unlawful.”
Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on the Book of Habakkuk. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1989. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
Translation commentary on Habakkuk 3:2
This verse is the only one in the whole chapter which is a prayer in the sense of a request to God to do something. Verses 3-15 can be seen as a record of the prophet’s vision of God’s answer to this request.
The Revised Standard Version expression I have heard the report of thee is old-fashioned English. Good News Translation expresses this in modern terms as “I have heard of what you have done.” The word “what” may also be rendered as “the things that.”
The second line, and thy work, O LORD, do I fear, Good News Translation renders as “and I am filled with awe.” The meaning of thy work has already been included in the phrase “what you have done.” This is a reference to the activity of God on behalf of his people at the time of the exodus from Egypt. This activity became in later years a kind of standard against which people measured the evidence of God’s presence in the events of their own day. Translators should note that fear in English may mean either “terror” or “reverence, awe.” In this context the second meaning is clearly intended, and Good News Translation has made this explicit. An alternative translation model for these first two lines is “O LORD, people have told me about the things you have done, and this causes me to reverence you greatly.”
Good News Translation uses the vocative “O LORD” once at the beginning of the verse and does not repeat it in the second line. Translators may include it once or twice according to the natural usage of their language.
In the second half of the verse, Habakkuk asks the LORD to act to help his people, just as he had in times past. This request is expressed in three ways, renew it, make it known and remember mercy. The first two of these clauses are parallel with each other, and both contain the rather odd expression in the midst of the years. This refers to Habakkuk’s own times, which he pictures as many years away from the great events of the exodus, and also many years away from God’s final intervention in history. The word it in renew it and make it known is not in the Hebrew but is a legitimate addition in this context. It refers to thy work in the first half of the verse. Good News Translation takes these first two requests together and expresses their meaning as “Now do again in our times the great deeds you used to do.” This loses some of the meaning of the second request. One could translate more fully and say “Do again … used to do; make people acknowledge (or, recognize) them” (compare Bible en français courant) or “Make your people experience them again” (compare Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). In some languages the imperative “do again” in Good News Translation needs to be softened somewhat; for example, “Please do again…” or “Let your people experience again….”
It is also possible to understand the second request as “make yourself known” (compare Septuagint, Moffatt, New English Bible). In this case it would then be necessary to keep the two clauses separate and say “Now in our times do great deeds again; make your presence known again now in our times.” However, the majority of translations adopt the same interpretation as Revised Standard Version, and translators are recommended to follow it.
The final request is in wrath remember mercy. This can be understood in three ways: (1) “even while you are angry with us, restrain your anger and show mercy to us”; (2) “while you are angry with our enemies, yet remember to show mercy to us”; (3) “though you are angry with us, show mercy to us by punishing our enemies.” The third possibility does not seem very likely, but either of the other two will fit the context satisfactorily. Good News Translation‘s “Be merciful, even when you are angry” is ambiguous. If a language requires the translators to make explicit with whom God is angry and to whom he shows mercy, then they should choose between the first two possibilities given above. On the whole the first one seems to be more probable. One may say, for instance, “Even if you have reason to be angry with us, still show mercy to us” (compare Bible en français courant).
Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on the Book of Habakkuk. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1989. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
Translation commentary on Nahum 2:1
The prophet is speaking to a feminine you which Good News Translation identifies as “Nineveh” (compare Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, New International Version). The word for “city” in Hebrew is feminine. The verse consists of a statement followed by four commands which are really consequences of the information given in the statement.
The shatterer has come up against you: the Hebrew word rendered shatterer is a form which does not occur elsewhere, and it is uncertain whether it is derived from a root meaning “to shatter” or from another one meaning “to scatter.” If the latter is correct, then the reference is to the population of Nineveh fleeing from the city. This idea is found again in 2.8; 3.16-18. However, most versions prefer the former, in which the reference is to the enemy besieging Nineveh and breaking down the gates or walls with a battering ram (compare New English Bible “the battering-ram is mounted against your bastions”). This idea also occurs in verse 5 (see comments on verse 5).
