complete verse (1 Chronicles 4:14)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Chronicles 4:14:

  • Kupsabiny: “Kenaz had two sons. One was called Othniel and the other Seraiah. Seraiah produced Joab who started a settlement in the Valley of Craftsmen (that place was called like that because many craftsmen lived there.) Othniel also had two sons. They were: Hathath and Meonothai who produced Ophrah.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Meonothai was the father of Ophrah. Seraiah was the father of Joab. And Joab established Ge Harashim. Skilled craftsmen are still living there.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Meonotai was the father of Ofra. Seraya was the father of Joab, the one-who-established/founded the So-Called-Valley of the Carpenters. This was called So-Called-Valley of the Carpenters because many carpenters lived there.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Another descendant of Judah was Jephunneh. His son was Caleb. Caleb’s sons were Iru, Elah, and Naam. Elah’s son was Kenaz. The sons of Kenaz were Othniel and Seraiah.
    Othniel’s sons were Hathath and Meonothai. Meonothai was the father of Ophrah.
    Seraiah was the father of Joab. Joab was the ancestor of the people who lived in Craftsmen’s Valley. The valley was named that because many of the people who lived there were craftsmen/men who were experts in making things.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 1 Chronicles 4:14

Seraiah was named in the previous verse as one of the two sons of Kenaz.

The father of Ge-harashim, so-called because they were craftsmen: The name Ge-harashim means “valley of the craftsmen.” This place, located northwest of Jerusalem, is mentioned again in Neh 11.35. For this last half of the verse New International Version reads “the father of Ge Harashim. It was called this because its people were craftsmen” (similarly New Revised Standard Version). But unless the reader knows the meaning of the Hebrew name Ge-harashim, the explanation that follows (because they were craftsmen) will not clarify the reason for the name. For this reason a number of translations say “Handcraft Valley” (Good News Translation) or “Valley of the Craftsmen” (Bible en français courant, Parole de Vie, Nouvelle version Segond révisée, Nouvelle Bible Segond, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente). For the last half of this verse Contemporary English Version has “who settled a place called ‘Valley of Crafts’ because the people who lived there were experts in making things,” and then gives a transliteration of the Hebrew name in a footnote. Perhaps International Children’s Bible provides a better model by saying “Joab was the ancestor of the people from Craftsmen’s Valley. It is called Craftsmen’s Valley because the people living there were craftsmen.” The Good News Translation rendering here is not recommended. It does not show, as the Hebrew does, that the writer was explaining why this place had this name.

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 4:14

4:14a Meonothai was the father of Ophrah,

Meonothai was the father of ⌊a son named⌋ Ophrah.
-or-
Meonothai had a son ⌊named⌋ Ophrah.

4:14b and Seraiah was the father of Joab, the father of those living in Ge-harashim,

Seraiah was the father of ⌊a son named⌋ Joab, ⌊and Joab⌋ was the father of Ge-harashim.
-or-
Seraiah’s ⌊son named⌋ Joab was the founder of the valley of craftsmen.

4:14c which was given this name because its people were craftsmen.

That place was called ⌊Ge-harashim⌋ because its people were ⌊expert craftsmen⌋ .
-or-
The people ⌊of Ge-harashim⌋ were skilled craftsmen. Therefore the place was called Ge-harashim.

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