camel

The Hebrew, Latin and Greek that is translated in English as “camel” is translated in Muna as “water buffalo.” René van den Berg explains: “Camels are unknown; the biggest known animal is the water buffalo (though now rare on Muna).”

In Bislama is is translated as buluk: “cow” / “bull” (source: Ross McKerras) and in Bahnar as aseh lăk-đa which is a combination of the Vietnamese loan word for “camel” (lăk-đa) and the Bahnar term for “horse” (aseh) to communicate that the camel is a beast of burden (source: Pham Xuan Tin in The Bible Translator 1952, p. 20ff. ).

In the 1900 Kalaallisut (Greenlandic) translation (a newer version was published in 2000) it was translated as ĸatigagtôĸ or “big-backed ones.” “Katigagtôĸ (modern qatigattooq), which has the literal meaning of ‘something with a big back.’ It comprises the noun ĸatigak (modern qatigak) ‘back’ combined with the suffix –tôĸ (modern –tooq) ‘something possessing a big X.’” (Source: Lily Kahn & Riitta-Liisa Valijärvi in The Bible Translator 2019, p. 125ff.)

In Luke 18:25, Mark 10:25, and Matthew 19:24 some versions of the Peshitta translation in Syriac Aramaic (Classical Syriac) show an ambiguity between the very similar words for “camel” and “rope.” Some translations of the Peshitta, therefore, use the “rope” interpretation, including the Classical Armenian Bible (մալխոյ for “rope”), the English translation by George Lamsa (publ. 1933) (It is easier for a rope to go through the eye of a needle), or the Dutch translation by Egbert Nierop (publ. 2020) (het voor een kabel eenvoudiger is het oog van een naald binnen te gaan).

In the above-mentioned three verses, it is translated in Noongar as “kangaroo” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

 

There were two types of camel known in Bible times the most common being the Arabian Dromedary camelus dromedarius, which was indigenous to the area. The two-humped Bactrian Camel camelus bactrianus was also known and prized, but it was imported from Central Asia.

Camels belong to the same family as the South American llama, vicuna, alpaca, and guanaco, but camels are much larger and have a big fatty hump on their backs. Bactrian camels may reach a height of about two meters (6.5 feet), while dromedaries are even bigger. Dromedaries are a uniform light fawn color, while Bactrian camels are darker, especially in winter when they grow longer fur.

Camels do not have hooves but a large footpad with two broad toes ideally suited to walking on sand. In other ways too they are ideally suited to life in desert areas. They store excess food in their humps and this makes it possible for them to go a long time without eating. Special blood cells also enable them to go without water for long periods. They also have a very efficient digestive system and can extract the maximum amount of nutrition from apparently dry vegetation. This adaptation to harsh environments means that camels can make long journeys through dry areas which would be beyond the abilities of other types of pack animal such as donkeys. Camels were used for riding and for carrying heavy loads. They were also used to pull carts.

In winter the fur of camels thickens and grows longer and then when summer comes they shed their winter fur in large wads. These wads of camel hair are collected and twisted into cords and ropes or spun into thread which is then used for weaving coarse cloth. This cloth was usually used for making tents but it was sometimes used for making outer robes.

Camels’ milk was used as food and drink but their meat was considered unclean by the Israelites.

In spite of the fact that camels were considered to be unclean for food they were a symbol of wealth and commerce. People or nations with many camels were automatically viewed as commercially successful and wealthy as the possession of camels opened up the possibility of transporting goods long distances and engaging in trade.

In areas where camels are not known, the word is often transliterated from Hebrew or the dominant language of the area. However, in some languages descriptive names have been invented. In some South American languages names meaning “hump-backed llama” or “big alpaca with a hump” have been used. Elsewhere expressions such as “hump-backed horse” have been used. A fuller description should usually be included in a glossary or word list.

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

For information on the domestication of camels, see Early camel incidents in the Hebrew Bible .

Click or tap here to see a short video clip about camels (source: Bible Lands 2012)

complete verse (Isaiah 21:7)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Isaiah 21:7:

  • Kupsabiny: “When he sees a young man who come with horses
    going two by two,
    or who comes on/with donkeys and camels,
    look around and examine carefully.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Whenever he sees chariots with a team of horses,
    and riders on donkeys or riders on camels coming,
    at that time he must be attention” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “He should watch carefully and if he sees a chariot and horse-riders in pairs, and soldiers riding on donkeys and camels, he should-tell (it) immediately.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Tell him to watch for chariots pulled by pairs of horses,
    and men riding camels and donkeys, coming from Babylon.
    Tell the watchman to watch and listen carefully!’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Isaiah 21:7

Here the watchman may be seeing the messengers coming from the Babylonian battlefield or the army invading Babylonia (see the introductory comments on verses 5-10). New Jerusalem Bible follows the first view with the following footnote: “Not the invading army but the hurrying messengers, and later the caravans, coming to announce the news, see v. 9.” Why these messengers would arrive in the way described here is not clear.

Repetition is a feature of this verse. The repeated Hebrew terms are rekev (literally “chariot”) and qashav/qeshev (“be attentive” / “attentiveness”). The first word draws attention to those arriving on the scene (the messengers or those attacking Babylonia); the second one encourages the watchman to listen closely. Most translations fail to show the repetition in the Hebrew text.

When he sees riders, horsemen in pairs, riders on asses, riders on camels is literally “and he sees a chariot of a pair of horsemen, a chariot of donkey, a chariot of camel.” Revised Standard Version follows a different Hebrew vowel pointing than that of Masoretic Text, changing “chariot” to riders (similarly most other versions). The change may be justified because donkeys and camels did not normally pull chariots, but they were ridden. The literal expression “a chariot of a pair of horsemen” may refer to two horses pulling one chariot (with one rider), two men riding the one chariot, or “a column of horsemen in pairs” (Revised English Bible). For “chariot” and “horse,” see 2.7. For asses see 1.3. Camels are very common in desert areas in many parts of the world, where they are the traditional means of transport. If the camel is not known in the receptor-language culture, translators may need to borrow the word and explain it in a footnote or in the glossary.

The text here appears to list a number of groups coming at the same time, which is consistent with the view that this is a description of a battle scene (see the introductory comments on verses 5-10). Contemporary English Version expresses this view with “When they see cavalry troops and columns of soldiers on donkeys and camel.” On the other hand, if this is a description of messengers coming to tell of Babylonia’s downfall, this could be a list of possible groups the watchman might see. If so, the list should be separated by “or” instead of “and.” This is the view of Bible en français courant, which reads “If he sees a war chariot pulled by horses, a caravan with donkeys, or a caravan with camels” (similarly Revised English Bible).

Let him listen diligently, very diligently is literally “and he will cause to be attentive [with/through] attentiveness much attentiveness.” It may not be possible in many languages to keep this repetition for emphasis, but adding adverbs or ideophones may express it; for example, “Make sure he pays close attention, the very closest of attention.” The text does not have any object for the verb “be attentive,” but it is clear the watchman is to pay close attention to whatever he sees. Listen (also New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) seems to imply that the watchman should focus on what someone might say. The fuller context suggests that he should primarily keep a close look out, either for messengers or the invading army. Instead of listen, a better rendering is “watch” (New Jerusalem Bible), “be alert” (New International Version), or “pay attention to” (Bible en français courant).

Translation examples for this verse are:

• When he sees chariots pulled by pairs of horses,
and men riding on donkeys or on camels,
he must pay close attention, the very closest attention.”

• If he should see chariots and pairs of horsemen,
riders on donkeys and riders on camels,
let him take notice, very special notice!”

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .