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.

Levite

The Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic and Latin that is transliterated “Levites” in English (only the Contemporary English Version translates it as “temple helpers”) is translated in Ojitlán Chinantec as “temple caretakers,” Yatzachi Zapotec as “people born in the family line of Levi, people whose responsibility it was to do the work in the important church of the Israelites,” in Alekano as “servants in the sacrifice house from Jerusalem place,” and in Tenango Otomi as “helpers of priests.” (Source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)

In American Sign Language with a sign that combines “temple” + “servant.” (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)


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

For the sign in Spanish Sign Language, see Levi.

More information about Levites .

complete verse (Joshua 21:40)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Joshua 21:40:

  • Kupsabiny: “So, all the cities that were given to the house of Merari were twenty-two.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The Merarite clan, the last of the remaining clans of Levi, was given twelve cities in all.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “12 towns/cities (in)-all, including their pasturelands, (were) what the descendants of Merari from the tribe of Levi received.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Altogether twelve cities were allotted to the Merari clans.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Joshua 21:34 - 21:40

Twelve cities are assigned to the clan of Merari.

Four cities are in Zebulun (verses 34-35).In verse 35, instead of the Masoretic text Dimnah, Hebrew Old Testament Text Project prefers “Rimmonah” (as in 19.13); New English Bible Bible de Jérusalem Jerusalem Bible prefer “Rimmon.”

Four cities are in Reuben (verses 36-37). The first part of verse 36 in the Masoretic text is “and from the tribe of Reuben, Bezer with its pasture lands” (see Revised Standard Version). The Septuagint (see also 1 Chr. 6.78) has “and on the east side of the Jordan, opposite Jericho, from the tribe of Reuben, one of the cities of refuge, Bezer in the wilderness on the plateau, with its pasture lands” (the passages in italics are not in the Masoretic text). Hebrew Old Testament Text Project, rating its decision highly probable, takes this to be original and recommends its adoption (so Soggin; Bible de Jérusalem, New English Bible, New American Bible, and Jerusalem Bible include part of the Septuagint additional matter).

Four cities are in Gad (verses 38-39), one of which, Ramoth, was a city of refuge (see 20.9).

The translation of verses 34-39 should follow the pattern of verses 17-18, and the translation of verse 40 should follow that of verse 19. Although the phrase with their pasture lands is not found in verse 40, it may be introduced there by way of summary and omitted from its occurrences in the previous verses.

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 21:40

21:40a

twelve cities were allotted to the clans of Merari: This verse is like verse 21:19. It is a concluding statement for the paragraph about the towns that the families of Merari received.

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

The towns that the descendants of Merari, according to their families
-or-
The towns of the family groups of the Merari people

The Hebrew clause twelve cities were allotted to is more literally “their lot was twelve cities.”

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

the clans of Merari received twelve towns by lot
-or-
Their share of the clans of Merari was twelve towns.

21:40b

the remaining Levite clans: The Hebrew clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the remaining Levite clans is more literally “the remaining ones from the clans of the Levites.” This indicates that the Merari families were the last Levite families to receive towns.

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

who were the remaining clans of the Levites
-or-
those family groups of the Levites who had not yet received towns

Paragraph: 21:41–42

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