tribe

The Greek and Hebrew that is translated as “tribe” in English when referring to the “12 tribes of Israel” is translated in some East African languages, including Taita and Pökoot, with the equivalent of “clan” instead.

Aloo Mojola explains (in The Bible Translator 1989, p. 208ff. ) (click or tap here to see the rest of this insight):

“A number of Bible translation teams in East Africa have been baffled and intrigued by the use of the term ‘tribe’ in the English translations of the Bible. The usage employed in these translations does not reflect any of the popular meanings associated with the term ‘tribe’ in present-day English. Neither does it reflect popular conceptions of the meaning of this term in East Africa or in other parts of Africa and elsewhere. This raises the question: is the term tribe the best translation of the Hebrew terms shebeth and matteh or the Greek term phyle? What is a tribe anyway? Are the twelve tribes of Israel tribes in the sense this term is currently understood? How can this term be translated in East African languages?

“It is easy to see that there is no consistent definition of the term tribe which applies exclusively and consistently to the communities to which it is currently applied. Why, for example, are the Somali or the Baganda called a tribe, but not the Irish or the Italians? Why do the Yoruba or Hausa qualify, but not the Portuguese or the Russians? Why the Bakongo and the Oromo, but not the Germans or the Scots? Why the Eritreans, but not the French or Dutch-speaking Belgians? Why the Zulu or the Xhosa, but not the South African Boers (Afrikaners) or the South African English? The reason for the current prejudices, it would seem, has nothing to do with language, physical type, common territory, common cultural values, type of political and social organization or even population size. Ingrained prejudices and preconceived ideas about so-called “primitive” peoples have everything to do with it.

“The term ‘tribe’ is used to refer to a universal and world-wide phenomenon of ethnic identification which may draw on any of the following bases: identification in terms of one’s first or dominant language of communication (linguistic), in terms of one’s place of origin (regional), in terms of one’s presumed racial, biological or genetic type (racial), or in terms of one’s ideological or political commitments (ideological), and so on. Communities may choose one or more of these bases as criteria for membership. Any of these may change over time. Moreover forms of ethnic identification are dynamic or in a state of flux, changing in response to new environments and circumstances. Essentially forms of ethnic association reflect a people’s struggle for survival through adaptation to changing times. This is inextricably intertwined with the production and distribution of vital resources, goods and services as well as the distribution of power, class and status in society.

“At the base of any ethnic group is the nuclear family which expands to include the extended family. The extended family consists of more than two families related vertically and horizontally: parents and their offspring, cousins, uncles, aunts, nephews, and others, extending to more than two generations. A lineage is usually a larger group than an extended family. It includes a number of such families who trace descent through the male or female line to a common ancestor. A clan may be equivalent to or larger than a lineage. Where it is larger than a lineage, it brings together several lineages which may or may not know the precise nature of their relationships, but which nevertheless claim descent from a common ancestor. A clan is best thought of as a kind of sub-ethnic unit whose members have some unifying symbol such as totem, label, or myth. In most cases the clan is used to determine correct marriage lines, but this is not universally so. Above the clan is the ethnic group, usually referred to inconsistently as the tribe. Members of an ethnic group share feelings of belonging to a common group. The basis of ethnic identity is not always derived from a common descent, real or fictional; it may draw on any of the bases mentioned above.

“The Israelites identified themselves as one people sharing a common descent, a common religious and cultural heritage, a common language and history. There is no doubt that they constitute what would nowadays be called an ethnic group, or by some people a tribe. The twelve subunits of the Israelite ethnic group or tribe, (Hebrew shebeth or matteh, or Greek phyle) are clearly equivalent to clans. In fact this is what seems to make sense to most African Bible translators in the light of their understanding of these terms and the biblical account. Referring to a shebeth as a tribe or an ethnic group and to Israel as a collection of twelve tribes creates unnecessary confusion. Translating each of the terms shebeth, matteh, and phyle as clan seems to solve this problem and to be consistent with current usage in African languages.”

See also family / clan / house.

Levi

The Hebrew, Latin and Greek that is transliterated as “Levi” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with a sign that signifies a menorah referring to the temple service of the tribe of the Levites. The same sign is also used for the tribe. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Levi” or “Levite” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

See also Levite, Levi and the Tribe of Levi .

Judah, Judea

The name that is transliterated as “Judah” or “Judea” in English (referring to the son of Jacob, the tribe, and the territory) is translated in Spanish Sign Language as “lion” (referring to Genesis 49:9 and Revelation 5:5). This sign for lion is reserved for regions and kingdoms. (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. and Steve Parkhurst)


“Judah” and “Judea” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

See also Judah, Judah (son of Jacob) , and Tribe of Judah .

Translation commentary on Ezekiel 48:30 - 48:34

These shall be the exits of the city: Most translations take this clause to refer to the “gates” (Contemporary English Version, New International Reader’s Version) or “entrances” (Good News Translation) of the city, even though the measurements that follow don’t fit well in a paragraph about gates. Therefore some scholars have suggested that the Hebrew term for exits should be understood to mean the “outskirts,” “outer limits,” or “outside borders” (New Century Version) of the city. The Hebrew word literally means “goings out” (King James Version), so it could refer to the openings through which people go out, or to the points to which the city itself goes out, that is, its external limits. If translators follow the second alternative, this clause may be rendered “The outside of the city will be/look like this.” Both interpretations are acceptable. Several translations render this clause in a helpful way, saying “There are twelve entrances to the city of Jerusalem” (Good News Translation) or “The city has twelve entrances.”

On the north side, which is to be four thousand five hundred cubits by measure: God first gives the measurement of the city wall on the north side. The wall will be four thousand five hundred cubits, that is, about 2,250 meters (2,500 yards), long. This is the same figure used in verse 16. The Hebrew word for by measure may refer to the measuring reed used by the angelic guide in chapter 40, so a possible model for this clause is “The north wall will be 2,250 meters long according to the measuring stick used by the angel.” However, it is more likely that by measure does little more than reinforce the measurement of the wall, so a better model is “The measurement of the north wall will be 2,250 meters” or simply “The north wall will be 2,250 meters long.” In verses 32-34 the clause which is to be four thousand five hundred cubits is used three more times to describe the length of the other three walls. In some languages such repetition may be acceptable, but in others it will be best to bring together this description of all four walls into one sentence, for example, “Each of the four walls measures 2,520 yards” (Good News Translation), “Each side of the city wall will be a mile and half long” (Contemporary English Version), and “the four sides each measure just under one-and-a-half [miles]” (Complete Jewish Bible). If translators choose this option, it is also a good idea to place this clause at the end of verses 30-34, so that it can be joined closely to the measurement of the circumference of the city in verse 35 (so Contemporary English Version with “Each side of the city wall will be a mile and a half long, 35 and so the total length of the wall will be six miles”). Alternatively, it can be placed near the beginning of these verses, as Good News Translation does.

In each of the four walls of the city will be three gates, so there will be twelve gates in all. God describes these gates by focusing on each wall in succession and naming the three gates in one wall before going on to the next wall. This results in quite a long description of the gates. It may be clearer if translators specifically mention the total number of gates before describing each separate wall (so Contemporary English Version with “The city of Jerusalem will have twelve gates, three on each of the four sides of the city wall”). For city gates, see 38.11.

The gates of the city being named after the tribes of Israel may be rendered “These gates will be named after the twelve tribes of Israel” (Contemporary English Version). God lists the names of the gates of the north, east, south, and west walls in turn. The twelve tribal names include all the actual sons of Jacob, including Levi. This is different from the names of the tribes to whom land will be allocated (see verses 1-7 and 23-27), where Levi was left out and Joseph’s tribe was divided into two and received two portions (compare 47.13). Translators need to be careful not to confuse the two lists. When listing the names of the gates, God proceeds in a clockwise direction (that is, north, east, south, west), but there is no way of knowing the order of the gates in each of the walls from this listing. Some scholars assume that they, too, go from left to right, but since Hebrew is written from right to left, it is reasonable to assume that the names of the gates actually go in that direction. But the actual direction depends also on God’s point of view: was he inside or outside the city when he described the gates? For those languages that need to make a decision on this, it is best to assume that he was describing the order of the gates from outside, and the names go from right to left. For most languages, unless they wish to include a diagram of the gates in their Bibles, the order of the gates will not be an issue. One way to translate this naming of the gates is:

• The gates will be named after the twelve tribes of Israel. The three on the north will be Reuben, Judah and Levi; the ones on the east will be Joseph, Benjamin and Dan; on the south the gates will be Simeon, Issachar and Zebulun; and on the west they will be Gad, Asher and Naphtali.

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 .