complete verse (1 Chronicles 8:39)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Chronicles 8:39:

  • Kupsabiny: “And Eshek who was a brother to Azel had three sons. His firstborn son was called Ulam, and the one following Ulam was Jeush, and the other (third) one was Eliphelet.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Azel’s brother was Eshek. Eshek had three sons. Eshek’s eldest son was Ulam, the second son was Jeush and the youngest son was Eliphelet.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The children of the sibling of Azel who-was Eshek were Ulam the oldest, Jeush the second, and Elifelet the third.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Azel’s younger brother was Eshek.
    Eshek’s oldest son was Ulam. His other sons were Jeush and Eliphelet.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 1 Chronicles 8:39

The sons of Eshek his brother …: Verses 39-40 have no parallel in chapter 9. Some interpreters think that these verses were originally unrelated to the preceding verses. If so, then the pronoun his has no clear referent. However, in the context of the text as we now have it, his brother must mean “Azel’s brother” (Good News Translation, New Living Translation, New Century Version, La Bible du Semeur, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente).

Ulam his first-born, Jeush the second, and Eliphelet the third: The Hebrew clearly states that these sons of Eshek are listed in order of birth. Good News Translation leaves this information untranslated, but it should be clear in the translation. Another person named Ulam, from the tribe of Manasseh, was named in 1 Chr 7.16. Five persons in the Old Testament bear the name Jeush, and the other four are mentioned in 1–2 Chronicles (1 Chr 1.35; 7.10; 23.10; 2 Chr 11.19).

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 8:39

8:39a The sons of his brother Eshek:

Azel’s younger brother was Eshek. (Translation for Translators)
-or-
Azel’s brother Eshek was the father of

8:39b Ulam was his firstborn, Jeush second, and Eliphelet third.

Eshek’s first son was Ulam. His second son was Jeush. His third son was Eliphelet.
-or-
Ulam and Jeush and Eliphelet. Ulam was the eldest son of Eshek. Jeush was the middle son. Eliphelet was the third son.

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