complete verse (Jeremiah 41:7)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Jeremiah 41:7:

  • Kupsabiny: “When the people arrived in the city, Ishmael said to his people to kill (them) and throw their bodies in a hole of water.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “When they arrived at the city, some of them were-killed by Ishmael and his companions, and afterwards their corpses were thrown into a hole where the water is stored.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “But as soon as they had all entered the town, Ishmael and his men killed most of them and threw their corpses into a well.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Jeremiah 41:7

Came may be rendered “went,” depending on the language.

A cistern: See 2.13; 38.6. Presumably there was no water in it at this time, but that is not clear from the text. Nor is it necessary for translators to indicate this. They can say “a hole [or, pit] for storing water.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Jeremiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2003. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .