concubine

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “concubine” in English is translated in Kutu as “slave made to be his woman” or “female slave he married” and similarly in Makonde, “a slave who is/was a wife.”

In Kwere it is translated as “small wife.” This is the term for subsequent wives when polygamy is practiced among the Kwere. While they enjoy most of the same rights and privileges as the first wife, their status is not necessarily the same. In Kalanga it is likewise translated with balongwana or “small wife.” (Source for all: project-specific notes in Paratext)

In Newari it is translated as “illegitimate wife” (source: Newari Back Translation).

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Concubine .

complete verse (1 Chronicles 2:46)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Chronicles 2:46:

  • Kupsabiny: “A co-wife of Caleb who was called Ephah bore to him three sons and those were Haran, Moza and Gazez.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Ephah was the mother of Haran, Moza and Gazez. Haran was the father of Gazez.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The other wife of Caleb was Efa the mother of Haran, Moza, and Gazez. Haran had a child whose name was also Gazez.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 1 Chronicles 2:46

Ephah also, Caleb’s concubine, bore Haran, Moza, and Gazez: The adverb also renders the common Hebrew conjunction, but it seems to make the introduction to this verse too emphatic, since this conjunction may be equally well translated “And” or left untranslated (so Revised English Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). So we advise translators not to make this introduction emphatic. For concubine see the comments on 1 Chr 1.32. Here and in the verses that follow, the Hebrew verb translated bore may be rendered “was the mother of” (New Century Version) or “gave birth to” (New Jerusalem Bible).

And Haran was the father of Gazez: Good News Translation and Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente add the adverb “also” in order to avoid any confusion by the second mention of the name Gazez here. Some scholars think the Masoretic Text contains an error in this clause, so they correct it to read “and Haran was the father of Jahdai” (so Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Einheitsübersetzung). This makes a much better lead-in to the following verse, where Jahdai is mentioned (see the comments there). This change of the Masoretic Text may well be correct, but since there is no manuscript support for it, such a correction is not recommended.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Chronicles, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2014. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on 1 Chronicles 2:46

2:46a Caleb’s concubine Ephah was the mother of Haran, Moza, and Gazez.

Caleb had a concubine ⌊named⌋ Ephah. She became the mother of Haran, Moza, and Gazez.
-or-
Ephah was Caleb’s wife of lower status. ⌊She gave birth to⌋ Haran, Moza, and Gazez.

2:46b Haran was the father of Gazez.

Haran became the father of Gazez.
-or-
Haran had a son named Gazez.

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