Some scholars understand The shatterer to refer to some particular leader in the attack upon Nineveh, but there is no agreement as to who this could be. The most likely person is Cyaxares, the Median leader. This interpretation is perhaps shown in the New American Bible rendering, “The hammer comes up against you,” as various historical figures who have been successful military leaders have been referred to as “the hammer.” (For instance, this is the probable meaning of the second name of Judas Maccabaeus, a Jewish military leader in the second century B.C.) However, the majority of translations interpret the statement in a more general way. New International Version, for example, has “An attacker advances against you.”
Good News Translation accepts this interpretation but translates with two separate sentences. The words against you are the basis of the opening sentence, “Nineveh, you are under attack!” This opening creates a vivid atmosphere for the whole chapter. The remaining words are translated by Good News Translation as “The power that will shatter you has come.” “Shatter” means to “break into fragments or pieces.” Other possible translation models are: “The one who has the power to destroy you completely has come and is attacking you” or “People of Nineveh, the one who has the power….”
The attack made by her enemies requires some response from the people of Nineveh, and in the rest of the verse, Nahum invites them to take defensive actions. The commands he gives are ironic, as he knows that the city will be captured anyway. The first command is Man the ramparts. The ramparts (Revised Standard Version, Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible) are the top part of the wall surrounding the city. Since few modern cities have defensive walls, most translators will find it necessary to use a more general term like “defenses,” as Good News Translation does. However, a translator can capture the picture of walls with defensive positions on top of them by rendering this sentence as follows: “Place your soldiers along the top of the city walls.”
The second command is watch the road in order to see the approaching enemy and to be informed of their movements. In some languages it will be necessary to identify the implicit direction of the road and say “guard the road leading to the city.”
The third command is gird your loins (Revised Standard Version, New American Bible). The people of those days normally wore long, flowing clothes, and when they were preparing for active work, they would tuck them up to give their legs more freedom of movement. Jerusalem Bible translates here “tuck up your cloaks.” However, this is really a figure of speech meaning “get ready for action” and occurs quite often in Scripture (Exo 12.11; 1 Kgs 18.46; 2 Kgs 4.29; 9.1; Jer 1.17; Luke 12.35; 1 Peter 1.13). In the present context it may also be translated as “get ready to fight.” In areas where people wear long clothes, it may be possible to use a figure of speech similar to that in the Hebrew.
The fourth command is collect all your strength, which means “gather your troops together” (compare Jerusalem Bible “muster all your forces”; New International Version “marshal all your strength”). Good News Translation puts these third and fourth commands together into one and says simply “Prepare for battle!” Other translators may wish to put the two commands together without being quite as brief as Good News Translation. A possible translation model is: “gather your soldiers together and prepare to fight!”
Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A . A Handbook on the Book of Nahum. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1989. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
Translation commentary on Zephaniah 1:2 - 1:3
These two verses go closely together. The first is a general statement of judgment, and the second is an expansion of it which gives specific details of the form that the judgment will take. The words used echo the flood story of Genesis (see Gen 6.7; 7.4, 21-23; and compare also Hos 4.3; Ezek 38.19-20).
The words translated utterly sweep away in Revised Standard Version are not figurative in Hebrew. However, sweep away is a figure of speech that sounds very natural in English. The same phrase occurs in Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, and New International Version, and New English Bible is also similar. Such a figurative term adds vividness to the effect, and if translators have some such term which is natural in their own language, this will be a good place to use it. In Hebrew the verb root is repeated to intensify the meaning, and this is why Revised Standard Version inserts utterly. Good News Translation has no equivalent to this, but in some languages it may be good to say “I will completely sweep away (or, destroy)….” If some figurative word other than sweep is more natural, such as perhaps “eat up” or “wipe out” (compare verse 18), then this will be the better term to choose. Good News Translation expresses the meaning in nonfigurative language as “destroy.” In some languages one may say “kill.” Although God is the one initiating the “destroying,” or “killing,” others actually carry out the action. Therefore in many other languages it will be helpful to say “I will cause every living creature to die.”
