covenant

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The Hebrew, Greek, Ge’ez, and Latin that are translated as “covenant” in English are translated in a variety of ways. Here are some (back-) translations:

  • Mossi: “helping promise”
  • Vai: “a thing-time-bind” (i.e. “an arrangement agreed upon for a period of time”)
  • Loma (Liberia): “agreement”
  • Northwestern Dinka: “agreement which is tied up” (i.e. “secure and binding”)
  • Chol: “a word which is left”
  • Huastec: “a broken-off word” (“based on the concept of ‘breaking off a word’ and leaving it with the person with whom an agreement has been reached”)
  • Tetelcingo Nahuatl: “a death command” (i.e. “a special term for testament”)
  • Piro: “a promised word”
  • Eastern Krahn: “a word between”
  • Yaka: “promise that brings together” (source for this and all above: Bratcher / Nida)
  • Nabak: alakŋaŋ or “tying the knot” (source: Fabian 2013, p. 156)
  • Kâte: ʒâʒâfic or “tie together” (source: Renck 1990, p. 108)
  • Nyamwezi: ilagano: “agreement, contract, covenant, promise” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Bariai: “true talk” (source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Q’anjob’al: “put mouths equal” (representing agreement) (source: Newberry and Kittie Cox in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 91ff. )
  • Manikion, Indonesian: “God’s promise” (source: Daud Soesilo)
  • Natügu: nzesz’tikr drtwr: “oneness of mind” (source: Brenda Boerger in Beerle-Moor / Voinov, p. 164)
  • Tagalog: tipan: mutual promising on the part of two persons agreeing to do something (also has a romantic touch and denotes something secretive) (source: G. Henry Waterman in The Bible Translator 1960, p. 24ff. )
  • Tagbanwa: “initiated-agreement” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Guhu-Samane: “The concept [in Mark 14:24 and Matthew 16:28] is not easy, but the ritual freeing of a fruit and nut preserve does afford some reference. Thus, ‘As they were drinking he said to them, ‘On behalf of many this poro provision [poro is the traditional religion] of my blood is released.’ (…) God is here seen as the great benefactor and man the grateful recipient.” (Source: Ernest Richert in The Bible Translator, 1965, p. 81ff. )
  • Chichewa: pangano. This word can also be translated as a contract, agreement, or a treaty between two parties. In Chewa culture, two people or groups enter into an agreement to help each other in times of need. When entering into an agreement, parties look at the mutual benefits which will be gained. The agreement terms are mostly kept as a secret between the parties and the witnesses involved. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
Law (2013, p. 95) writes about how the Ancient Greek Septuagint‘s translation of the Hebrew berith was used by the New Testament writers as a bridge between the Old and New Testaments (click or tap here to read more):

“Right from the start we witness the influence of the Septuagint on the earliest expressions of the Christian faith. In the New Testament, Jesus speaks of his blood being a kaine diatheke, a ‘new covenant.’ The covenant is elucidated in Hebrews 8:8-12 and other texts, but it was preserved in the words of Jesus with this language in Luke 22:20 when at the Last Supper Jesus said, ‘This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. Jesus’s blood was to provide the grounds for the ‘new covenant,’ in contrast to the old one his disciples knew from the Jewish scriptures (e.g., Jeremiah 31:31-34). Thus, the earliest Christians accepted the Jewish Scriptures as prophecies about Jesus and in time began to call the collection the ‘Old Testament’ and the writings about Jesus and early Christianity the ‘New Testament,’ since ‘testament’ was another word for ‘covenant.’ The covenant promises of God (berith in Hebrew) were translated in the Septuagint with the word diatheke. In classical Greek diatheke had meant ‘last will, testament,’ but in the Septuagint it is the chosen equivalent for God’s covenant with his people. The author of Hebrews plays on the double meaning, and when Luke records Jesus’ announcement at the Last Supper that his blood was instituting a ‘new covenant,’ or a ‘new testament,’ he is using the language in an explicit contrast with the old covenant, found in the Jewish scriptures. Soon, the writings that would eventually be chosen to make up the texts about the life and teachings of Jesus and the earliest expression of the Christian faith would be called the New Testament. This very distinction between the Old and New Testaments is based on the Septuagint’s language.”

See also establish (covenant) and covenant (book).

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Covenant in the Hebrew Bible .

offering

The Hebrew that is translated as “offering” in English is translated in Venda as nduvho. J. A. van Rooy (in The Bible Translator 1974, p. 439ff. ) explains: “It is derived from the verb u luvha (‘to pay homage to; to acknowledge the superiority of; at the same time usually asking for a favour’). It is sometimes used as a synonym for ‘asking something from a chief. The noun nduvho means ‘a gift of allegiance,’ which corresponds closely with minchah (מִנְחָה) as ‘offering of allegiance.’ This term nduvho has in it the elements of subjugation, of reciprocity (asking for a favor), of being taken up into the same community as the chief in allegiance to him. Only the element of expiation is missing.”

