Gomorrah

The Hebrew, Greek and Latin that is transliterated as “Gomorrah” in English is transliterated in Mandarin Chinese as émólā (蛾摩拉) in the Protestant tradition. This is an interesting transliteration because the first character é (蛾) has a negative connotation with the meaning of “moth.” This character is only used here in the Protestant Chinese Bible. For many other transliterations the more neutral character 俄 with the same pronunciation is used. (Source: Zetzsche)

complete verse (Genesis 14:11)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 14:11:

  • Kankanaey: “And plural Kedorlaomer snatched all the food and other possessions in Sodoma and Gomorra and ran-off-with (them).” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Plundering all the wealth and food of Sodom and Gomorrah, their enemies carried it away.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “All possessions of Sodom and Gomora including their food were-taken by their enemies. They also took-captive Lot the nephew of Abram and took his possessions, for it happened that he was-living there in Sodom. After the enemies had-taken they walked/went-away.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “As the armies of the five kings fled, the armies of the four kings seized all of the valuable things in Sodom and Gomorrah, including all the food.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

enemy / foe

The Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, Ge’ez, and Latin that is translated as “enemy” or “foe” in English is translated in the Hausa Common Language Bible as “friends of front,” i.e., the person standing opposite you in a battle. (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

In North Alaskan Inupiatun it is translated with a term that implies that it’s not just someone who hates you, but one who wants to do you harm (Source: Robert Bascom), in Tarok as ukpa ìkum or “companion in war/fighting,” and in Ikwere as nye irno m or “person who hates me” (source for this and one above: Chuck and Karen Tessaro in this newsletter ).

Translation commentary on Genesis 14:11

Verses 11-12 describe the results of the victory of the four kings, which concludes the battle report. As in verse 10, only Sodom and Gomorrah are mentioned as being plundered.

So the enemy took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah: enemy represents Hebrew “they,” which could wrongly appear to refer back to the defeated kings. Speiser says “the invaders,” Good News Translation “the four kings,” Bible en français courant “the conquerors.” In some languages it may be necessary to fill in some of the action that the Hebrew narrative passes over at this point; for example, “Chedorlaomer and his friends won the battle, and then they went and took…” or “The four kings went into the towns of Sodom and Gomorrah and took….”

Goods translates the same word used for possessions in 12.5 and 13.6. It refers to every movable thing in the cities—baggage, animals, and people. Provisions translates the Hebrew word for “food.” Good News Translation expresses verse 11 well: “The four kings took everything in Sodom and Gomorrah, including the food, and went away.”

Translators may find it best to avoid saying twice that the four kings went their way (see “and departed” in verse 12). If this expression is dropped in verse 11, a smoother linkage with verse 12 can often be made.

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 .