12The people did the work faithfully. Over them were appointed the Levites Jahath and Obadiah, of the sons of Merari, along with Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to have oversight. Other Levites, all skillful with instruments of music,
The Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic and Latin that is transliterated “Levites” in English (only the Contemporary English Version translates it as “temple helpers”) is translated in Ojitlán Chinantec as “temple caretakers,” Yatzachi Zapotec as “people born in the family line of Levi, people whose responsibility it was to do the work in the important church of the Israelites,” in Alekano as “servants in the sacrifice house from Jerusalem place,” and in Tenango Otomi as “helpers of priests.” (Source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
In American Sign Language with a sign that combines “temple” + “servant.” (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)
“Levite” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Chronicles 34:12:
Kupsabiny: “Those people did that work in a good way. These Levites were overseeing those people: Jahath and Obadiah who were from the house of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam who were from the house of Kohath. Levites who were singers were given to” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “These men worked faithfully. They worked under the leadership of Jahath and Obadiah, Levites of the Merarite clan, as well as [under] Zechariah and Meshullam of the clan of Kohath. These Levites were ones who knew how to play musical instruments well.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “The workers were- very -diligently/faithful in their work/job. They were-supervised by four Levites who were Jahat and Obadia, who were-descendants of Merari, and Zecarias and Mesulam, who were-descendants of Kohat. These Levites were-skilled/[lit. good] in playing instruments.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “The workers did their work faithfully. Their supervisors were Jahath and Obadiah, who were descendants of Levi’s son Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, who were descendants of Levi’s son Kohath. All the other descendants of Levi, those who played musical instruments well,” (Source: Translation for Translators)
And the men did the work faithfully: Faithfully translates a Hebrew noun that may be translated “steadiness,” “reliability,” “honesty” or “duty,” depending on the context (see the comments on 2 Chr 31.12). Good News Translation says the workers were “thoroughly honest” (Good News Translation), while others say they did their work “honestly” (Moffatt) or “conscientiously” (Bible en français courant, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible).
Over them were set … is literally “And over them [were] overseers….” This statement may be made active by saying “Their overseers were….”
Obadiah is literally “Obadyahu” (so La Bible Pléiade). As frequently happens in translations of 1-2 Chronicles, the longer forms of the names in Hebrew are shortened.
In a literal translation such as Revised Standard Version readers may not realize that Zechariah and Meshullam were also Levites. Good News Translation has restructured this verse to show clearly that Merari and Kohath were clans of Levites and that all four of the men mentioned here were Levites. Regarding the clans of Merari and Kohath, see 1 Chr 6.
The Levites, all who were skilful with instruments of music: The exact meaning of this clause is not clear. It may be simply a parenthetical statement that says the Levites were all skillful musicians. This interpretation is expressed in Good News Translation with the use of parentheses. An American Translation similarly uses long dashes to show that this statement is parenthetical. But the sense may be rather that the music provided a rhythm by which certain workers labored, as the footnotes in Bible en français courant and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible state. The Good News Translation rendering with parentheses excludes this possible meaning. La Bible Pléiade gives a different meaning to this clause by saying “with the Levites who knew how to handle well the instruments of music.” According to this interpretation, the clause lists additional Levites who had other responsibilities. However, New Century Version and Nouvelle Bible Segond understand this clause to refer specifically to the four Levites who are mentioned at the beginning of this verse by saying “These Levites were all skilled musicians.”
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 .
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