grain

The Greek and Hebrew that is translated in English as “grain” (or: “corn”) is translated in Kui as “(unthreshed) rice.” Helen Evans (in The Bible Translator 1954, p. 40ff. ) explains: “Padddy [unthreshed rice] is the main crop of the country and rice the staple diet of the people, besides which [grain] is unknown and there is no word for it, and it seemed to us that paddy and rice in the mind of the Kui people stood for all that corn meant to the Jews.” “Paddy” is also the translation in Pa’o Karen (source: Gordon Luce in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 153f. ).

Other translations include: “wheat” (Teutila Cuicatec), “corn” (Lalana Chinantec), “things to eat” (Morelos Nahuatl), “grass corn” (wheat) (Chichimeca-Jonaz) (source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.), “millet” (Lambya) (source: project-specific notes in Paratext), “food” (Nyamwezi) (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)or ntimumma lujia / “seeds for food” (Lokạạ — “since Lokạạ does not have specific terms for maize and rice that can be described as grains”) (source: J.A. Naudé, C.L. Miller Naudé, J.O. Obono in Acta Theologica 43/2, 2023, p. 129ff. )

complete verse (Genesis 42:5)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 42:5:

  • Kankanaey: “So it was that Jose’s ten older-siblings went to Egipto to go buy what they would eat, because the famine had also become-severe in Canaan. But as for Benjamin who was his actual younger-sibling, Jacob did not give-permission that he go-along because he was-afraid lest there-be something-that-would-happen to him. When Jose’s siblings then arrived in Egipto, they joined the other collective-people to go buy-food-supplies.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “In this way Israel’s other sons went to buy grain in Egypt. For there was also famine in Canaan.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “So the children of Jacob went to Egipto along-with those who came-from-other places in-order to-buy food, for the famine had- now -spread to the whole-of Canaan.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “So Jacob’s other sons went down from Canaan to Egypt to buy grain, and others from there went too, because there was a famine in Canaan also.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 42:5

Thus the sons of Israel: Thus marks another consequence, that is, the brothers had done as ordered by their father. For Israel see comments on 35.21, which recommend keeping “Jacob” in these kinds of contexts.

Came to buy among the others: the narrative passes over the events of leaving Canaan and making the journey, and came indicates that the brothers have arrived in Egypt. It may be necessary to use “went,” as does Revised English Bible, “Thus the sons of Israel [Jacob] went with everyone else….”

For the famine … Canaan: this statement reinforces what was said in 41.57, “The famine was severe over all the earth.” It serves as the principal reason for getting Joseph’s brothers to him in Egypt, and eventually all of Jacob’s family.

Verse 5 completes the introduction to the first episode in this chapter.

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 .