inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Jeremiah 31:6)

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 inclusive pronoun, including everyone.

Ephraim

The Hebrew and Greek that is transliterated as “Ephraim” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the sign for “palm tree” referring to the palm of Deborah in the land of Ephraim (see Judges 4:5. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Ephraim” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

For Deborah, see here.

More information about Ephraim and the Tribe of Ephraim .

complete verse (Jeremiah 31:6)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Jeremiah 31:6:

  • Kupsabiny: “Days are coming when guards/watchmen shall cry out on the hills of Ephraim, ‘Let us go to Zion where our God is.’ ’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Time will-come that the guards there in the hills of Efraim will-shout, ‘[You (plur.)] come, let us go-up to Jerusalem to worship the LORD our God.’ ’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “There will be a time when watchmen will call out from the hills of Samaria ,
    ‘Come, let’s go up to Jerusalem
    to worship Yahweh, our God!’ ’” (Source: Translation for Translators)