family / clan / house

The Hebrew terms that are translated as “family” or “clan” or “house” or similar in English are all translated in Kwere as ng’holo or “clan.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

In the English translation by Goldingay (2018) it is translated as “kin-group.”

See also tribe.

creeping things / reptiles

The Hebrew, Latin and Greek that is translated in English as “reptiles” or “creeping things” or similar is translated as “those which crawl along upon their stomach” in San Mateo del Mar Huave, “those that crawl the way they travel” in Chichimeca-Jonaz, and “animals that crawl on the ground” in Lalana Chinantec. (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)

In Nyamwezi it is translated as as vitundwa vya ku’yu’mba or “creatures that move.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

See also every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature and four-footed creatures and reptiles.

 

The Hebrew words zachal and remes literally mean “creeping [things]” or “crawling [things]”, which is the Hebrew way of referring to small unclean creatures, reptiles in particular. The Greek word herpeton is also a general word for reptile; it includes snakes and lizards. All of the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin words usually exclude fish.

The Hebrew words carry the connotation of uncleanness.

In languages which have a word meaning “reptile”, this will fit most contexts. In languages which do not, phrases such as “snakes and lizards”, “wriggling things”, and so forth could be used.

Source: All Creatures Great and Small: Living things in the Bible (UBS Helps for Translators)

complete verse (Genesis 8:19)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 8:19:

  • Kankanaey: “and likewise also the animals and birds that stayed-with them in the ark and they accompanied-one-another according to their kinds.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “All kinds of animals, those that go creeping on the earth as well as winged birds, came out of the ship one by one.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “All the animals also went-out: the (ones-that) walk, the (ones-that) fly, and the (ones-that) crawl. They went-out-together according to their kind.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “And every kind of creature, including all those that scurry across the ground, all the birds, every creature that moves on the earth, left the boat. They left the boat in groups of their own species.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 8:19

Verse 19 concludes the episode ending the flood report.

And every beast … earth is another variation of the formula listing the animals in the boat. Went forth translates the same verb used in verses 17-18.

By families is literally “by their families” or “according to their clans.” In this context families refers to some kind of organized grouping of the animals; this may be according to size, species, or some other arrangement. Translations vary considerably in the way they translate this expression. Revised English Bible has “one kind after another,” Good News Translation “in groups of their own kind,” New Jerusalem Bible “one species after another,” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “all the different kinds.” A translation not to be recommended in this context is “with all their children.”

The departure of Noah and the animals from the boat brings this subdivision to a close.

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 .