In Northern Emberá, it is translated as “given to God freely.” (Source: Loewen 1980, p. 108)

See also offering (qorban).

complete verse (Daniel 9:27)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Daniel 9:27:

  • Kupsabiny: “That king will make an agreement/covenant of seven years with many people. But in the middle of those years/period, that king will abolish burning of sacrifices and offerings. And then he shall raise a terrifying object in the House of God. That object will remain there until the person who raised it is destroyed to fulfill as God has planned.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “For one week this ruler will make a solid covenant with many, but in the middle of the week he will stop the sacrifices and offerings. And a frightening and repulsive image will be seen in the temple. That image will be there until the destruction decreed by God falls upon the ruler who set up that image.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “That king will-make a strong covenant to many people for the period/[lit. inside] of seven years. But after three years and a half, he will-put-a-stop to the offerings and he will-put/place in the temple the shameful thing that will-become a reason/motive to abandon the temple. It will-remain there until the end of that king will-arrive, according to what God has-destined.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “That ruler will make a strong agreement with many people. He will promise to do for seven years what he has said in that agreement. But when that time is half finished, he will prevent priests from giving any more offerings and sacrifices to God. A disgusting idol will be put on the highest part of the temple, and it will stay there until God gets rid of the one who put it there, which is what he said that he would do.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Daniel 9:27

He: the pronoun refers to the ruler or leader mentioned in the previous verses. In view of the confusion in verse 26, it may be a good idea to make this clear in the translation, as in Good News Translation.

A strong covenant: the meaning is very likely that the leader will make a binding agreement with other groups of people in order to strengthen his position. Some other renderings are “make a firm league” (New English Bible) and “strike a firm alliance” (New Jerusalem Bible). An American Translation, however, understands this to mean that “the covenant will be abandoned by many.” This interpretation is not recommended.

With many: other versions understand this to mean “with the mighty” (New English Bible). But it is generally agreed that it means “many peoples.”

One week … half of the week: once again the meaning of the word for week is a period of seven years. Some prefer to translate the second time reference as “in the middle of the ‘seven’ (years)” (New International Version). Compare New English Bible “the week half spent.” The problem of “weeks” in this case may be avoided by saying more generally “half of the time” or “in the middle of the period.” But in the first occurrence of week it is unavoidable and should probably be rendered “seven years.”

Cause sacrifice and offering to cease: both nouns are singular in form but have a collective meaning and should be translated by a plural in many languages. The term translated sacrifice involves the killing of animals in the worship of God, while the word for offering relates to giving of such things as grain, wine, and oil. In 167 B.C. the Jews were forbidden to practice their religion, and the sacrificing of animals was especially prohibited (compare 8.11 and comments).

The end of this verse is very obscure, and a variety of corrections of the text have been proposed. A literal rendering of the Hebrew text yields something like “on the wing abominations desolations until the end and what was decreed is poured on the desolator.” Obviously it requires some ingenuity to make sense of this text without relying on textual changes.

Upon the wing of abominations: the words are badly connected in Revised Standard Version and the meaning is unclear. The word translated wing is understood in Good News Translation as referring to the pinnacle, or highest point, of the Temple. New American Bible, New International Version, and New Jerusalem Bible adopt a similar solution (compare Matt 4.5). Others understand it to mean “at the corner of the altar” (New Jerusalem Bible) or “in the train of these abominations” (New English Bible). The idea of the “wing” or “pinnacle” of the Temple is probably best here.

In Hebrew the two words meaning abominations and desolations are placed side by side. This proximity has given birth to the expression “the abomination that makes desolate” found in 11.31, and the nearly identical Hebrew expression in 12.11. Compare these two passages. Compare also Matt 24.15.

Until the decreed end is poured out: on the image of “pouring out” anger or punishment, see comments on verse 11. The decreed end is the end decided by God. This may have to be stated directly, as in Good News Translation.

In view of all the problems listed above, the following wording may be suggested:

• For one seven-year period that leader will make a steadfast agreement with many peoples. For half of that time he will abolish all sacrifice and offering. And he will put something very terrible on the high point of the Temple, and it will remain there until God does away with him (who placed it there), just as he has planned.

Quoted with permission from Péter-Contesse, René & Ellington, John. A Handbook on Daniel. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1994. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .