prostitute

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The Greek, Latin, and Hebrew that is typically translated as “prostitute” in English (in some, mostly earlier translation also as “harlot” or “whore”) is translated in the 2024 revision of the inter-confessional Latvian Jauna Pārstrādāta latviešu Bībele as netikle or “hussy.” This replaced the previous translation mauka or “whore.” Nikita Andrejevs, editor of the Bible explains the previous and current translations: “The translators at the time felt that this strong word best described the thought contained in the main text. Many had objections, as it seemed that this word would not be the most appropriate for public reading in church.” (Source: Updated Bible published in Latvia ).

Other translations include:

  • Bariai: “a woman of the road” (source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “a woman who sells her body” (source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Uma: “a woman whose behavior is not appropriate” or “a loose woman” (source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “a bad woman” (source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “a woman who make money through their reputation” (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “a woman who makes money with her body” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “a woman whose womanhood is repeatedly-bought” (source: Kankanaey Back Translation)

See also Translation commentary on Genesis 34:31, Rahab, and prostitute oneself / play the prostitute.

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Prostitution in the Bible .

inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Gen 34:31)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, the Jarai and the Adamawa Fulfulde translation both use the exclusive pronoun, excluding Jacob.

complete verse (Genesis 34:31)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 34:31:

  • Newari: “They said in reply — ‘Then is it good for him to treat our sister like a prostitute?'” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “But the two replied, ‘Shall- we (excl.) just -pay-no-attention that our (excl.) sister is-treated as-if (she was) a woman who sells her body?'” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “But they replied, ‘Should we have allowed Shechem to treat our sister like a prostitute?/We could not just let Shechem treat our sister like a prostitute!'” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 34:31

Jacob’s sons do not respond to his doomsday forecast. Their minds have never left the thought of their sister’s disgrace. They now express their feelings in a rhetorical question.

Should he [Shechem] treat our sister as a harlot?: treat, which renders the common verb “to do” or “to make,” means to “deal with,” “handle,” or “act toward her” as if she were a harlot. In the Hebrew a single verb means “to be a harlot” and “to commit fornication [have illicit sex].” In a context such as this, a word that expresses bad feelings, like the English word “whore,” is more suitable than harlot.

Although prostitution may not be practiced locally, it is nearly everywhere well known. The choice of a word to translate harlot must be carefully weighed so that the reading of it in public does not cause embarrassment. In some languages words for harlot are figurative expressions; for example, “one who plays the bitch [she-dog],” “woman who takes men in,” “girl everybody sleeps with,” “woman who sells herself,” “woman of the road.” See also comments on 38.15.

In translation the rhetorical question may have to take a different form; in some languages, for example, Jacob’s sons say “What? Should we have let them treat our sister like a prostitute?” In some languages the rhetorical question must be answered. If the question form is unsatisfactory, it may be expressed as a negative statement: “He [Shechem] can’t treat our sister like a whore” or “We can’t let them do that to our sister. She isn’t the kind of girl that everybody can sleep with.”

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 .