complete verse (Genesis 44:12)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 44:12:

  • Kankanaey: “The slave thoroughly searched starting-with the oldest until the youngest, and he found the cup in Benjamin’s sack.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “That man searched one person [lit.: body] at a time from the eldest to the youngest. And that cup was found in the sack of Benjamin.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Then the steward searched the sacks from the oldest-one until the youngest-one, and the cup was-found in the sack of Benjamin.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Then the servant started to search for the cup in each sack. He started with the oldest brother’s sack and ended with the youngest one’s sack. And he found the cup in Benjamin’s sack and showed it to them.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 44:12

And he searched, beginning with the eldest and ending with the youngest: by now the steward knows the order in which the brothers were born. The whole clause may be expressed as “The steward began searching in the sack of the oldest brother and continued until he finally came to the youngest one.” This procedure allows the tension to mount among the brothers as they wait to be cleared of charges.

And the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack: that is, “and there in Benjamin’s sack he found the cup.”

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 .