village

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “village” or “town” in English is translated in Noongar as karlamaya or “fire (used for “home“) + houses” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

In Elhomwe it is typically translated as “place.” “Here in Malawi, villages very small, so changed to ‘places,’ since not sure whether biblical reference just to small villages or also to bigger towns. (Source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

Caleb

The term that is transliterated as “Caleb” in English is translated in American Sign Language with one variation of the sign for “watch,” a reference to the fact that Caleb was one of the twelve who surveyed the Promised Land. The sign also alludes to watchdogs, a reference to Caleb’s enduring loyalty to God. (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)


“Caleb” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor

In Spanish Sign Language it is translated with the sign for “spy.” (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


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

More information on Caleb .

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 21:12)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Joshua 21:12:

  • Kupsabiny: “Although it was like that, Caleb son of Jephunneh had earlier been granted the fields of that city together with the villages.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The fields and villages of that city, however, were given to Caleb, son of Jephunneh, as his land as permanent.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “But the farms and villages around this city were-given now to Caleb the child/(son) of Jefune as his portion/share.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “But the fields and villages surrounding Arba had already been allotted to Caleb.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Joshua 21:11 - 21:16

For “Kiriath-arba” (Revised Standard Version), the old name of Hebron in verse 11, see verses 14.15 and 15.13. In verses 11-12 the point is made that the city of Hebron itself was assigned to the Levites, while the fields of the city, as well as its towns, belonged to Caleb (see 14.13-14). It is difficult to distinguish precisely between the pasture land around Hebron, which belonged to the Levites (verse 11), and the fields of the city, which belonged to Caleb (verse 12); the fields of the city should perhaps be understood to mean “the open country near the city” (New English Bible; see New American Bible).

Verses 11-16 name nine cities from the territories of the tribes of Judah and Simeon.In verse 16, instead of the Masoretic text Ain, Hebrew Old Testament Text Project (and others), following some manuscripts of the Septuagint and 1 Chr 6.59, prefers “Ashan”; so New English Bible Bible de Jérusalem Jerusalem Bible New American Bible. Verse 13 calls attention to the fact that Hebron was a city of refuge (see 20.7).

If verses 9-10 are translated as a unit, then verses 11-16 may be dealt with similarly:

• They received the city of Hebron, which was also a city of refuge, and the cities of Libnah … and Beth Shemesh. The city of Hebron lay in the hill country of Judah, and at that time it was called the city of Arba, after Arba, the father of Anak. The city and its pasture lands were given to the descendants of Aaron, but its fields and towns had already been given to Caleb.

Or, so as not to separate the initial mention of Hebron from the description of the city:

• They received the city of Hebron, which was also a city of refuge. It lay in the hill country of Judah, and at that time it was called Arba City, after Arba, the father of Anak. The fields and towns around it had already been given to Caleb, but the city and its pasture lands were now given to the descendants of Aaron. They also received the cities of Libnah … and Beth Shemesh.

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 21:12

21:12

But: The Hebrew conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as But indicates a contrast.

they had given the fields and villages around the city to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession: The Hebrew sentence places the object first to emphasize it. Use the order that is natural in your language.

the fields: The phrase the fields refers to the land around the town that was good for growing crops.

villages around the city: The phrase villages around the city refers to small settlements near the town that did not have a wall around them.

had given…to Caleb: The story of how Caleb received the town of Hebron was told in 14:6–15.

as his possession: The phrase as his possession can also be translated “as his property.”

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

But the fields and villages that were around the town had already been given to Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, as his own property.
-or-
However, Caleb the son of Jephunneh had already received the fields and villages that surrounded the town as his own.

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