sell

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “sell” in English is translated in Noongar as wort-bangal or “away-barter.” Note that “buy” is translated as bangal-barranga or “get-barter.” (Source: Bardip Ruth-Ang 2020)

See also buy and buying / selling.

complete verse (Deuteronomy 21:14)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Deuteronomy 21:14:

  • Kupsabiny: “But if that man is later not happy with the woman, he is to let her go to where she wants to go. He must not sell the woman for money/silver or turn her to become a slave, because he has certainly dishonored her.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Later, if that woman is not pleasing to you, let her go anywhere she likes. You are not to sell her nor treat her as a female slave. For you have dishonored her.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “But some time-later he has no more desire for the woman, he should let- her -go wherever she wishes. He would- not -sell her or make slave (of her) because he now put- her -to-shame.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Later, if he no longer is pleased with her, he will be permitted to allow her to leave him. But because she was forced to have sex with him, he will not be allowed to treat her like a slave and sell her to someone else.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 21:14

If you have no delight in her: that is, “if she doesn’t please you any longer,” “if you lose your desire for her,” or “if you no longer want to have sex with her.”

You shall let her go: the Hebrew verb is used in the context of divorce in 22.19, 29 (Contemporary English Version “you can divorce her”). Other ways to express “divorce her” are “send her away,” or perhaps “return her to her own people.”

Where she will: this is important; she’s a free (Israelite) woman, and no restrictions are placed on her freedom to go anywhere she wants to.

You shall not sell her for money: in Hebrew the verb form is emphatic.

You shall not treat her as a slave: the Hebrew verb is used only here and in 24.7, and its precise meaning is disputed. Revised English Bible has “treat her harshly,” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh “enslave her,” and Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje “mistreat her.” Some commentators take the meaning to be “treat her as merchandise.” It seems best to follow Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation here. For slave see 5.6.

You have humiliated her: as Good News Translation makes clear, this refers to his having had intercourse with her; she had no choice in the matter and was forced to have sex with him. Contemporary English Version has “But you have slept with her as your wife.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .