Jordan

The Hebrew, Greek and Ge’ez that is translated as “Jordan” means “descending (rapidly),” “flowing down.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )

In Hungarian Sign Language it is translated with the sign for the river bordering Jordan and Israel, along with the general sign for river. (Source: Jenjelvi Biblia and HSL Bible Translation Group)


“Jordan river” in Hungarian Sign Language (source )

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Jordan River .

complete verse (Joshua 17:5)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Joshua 17:5:

  • Kupsabiny: “Then the clan of Manasse was added ten portions of land west of Jordan.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “In that way besides the land of Gilead and Bashan east of the Jordan there were ten shares for Manasseh on the west side of the Jordan.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “This was the reason why the tribe of Manase was-able-to-received ten portions of land, aside from Gilead and Bashan in the east of Jordan,” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “So the tribe of Manasseh eventually had ten sections of land west of the Jordan River and two sections, Gilead and Bashan, on the east side of the Jordan River.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Joshua 17:5 - 17:6

The information ends (verse 6b) with the redundant note that the land of Gilead, on the east side of the Jordan was assigned to the rest of the descendants of Manasseh.

For the sake of avoiding unnecessary words, it is possible to place verses 5-6 together:

• Joshua assigned land to Manasseh’s male descendants and to his female descendants. That is why the tribe of Manasseh received ten shares of land on the west side of the Jordan River in addition to the territories of Gilead and Bashan on the east side.

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 17:5

17:5a

Thus ten shares fell to Manasseh: The clause ten shares fell to Manasseh indicates that the clan of Manasseh received ten pieces of land on the west side of the Jordan River. The sub-clans of Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem and Shemida each received one piece of land. The sub-clan of Hepher received five pieces of land. It received one piece for each of Zelophehad’s daughters.

The clan of Manasseh

Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

So the clan of Manasseh received ten portions of land ⌊on the west side of the Jordan River⌋
-or-
That is why the descendants of Manasseh had ten sections of land ⌊west of the Jordan River⌋

17:5b

in addition to the land of Gilead and Bashan: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

as well as the regions of Gilead and Bashan
-or-
They also had the lands of Gilead and Bashan

17:5c

beyond the Jordan: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

which were east of the Jordan River
-or-
These regions were on the east side of the Jordan River

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