inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (1Kings 18:23)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, the Adamawa Fulfulde translation uses the exclusive pronoun, excluding the people.

Translation commentary on 1 Kings 18:23

Let two bulls be given to us: This passive expression will have to be made active in certain languages. The Hebrew is in fact not passive, but uses the indefinite third person plural pronoun by saying “Let them give us two bulls.” New Century Version translates simply “Bring two bulls,” while New International Version says “Get two bulls for us.” Others may prefer to say something like “Let someone bring us two bulls” or “We need two bulls.”

Certain versions translate the Hebrew term for bulls here in such a way as to focus on the age of the animals to be sacrificed, for example, “bullocks” (King James Version; Moffatt) and “young bulls” (New American Bible). But since the Hebrew noun may refer to either young animals or adult animals, there seems to be no compelling reason to highlight this aspect of meaning.

Let them choose one bull for themselves: The reference of the pronoun them is to “the prophets of Baal” (Good News Translation, New Living Translation). According to Lev 22.20, God would not accept as sacrifices any animals with any kind of blemish or imperfection. The implication here in verse 23 may be that the prophets of Baal have the advantage of choosing a bull for themselves that is acceptable as a sacrifice, and then there could be no charge against Elijah that he gave them a bull that was not acceptable to God. An alternative rendering for this part of the verse is “let the prophets of Baal choose one of the bulls to sacrifice.” This will make it clear that the following clauses concern a sacrifice.

Lay it on the wood: New Living Translation clarifies what this means by saying “lay it on the wood of their altar.”

Put no fire to it: The words to it have been added by Revised Standard Version according to the sense of the Hebrew. These words have also been added at the end of this verse and at the end of verse 25.

And I will prepare the other bull: The pronoun I is emphatic, so this clause is better translated “And as for me, I will prepare the other bull” (so Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, La Bible Pléiade). Prepare is literally “do.”

The second occurrence of the words and lay it on the wood are not in the Septuagint, which is followed by Bible de Jérusalem. However, most modern translations, including New Jerusalem Bible, follow the Masoretic Text here and retain these words.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .