Levi

The Hebrew, Latin and Greek that is transliterated as “Levi” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with a sign that signifies a menorah referring to the temple service of the tribe of the Levites. The same sign is also used for the tribe. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Levi” or “Levite” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

See also Levite, Levi and the Tribe of Levi .

complete verse (1 Chronicles 6:1)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Chronicles 6:1:

  • Kupsabiny: “Levi had three sons and those were Gershon, Kohath and Merari.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath and Merari.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “These were the male children of Levi: Gershon, Kohat, and Merari.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Levi’s sons were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 1 Chronicles 6:1

The sons of Levi …: This verse is virtually identical with Gen 46.11 (see also Exo 6.16). Revised Standard Version reflects the Hebrew, which has no verb; but for those languages that require a verb, Good News Translation provides a reasonable model. A number of other versions supply the verb “were” (New Living Translation, New Century Version, New American Standard Bible). Another possible model is found in Contemporary English Version, which begins with “Levi was the father of….” Good News Translation adds the number “three” as the context allows.

The sons of Levi are listed again in verse 16. The sons of Gershom are listed in verse 17; the sons of Kohath in verses 2 and 18; and the sons of Merari in verses 19 and 29.

In Hebrew the name Gershom is spelled “Gershon.” The spelling of this person’s name is “Gershom” in verse 16, as well as in a number of other verses in 1 Chronicles, so Revised Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version, and New Jerusalem Bible harmonize it to read “Gershom” here in verse 1. Elsewhere in the Old Testament his name is always spelled “Gershon.” Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, and New International Version use the spelling “Gershon” throughout the Old Testament when the reference is to the son of Levi, but the son of Moses in 1 Chr 23.15-16 is spelled Gershom. We recommend doing this in order to avoid confusing the reader.

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 6:1

Section 6:1–15

This was the family line of the high priests

6:1 The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

Levi’s sons ⌊were⌋ Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
-or-
Levi ⌊was⌋ the father of Gershon and Kohath and Merari.

© 2020 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.