cubit

The Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek that is translated as “cubit” or into a metric or imperial measurement in English is translated in Kutu, Kwere, and Nyamwezi as makono or “armlength.” Since a cubit is the measurement from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger, one armlength (measured from the center of the chest to the fingertips) equals two cubits or roughly 1 meter. (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

Similarly, in Akoose, the translation is “arm distance.” (Source: Joseph Nkwelle Ngome and Marlie van Rooyen & Jacobus A. Naudé in Communicatio 2009, p. 251ff.)

In Klao it is converted into “hand spans” (app. 6 inches or 12 cm) and “finger spans” (app. 1 inch or 2 cm) (source: Don Slager) and in Bariai into leoa or “fathom,” which comprises the distance from a person’s fingertip to fingertip with arms outstretched, app. 6 feet (source: Bariai Back Translation).

distance (long / wide / high)

The concepts of distance that are translated in English with “long,” “wide,” and “high/tall” are translated in Kwere with one word: utali. (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

complete verse (Ezekiel 42:8)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Ezekiel 42:8:

  • Kupsabiny: “The rooms that had turned the back towards the outer courtyard had eighty-seven and a half feet. And those that turned the back towards the inner courtyard reached one hundred and seventy-five feet.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “For if this stone-wall is not there, half of the building of 85 feet could-be-seen [from] the outer courtyard. The entire length of the building, which was 170 feet, could-be-seen [from] the temple.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “The row of rooms that were along the outer courtyard was 87-1/2 feet/26.5 meters long, and the set of rooms that faced the temple was 175 feet/53 meters long.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Ezekiel 42:8

For the chambers on the outer court were fifty cubits long: The connector For introduces why the wall parallel to the building of rooms was only 50 cubits (25 meters) long. These chambers must not be confused with the building of rooms that Ezekiel has been describing in verses 3-7. These chambers were against the western wall of the outer courtyard and were among those referred to in 40.17. They were fifty cubits long, that is, 25 meters (84 feet) wide, from the external wall to the front of the rooms.

While those opposite the temple were a hundred cubits long: Those opposite the temple refers to the [building of] rooms that Ezekiel has just been describing in verses 3-7. He says that they were “facing the sanctuary” (Revised English Bible), even though they were actually facing the west building behind the Temple. It may be better to render this phrase as “those rooms that were on the side of the Temple.” These rooms were a hundred cubits long, that is, 50 meters (168 feet) long. Although the screen wall itself was only 25 meters long, it came out from the external wall 50 meters, the same length as the three-story building of rooms, but for half its length it was part of the wall of the outer courtyard rooms.

Instead of while those, the Hebrew text reads “and behold” (New American Standard Bible, Hebrew Old Testament Text Project; similarly King James Version). The Hebrew word hinneh for “behold” adds a vividness of style which few modern translations reflect. Translators will need to decide if such particles are appropriate in their languages.

A model for this verse is:

• It [or, The screening wall] was like this because the row of rooms along the [western wall of the] outer courtyard were 25 meters wide while the row of rooms that faced the Temple were 50 meters wide.

Quoted with permission from Gross, Carl & Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Ezekiel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .