divination

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “divination” or similar in English is translated in Elhomwe as edduwelle or “to know about the future” (source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext) and in Bariai as “magic” (source: Bariai Back Translation).

See also spirit of divination and practice divination.

Beor / Bosor

The name that is transliterated as “Beor” and “Bosor” in English means “torch,” “lamp,” “burning.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )

In Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) it is translated with a sign that combines “Balaam” (he was Balaam’s father) and “fire” (the name means “burning”). (Source: Missão Kophós )


“Beor / Bosor” in Libras (source )

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

complete verse (Joshua 13:22)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Joshua 13:22:

  • Kupsabiny: “Among the people whom the people of Israel killed were a prophet who was called Balaam son of Beor.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “In addition to the people killed in battle, the Israelites also killed Balaam, son of Beor, who practiced divination.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Together-with those who were-killed by the Israelinhon was Balaam one-who-divines/fortune-tells child of Beor.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “The Israeli army killed many people during those battles, including Balaam, the prophet from Beor, who tried to use magic to predict/tell what would happen in the future.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Joshua 13:22

Among those whom of Good News Translation translates “also” (Revised Standard Version) of the Hebrew text. One may render “Together with these” or “In addition.”

The noun fortuneteller is made from a Hebrew verb which means “practice divination,” something that was generally done by consulting lots which had been cast.

For the fortuneteller Balaam, see Numbers chapters 22–24; his death (and that of the leaders of Midian) is reported also in Numbers 31.8.

The identifying noun phrase son of Beor makes restructuring into English somewhat awkward. Without this phrase one could translate “In addition the people of Israel also killed Balaam the fortuneteller.” In some languages son of Beor may be rendered following Balaam without this problem, since that is the formal way of indicating a person’s name, as, for example, “Ismael bin (son of) Hussain.” But for English readers “Balaam son of Beor the fortuneteller” would cause the reader (particularly the person who hears the scripture read) to understand Beor as the fortuneteller. If “son of Beor” is retained in the text, the verse may be translated as two sentences: “In addition the people of Israel killed Balaam the fortuneteller. He was the son of Beor.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Newman, Barclay M. A Handbook on Joshua. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1983. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 13:22

13:22a

The Israelites also killed: In some languages it is more natural to restructure verse 22 so that it begins with the subject, The Israelites. The term The Israelites indicates the Israelite soldiers. The Israelites soldiers killed Balaam.

also: The word also is not in the Hebrew text. It is added in the Berean Standard Bible to show that Balaam is a new topic. Choose the word order or lexical means that is most natural in your language to do this.

the diviner Balaam son of Beor: In this verse the diviner Balaam son of Beor is the object of the verb. In Hebrew the object is sometimes put at the beginning of the sentence to show emphasis.

the diviner: The word diviner indicates a person who predicted the future by casting lots. The lots were probably small stones. The word diviner refers to Balaam, not to Beor his father.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

the one who practiced divination (English Standard Version
-or-
who used black magic (God’s Word)
-or-
fortune teller (Good News Translation)
-or-
who used magic to tell the future (New Living Translation (2004))

13:22b

along with the others: The phrase along with the others indicates that the Israelites killed other people at the same time that they killed Balaam.

Here is another way to translate this verse:

The Israelites killed many people during the fighting, including Balaam, son of Beor, who tried to use magic to tell the future (New Century Version)

they put to the sword: The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as they put to the sword is a Hebrew idiom. It indicates that they killed these people.

Here is another way to translate this Hebrew idiom:

they killed

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