complete verse (Deuteronomy 25:2)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Deuteronomy 25:2:

  • Kupsabiny: “And if it is decided that the guilty one is to be beaten, the judge must tell that person to lie down and then he is beaten with (the number of) beatings/sticks that fit his sin/mistake.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “If it is decided that the one at fault is to be whipped, judges having him lie down on the ground before him, must have him whipped in proportion to his fault.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “If the one who has a sin was-sentenced by the judge to be-beaten, he will-have-to-lie-on-his belly before/[lit. in front-of] the judge and will-be-beaten whose number is according to the sin he has-done.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “If the judge says that the guilty person must be punished, he shall command him to lie with his face on the ground and be whipped. The number of times he is struck with a whip will depend on what kind of crime he committed.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 25:2

If the guilty man deserves to be beaten: this is a serious offense, and the guilty person is to be flogged, that is, beaten with a whip made of leather thongs, or perhaps with a rod. In languages that do not use the passive voice, we may say, for example, “If the judges order them to beat [or, whip] the guilty man.”

The judge shall cause him to lie down: the judge will have the man lie prone, that is, face down on the ground. The Septuagint keeps the plural “the judges” from the previous verse (so also Contemporary English Version).

In his presence: to make sure the punishment is carried out exactly as he ordered. Another way to express this is “in front of him.”

A number of stripes in proportion to his offense: this would be according to the judge’s decision. Stripes may be also expressed as “lashes,” “strokes,” or “blows,” or even “times,” as in “the number of times that he is to be hit with the whip.”

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 .