The face of the earth means simply “the earth,” which here refers to the whole world, not just the land of Judah.
In Hebrew each verse ends with the words translated says the LORD in Revised Standard Version. Good News Translation changes the order so as to put “The LORD said” at the beginning of verse 2, and thus it makes the speaker explicit right from the start. The phrase at the end of verse 3 which is identical in Hebrew becomes in Good News Translation “I, the LORD, have spoken.” This is more appropriate in English, both to avoid dull repetition and to mark the close of this subsection. Some languages normally mark the end of a speech in a way similar to that of Hebrew; for example, “I, the LORD, say it like this.”
The general word everything in verse 2 clearly does not refer to inanimate things, but only to living beings. Verse 3 gives more detail with four categories of creature, man and beast … the birds of the air and the fish of the sea. The words of the air and of the sea are standard forms of expression in Hebrew which go with birds and fish respectively. They add nothing to the meaning and need not be translated if they sound unnatural. Good News Translation omits them and says only “human beings and animals, birds and fish.” In some languages it will be helpful to say “all living things on earth.”
As the footnote shows, the translation I will overthrow is based on a slight change in the traditional Hebrew text. This change is accepted by most modern translators into English and underlies the English of Revised Standard Version, Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, New English Bible, and Good News Translation. The Hebrew text as it stands is translated in New International Version “The wicked will have only heaps of rubble,” but a footnote in that version admits that the meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain. It is better for translators to accept the change in the text and translate as do Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation.
The point being made here is that it is the deeds of the wicked which are the basic reason for the LORD to judge and punish the world. I will overthrow the wicked will be rendered in many languages as “I will cause the wicked to be completely defeated,” or in some languages which do not favor the passive, the following is possible: “I will cause people to overthrow (or, conquer) those who do evil.” The mention of the wicked is the central point and climax of the verse, and the last part of the verse, I will cut off mankind from the face of the earth, repeats and summarizes what was said in verse 2 and the opening part of verse 3. The wicked may also be rendered as “the bad people,” “the people who are evil,” or “people who do evil things.”
The verb cut off is a dead metaphor in Hebrew, that is, a metaphor which is so common that it has virtually ceased to be recognized as figurative. So Good News Translation translates in nonfigurative language as “destroy” (compare Nahum 1.15; 2.13; 3.15). If the verb cut off is used figuratively with the right meaning in the translator’s language, then it can be kept here, but if not, then it will be better to translate the nonfigurative meaning as Good News Translation does.
From the face of the earth is repeated from verse 2. Here it has been translated in Good News Translation as “no survivors will be left”; this may also be expressed as “no one will be left alive” or “I will not let anyone stay alive anywhere on the earth.”
An alternative translation model for this final sentence is:
• I will cause people to conquer those who do evil. I will wipe out everyone, so that no one will be left alive anywhere in the world. I, who am the LORD, say this.
Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on the Book of Zephaniah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1989. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
Translation commentary on Zephaniah 3:4
This verse continues the attack on the Jerusalem leaders and mentions in particular the prophets (compare Micah 2.11; 3.5-7) and priests (compare Hos 4.6-9; 6.9; Micah 3.11). Two statements are made about each group. The prophets are wanton and faithless. The word here translated wanton elsewhere means either “unstable” (Gen 49.4) or “reckless” (Judges 9.4). Some translations assume the latter meaning here, apply it to recklessness in speech, and render “braggarts” (Jerusalem Bible), “insolent” (New American Bible), or “arrogant” (New International Version). Both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation seem to prefer the former meaning, which Good News Translation renders as “irresponsible.” The second term, faithless, may in this context mean “giving false messages that do not come from the LORD” (compare Jerusalem Bible “impostors,” New English Bible “no true prophets”); or it may mean “not to be trusted,” that is, “treachedous” (Good News Translation, New American Bible, New International Version), which is the usual meaning of the Hebrew term.
One of the tasks of the priests was to distinguish between those things set apart for God’s use and those in common use (Lev 10.10; Hag 2.10-13). Zephaniah here accuses them of failing to do this (compare Ezek 22.26). Rather they profane what is sacred and treat it as though it were for general use. It is possible that what is sacred refers to “the sanctuary” (New English Bible, New International Version, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch), that is, the Temple, but probably a more general meaning is intended, as understood by Revised Standard Version, Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, Good News Translation, and Bible en français courant. Profane in this context means “to make impure” in a religious sense. Some languages have technical words for “defilement” in this sense. In other languages the idea of “religious contamination” may be useful. Sacred may be expressed in many languages as “things dedicated to the LORD.” Some languages will express the clause profane what is sacred as “use things dedicated to the LORD for common (or, ordinary) purposes.”
The second accusation against the priests is that they do violence to the law. This means either that they break the law, or that in their duty of interpreting it, they give interpretations favorable to people who can afford to pay them (compare Micah 3.11). This is the understanding behind the Good News Translation statement that they “twist the law of God to their own advantage.” The law here refers primarily to the laws given through Moses. Translation models are “they openly break the law” or “they interpret the law so that they themselves make gains they have no right to.”
Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on the Book of Zephaniah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1989. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
Translation commentary on Habakkuk 2:1
The verse falls into two halves, each of which contains two statements which are parallel with each other. In the first half the two statements are I will take my stand to watch and station myself on the tower. Since the two parts are practically the same in meaning, Good News Translation combines them into one as “I will climb my watchtower.” Many translators will wish to follow this example. In saying “my watchtower” rather than the tower, Good News Translation is following the Dead Sea Scroll text (compare Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). The picture given is of a watchman climbing a tower in order to see a long way (compare 2 Sam 18.24; 2 Kgs 9.17). The prophets are often compared with watchmen elsewhere in the Old Testament (compare Isa 21.6-12; Jer 6.17; Ezek 3.17; 33.7; Micah 7.4). “My watchtower” may also be rendered as “the tower which I watch from” or “my look-out point.” It is just possible that, in speaking of a watchtower, Habakkuk is speaking symbolically of waiting for a vision from God. However, it seems much more likely that he is speaking of a real watchtower (perhaps in a vineyard as in Isa 5.2; Mark 12.1), where he went to meditate.
In the second half of the verse, the parallelism is not quite as close in the Hebrew text. In the first statement Habakkuk says he will look forth to see what he (that is, the LORD) will say to me, but in the second statement he continues and what I (that is, the prophet himself) will answer concerning my complaint. My complaint refers to the questions raised by the prophet in 1.12-17. In the second statement the ancient Syriac translation has “what he [that is, the LORD] will answer.” The Syriac seems to be based on a Hebrew text which differs from the traditional text by only one letter. It gives a better parallelism and is followed by Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Bible en français courant, and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, as well as by Good News Translation, which has “what the LORD will tell me to say and what answer he will give to my complaint.” However, the traditional Hebrew text makes sense and is followed by New English Bible, New International Version, and Hebrew Old Testament Text Project. If the Hebrew text is followed, the idea is that the prophet will both wait for the LORD’s answer and try to think out the problem for himself. On the whole it seems unnecessary to depart from the Hebrew text. If translators decide to follow the Hebrew text here, but wish to structure the last sentence in a way similar to Good News Translation, they can say “… and what answer I will give to my complaint” or “… and how I will answer my criticism of the LORD.” If, however, translators follow Good News Translation‘s understanding of the text, one may say “… and how he will answer my criticism of him.”
Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on the Book of Habakkuk. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1989. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
Translation commentary on Habakkuk 3:13
Here at last is the answer to the questions of verse 8. For a discussion of various ways to help the reader understand that this is indeed the answer, see comments on verse 8.
The first part of the verse says the same thing twice in different words. The first line, Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, is clear enough. The Hebrew word here translated salvation is a form of the same root as that translated “victory” in verse 8. Good News Translation expresses the meaning in modern English as “You went out to save your people.”
The second line is not quite so clear. Revised Standard Version translates literally for the salvation of thy anointed. Anointing someone was a sign that the person was specially chosen by God. Thus Good News Translation often translates as “chosen.” The question is, to whom does thy anointed refer? It is a term often used of the king, either the particular individual, or the kings in general as the descendants of David (as in Psa 89.38, 51). Good News Translation accepts this interpretation and translates as “to save your chosen king” (compare Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). However, in this context, where thy anointed is parallel with thy people, it seems more likely that it refers to the nation of Israel as a whole. If this interpretation is accepted, a translation base can be “to save your chosen nation,” or even “to save your chosen nation Israel.” This interpretation has some support from the Septuagint, which understood anointed collectively and translated as a plural. Compare the usage in Psalm 28.8, where the words “his people” and “his anointed” are again parallel with each other. In languages which do not use the passive, one may say “You went out to save the nation which you have chosen.” Salvation (“save”) in some languages will need to be rendered as a phrase; for example, “help … to escape from their enemies.”
The rest of the verse gives more detail about the way God saves his people, namely, by destroying their enemies. It contains problems both in the text itself and in its interpretation. Either it speaks directly about a person who is leader of the forces opposed to God, or else it speaks of this person through the figure of a building. The ultimate reference is the same either way, but the translator must make two decisions:
(1) Is the Hebrew using figurative language?
(2) If so, is it better to keep it or to drop it in translation?
A literal translation is found in Revised Version: “Thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, laying bare the foundation even unto the neck.” As in 2.9, the basic question is whether the word “house” stands for a building or a family. The presence of the word “foundation” in the last line suggests that “house” is intended as a building; compare Moffatt, Bible de Jérusalem, Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible. (Bible de Jérusalem and Jerusalem Bible drop the word for “head,” though this is hardly necessary.) To wound the head of a house must then be a figurative way to describe damaging or removing the roof (compare Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “You tear off the roof of your enemy’s palace”). The last line then goes on to describe the complete destruction of the house. The idea of laying bare the foundations as a sign of complete destruction occurs also in Micah 1.6. If this is the correct interpretation, the main problem lies in the words “even unto the neck” (Revised Version). One would expect some term that refers to the other end from the head, such as foot. Some scholars have suggested dropping one letter from the Hebrew word for neck. This gives a word meaning “rock.” To speak of “laying bare the foundations even unto the rock” would make good sense in itself and would also fit the context very well. The change of “neck” to “rock” is accepted by Bible de Jérusalem, Jerusalem Bible, and New English Bible.
Revised Standard Version laying him bare from thigh to neck has taken a different interpretation, and has understood the passage to speak directly of the enemy leader as a person. This view has led Revised Standard Version to drop the word “house” altogether (compare New American Bible) and apparently to change the word for “foundation” to another word meaning thigh. This necessitates changing three letters out of four in the Hebrew word for “foundation” and cannot be judged very convincing.
Good News Translation has adopted the first interpretation discussed above, including the change from “neck” to “rock,” but has dropped the figurative language. Good News Translation has made it explicit that the building is a symbol for a group of people, the roof standing for the leader and the rest of the building for the followers. Thus Good News Translation translates “You struck down the leader of the wicked and completely destroyed his followers” (compare Bible en français courant). In the context of Habakkuk, this is best taken to refer to the Babylonians.
To sum up, we recommend that translators (1) interpret the passage as speaking of a building which is a symbol for people, and (2) accept the change from “neck” to “rock.” In most cases, it will also be helpful to follow the example of Good News Translation, that is, to drop the symbolism and to state clearly that the passage refers to wicked people. But if translators prefer to keep the figurative language, an alternative translation model is the following: “You removed the roof of the house of the wicked, exposing the foundation right down to the rock.”
The verse ends with Selah; see comments on verse 3.
Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on the Book of Habakkuk. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1989. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .