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.

complete verse (Joshua 13:31)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Joshua 13:31:

  • Kupsabiny: “It also includes half of Gilead and Ashtaroth and Edrei which were big cities that Og ruled. All this and was given to the house of Machir son of Manasse.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “and half of Gilead and the cities of Ashtaroth and Edrei where Og, the former king of Bashan lived. This area was given to the Machir, son of Manasseh, to half of his descendants, clan by clan.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “(It) also included the half of Gilead, and Ashtarot and Edrei, the towns/cities of Bashan where Og reigns. That was the land that was-given to half of the descendants of Makir who (are) children of Manase, according-to each family.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Their area also included half of the Gilead region, and the cities of Ashtaroth and Edrei where King Og had ruled. All that area was allotted to the clans descended from Manasseh’s son Makir.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Joshua 13:31

One of the clans of the tribe of Manasseh was that of Machir son of Manasseh; and this territory east of the Jordan went to half of the clans descended from Machir. For other references to the clan of Machir, see Numbers 32.39-40; Deuteronomy 3.15.

As a comparison between Good News Translation and Revised Standard Version will indicate, the Hebrew text is somewhat redundant. But it is possible to be even more economical than Good News Translation: “To this half-tribe of Manasseh, which descended from Manasseh’s son Machir, Moses gave half of Gilead, together with the cities of Ashtaroth and Edrei, where king Og had once ruled.”

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 13:31

13:31a

half of Gilead: The phrase half of Gilead indicates half of the region of Gilead. The other half of the Gilead region was captured from King Sihon and was mentioned in 12:2. You should translate the term Gilead the same way in both places.

and Ashtaroth and Edrei, the royal cities of Og in Bashan: Ashtaroth and Edrei were two important towns in the kingdom of King Og.

In some languages it may be more natural to begin a new sentence here. Here is another way to translate this verse:

It included half of Gilead, as well as Ashtaroth and Edrei (Good News Translation)

Ashtaroth: The town of Ashtaroth was the capital town of King Og of Bashan. Ashtaroth was mentioned in Joshua 9:10 and you should translate it the same way in both places.

Edrei: King Og also had a residence where he sometimes lived in the town of Edrei. Edrei was mentioned in Joshua 12:4, and you should translate it the same way in both places.

13:31b

All this was for the clans of the descendants of Machir son of Manasseh: The word All this indicates the towns that were listed in verses 13:30-31.

was for: The verb phrase was for is not in the Hebrew text. The Hebrew text has no verb, but in English a verb must be supplied.

the clans of the descendants: The phrase the clans of the descendants indicates that each clan or group of families within half of the tribe of Manasseh that was descended from Machir received their own portion of the land on the east side of the Jordan River.

Here is another way to translate this phrase:

Moses gave these towns to the people of Machir the son of Manasseh

Machir son of Manasseh: Machir was the first-born son of Manasseh.

Here is another way to spell Machir:

Makir (NET Bible, New International Version)

13:31c

that is, half of the descendants of Machir: The phrase half of the descendants of Machir contains similar information to the phrase in verse 13:31b “the people of Machir the son of Manasseh.” In some languages it is more natural to leave one of these phrases as implicit information.

Here is another way to translate verse 13:31b-c:

Moses gave these towns to the families in this half-tribe of Manasseh. These families were the descendants of Machir the son of Manasseh.

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