complete verse (Judges 12:12)

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

  • Kupsabiny: “Then he died and was buried in the city of Aijalon which was in the land of Zebulun.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Then Elon died, [and] he was buried in Aijalon of the land of Zebulun.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “When he died, he was-buried in Ayalon which is part of Zebulun.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Then he died and was buried in Aijalon city in the area where the tribe of Zebulun lives.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Judges 12:12

Then Elon the Zebulunite died: See verse 12.10. Elon’s full name Elon the Zebulunite occurs at the beginning and end of this very brief section.

And was buried at Aijalon in the land of Zebulun: See verse 12.10. Standard formulas are used here, but the name Elon sounds like the name of his hometown Aijalon, so there may be a play on words. There is another Aijalon allotted to the Danites in verse 1.35, but they are apparently not the same towns, this one being in the land of Zebulun. The repetition of the name Zebulun and the phrase in the land of Zebulun give a folktale-like style to the narration. Land may be rendered “territory” (Good News Translation) or “region.”

Quoted with permission from Zogbo, Lynell and Ogden, Graham S. A Handbook on Judges. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Judges 12:12

12:12 Then Elon the Zebulunite died, and he was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.

Then Elon died. He was buried in the town Aijalon, in the territory of the clan Zebulun.
-or-
When Elon the man from Zebulun died, ⌊they⌋ buried him in Aijalon. The town Aijalon was in the territory of the descendants of Zebulun.
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⌊They⌋ buried him in Aijalon of Zebulun when he died.

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