cart

The Hebrew that is translated as “cart” in English is translated into Anuak as “canoe,” which is the general term for “vehicle.”

See also chariot and cart.

complete verse (1 Samuel 6:10)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Samuel 6:10:

  • Kupsabiny: “Then, those people did as they were told. They took two cows which had recently produced/given birth and tied the yoke on them which was on that cart. The calves for those cows were caught and locked inside the stable/calves pen.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Those people did just like that, they brought two cows and tied them to a chariot, but their calves they took away and tied them up in the shed.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “So they obeyed/fulfilled that. They took two mother-cows and hitched- (them)- up cart. They shut-up these calves in a pen.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “So the people did what the priests and men who predicted what would happen in the future told them to do. They made a cart and hitched two cows to it. They took the calves from their mothers.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 1 Samuel 6:10

The men did so, that is, the Philistines who had called for help (verse 2) did what the priests and diviners had advised them to do in verses 3-9. Given the length of the intervening verses, New Century Version fills in all this information by translating “The Philistines did what the priests and magicians said.” This may prove to be a useful model for other languages.

On the verb yoked and milch cows, see the comments on verse 7.

At home: literally “in the house.” The Hebrew noun “house” is also used for places where animals stay, and here it should be rendered according to the context; compare “shut up their calves indoors” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New American Bible), “penned up their calves” (New International Version), and “meanwhile shutting up their calves in the stall” (Revised English Bible). Compare verse 7.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .