family / clan / house

The Hebrew terms that are translated as “family” or “clan” or “house” or similar in English are all translated in Kwere as ng’holo or “clan.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

In the English translation by Goldingay (2018) it is translated as “kin-group.”

See also tribe.

complete verse (1 Chronicles 4:2)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Chronicles 4:2:

  • Kupsabiny: “Reaiah who was a son of Shobal produced Jahath, Jahath produced Ahumai and Lahad. The Zorathites hailed from those people.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Shobal’s son Reaiah was the father of Jahath. Jahath was the father of Ahumai and Lahad. These were the clans of the Zorathites.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The child of Shobal who was Reaya was the father of Jahat. Jahat was the father of Ahumai and Lahad. They were the families of the Zoratnon.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Shobal’s son was Reaiah. Reaiah was the father of Jahath, and Jahath was the father of Ahumai and Lahad. They were the ancestors of the Zorath people-group.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 1 Chronicles 4:2

Re-aiah the son of Shobal was the father of Jahath, and Jahath was the father of Ahumai and Lahad: Good News Translation restructures the literal phrase Reaiah the son of Shobal, saying “Shobal was the father of Reaiah.” This seems more natural since the remainder of the verse focuses on fathers rather than sons.

These were the families of the Zorathites: In some versions families is translated “clans” (Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible) or “family groups” (New Century Version). Good News Translation says “ancestors,” which fits this context well. For Zorathites see the comments on 1 Chr 2.53. Zorah was a town located in the Sorek Valley, about 3 kilometers (2 miles) north of Beth Shemesh. Helpful renderings for the Zorathites are “the Zorathite clan” (Contemporary English Version), “the people who lived in Zorah” (Good News Translation, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch), and “the people who came from the town of Zorah.”

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 4:2

4:2a Reaiah son of Shobal was the father of Jahath,

Shobal’s son Reaiah was the father of Jahath.
-or-
Shobal was Reaiah’s father. Reaiah’s son was called Jahath.

4:2b and Jahath was the father of Ahumai and Lahad.

Jahath became the father of Ahumai and Lahad.
-or-

⌊Later⌋ Jahath had ⌊two sons⌋ . They were Ahumai and Lahad.

4:2c These were the clans of the Zorathites.

These were the families of the Zorathites.
-or-
These ⌊descendants of Reaiah⌋ were the people ⌊who came from the town⌋ of Zorah.

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