complete verse (1 Chronicles 4:15)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Chronicles 4:15:

  • Kupsabiny: “Caleb son of Jephunneh had three sons. They were: Iru, Elah and Naam. Elah had a son who was called Kenaz.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The sons of Caleb son of Jephunneh were Iru, Elah and Naam. The son of Elah was Kenaz.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “These were the male children of Caleb the child of Jefune: Iru, Ela, and Naam. The male child of Ela was Kenaz.” (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 4:15

The sons of Caleb the son of Jephunneh: Caleb is identified as the son of Jephunneh in several other places in the Old Testament (see, for example, Num 13.6; 14.6; Deut 1.36; see also the introductory comments on 1 Chr 2.18-24). Good News Translation and Bible en français courant supply the implied information that Caleb had “three” sons, but in many languages this may be seen as unnecessary.

Iru, Elah, and Naam: Nothing further is known of these people. Where the Masoretic Text says “Iru Elah,” some interpreters follow the Septuagint and the Vulgate in reading “Ir and Elah” (so Klein). They take the Hebrew letter waw as the conjunction “and” rather than the last letter in the name Iru.

And the sons of Elah: Kenaz: Kenaz is literally “and Kenaz” in the Masoretic Text, but most translations read Kenaz, in agreement with certain other Hebrew manuscripts. Since the Masoretic Text has the plural sons of Elah, some scholars think that a name is missing. New American Bible, for example, leaves a blank space, translating “The sons of Elah were … and Kenaz” (similarly La Bible Pléiade). New Jerusalem Bible and some other versions are similar to Revised Standard Version by retaining the plural sons but having only the single name, Kenaz. New Revised Standard Version, like most other English versions, has the singular “son.”

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 4:15

4:15a The sons of Caleb son of Jephunneh: Iru, Elah, and Naam.

The sons of Caleb, whose father was Jephunneh, were Iru, Elah, and Naam.
-or-
Caleb’s father was Jephunne, and Caleb was the father of sons named Iru, Elah, and Naam.

4:15b The son of Elah: Kenaz.

Elah had a son ⌊called⌋ Kenaz.
-or-
Elah ⌊was⌋ Kenaz’s father.

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