complete verse (Genesis 10:12)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 10:12:

  • Newari: “After that he built the city of Resen between Calah and the great city of Nineveh.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “and Resen which is there in the middle of Nineve and Cala which-is a famous city.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “and Resen. Resen was a large city between Nineveh and Calah.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 10:12

Resen: nothing more is known of this place than its location as given in this verse.

That is the great city refers here to Calah, possibly because of its being the residence of the king. Some interpreters believe that is the great city refers to all four of the cities named, on the basis that all four were located close to each other and thought of by foreigners as a single city. Translators generally follow the first view and associate this description with Calah: “Between Nineveh and the great city of Calah” (Good News Translation); or we may say, for example, “between Nineveh and Calah, which is the great city” or “between the great city called Calah and the city of Nineveh.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .