The town name that is transliterated as “Bethlehem” in English is translated in Finnish Sign Language with the signs signifying “manger + town” (referring to Luke 2:7). (Source: Tarja Sandholm)
In American Sign Language it is translated with the signs for “bread” and “house,” referring to the original meaning of “Bethlehem” as “house of bread.” (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)
“Bethlehem” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor
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
The name that is transliterated as “Judah” or “Judea” in English (referring to the son of Jacob, the tribe, and the territory) is translated in Spanish Sign Language as “lion” (referring to Genesis 49:9 and Revelation 5:5). This sign for lion is reserved for regions and kingdoms. (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. and Steve Parkhurst)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Judges 17:9:
Kupsabiny: “Micah asked that young man, ‘Where are you coming from?’ The fellow replied, ‘I belong to the house of Levi and come from the city of Bethlehem in the land of Judah. I am looking for a place to live.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Micah asked him — "Where have you come from?" He responded, "I am a Levite of Bethlehem of Judea. I am looking for a place to live."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Micas asked him, ‘Where do- you (sing.) -come-from?’ He replied, ‘From-Betlehem, which is-part-of Juda. And I (am) a Levite. I am-looking for my place-to-live.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “Micah asked him, ‘Where are you from?’ He replied, ‘I come from Bethlehem. I am from the tribe of Levi, and I am looking for a place to live and work as a priest.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)
And Micah said to him: The Hebrew waw conjunction rendered And is omitted in several versions (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version). Many languages may prefer to begin this verse with a linking clause, such as “When he arrived.” The general verb said may be rendered “asked” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version), since Micah asks the Levite a question.
From where do you come? renders the Hebrew question quite literally. The question is probably asking about who the Levite is, rather than from where he was coming. Many languages have a similar kind of question to find out more about a person. For example, English may say “Where are you from?”
And he said to him: The pronoun he refers to the Levite, and the pronoun him to Micah, which will probably be clear in most languages. In this context the general verb said may be rendered “replied” (New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible) or “answered” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version).
I am a Levite of Bethlehem in Judah: The young man responds, first telling Micah that he is a Levite, and later adding where he is from. I am a Levite renders an emphatic expression in Hebrew, literally “A Levite I [am],” so obviously this man sees his role as a priest as crucial. Of Bethlehem in Judah repeats once again the place name, which is crucial to this story (see verse 17.7). We might say “I’m a Levite and I come from Bethlehem in Judah.”
And I am going to sojourn where I may find a place: This clause repeats the words of verse 17.8 (see comments there). The Levites had no territory of their own, so they moved around and served the people throughout the land, whatever their tribe. The pronoun for I is emphatic in Hebrew, which shows the Levite’s determination. New Jerusalem Bible gives a good rendering for this clause, saying “I am travelling, and am going to settle wherever I can find a home.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh is similar: “and I am traveling to take up residence wherever I can find a place.” Another possible model is “Wherever I find a place, I’ll stay there [to work].”
Translation models for this verse are:
• Micah asked him, “Where are you from?”
And the man replied, “I am a Levite. I’ve come from Bethlehem in Judah and I’m looking for a new place to live and work.”
• Micah asked the man where he had come from, and the man replied, “I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, but I will stay wherever I find a place [to work].”
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 .
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