tribe

The Greek and Hebrew that is translated as “tribe” in English when referring to the “12 tribes of Israel” is translated in some East African languages, including Taita and Pökoot, with the equivalent of “clan” instead.

Aloo Mojola explains (in The Bible Translator 1989, p. 208ff. ) (click or tap here to see the rest of this insight):

“A number of Bible translation teams in East Africa have been baffled and intrigued by the use of the term ‘tribe’ in the English translations of the Bible. The usage employed in these translations does not reflect any of the popular meanings associated with the term ‘tribe’ in present-day English. Neither does it reflect popular conceptions of the meaning of this term in East Africa or in other parts of Africa and elsewhere. This raises the question: is the term tribe the best translation of the Hebrew terms shebeth and matteh or the Greek term phyle? What is a tribe anyway? Are the twelve tribes of Israel tribes in the sense this term is currently understood? How can this term be translated in East African languages?

“It is easy to see that there is no consistent definition of the term tribe which applies exclusively and consistently to the communities to which it is currently applied. Why, for example, are the Somali or the Baganda called a tribe, but not the Irish or the Italians? Why do the Yoruba or Hausa qualify, but not the Portuguese or the Russians? Why the Bakongo and the Oromo, but not the Germans or the Scots? Why the Eritreans, but not the French or Dutch-speaking Belgians? Why the Zulu or the Xhosa, but not the South African Boers (Afrikaners) or the South African English? The reason for the current prejudices, it would seem, has nothing to do with language, physical type, common territory, common cultural values, type of political and social organization or even population size. Ingrained prejudices and preconceived ideas about so-called “primitive” peoples have everything to do with it.

“The term ‘tribe’ is used to refer to a universal and world-wide phenomenon of ethnic identification which may draw on any of the following bases: identification in terms of one’s first or dominant language of communication (linguistic), in terms of one’s place of origin (regional), in terms of one’s presumed racial, biological or genetic type (racial), or in terms of one’s ideological or political commitments (ideological), and so on. Communities may choose one or more of these bases as criteria for membership. Any of these may change over time. Moreover forms of ethnic identification are dynamic or in a state of flux, changing in response to new environments and circumstances. Essentially forms of ethnic association reflect a people’s struggle for survival through adaptation to changing times. This is inextricably intertwined with the production and distribution of vital resources, goods and services as well as the distribution of power, class and status in society.

“At the base of any ethnic group is the nuclear family which expands to include the extended family. The extended family consists of more than two families related vertically and horizontally: parents and their offspring, cousins, uncles, aunts, nephews, and others, extending to more than two generations. A lineage is usually a larger group than an extended family. It includes a number of such families who trace descent through the male or female line to a common ancestor. A clan may be equivalent to or larger than a lineage. Where it is larger than a lineage, it brings together several lineages which may or may not know the precise nature of their relationships, but which nevertheless claim descent from a common ancestor. A clan is best thought of as a kind of sub-ethnic unit whose members have some unifying symbol such as totem, label, or myth. In most cases the clan is used to determine correct marriage lines, but this is not universally so. Above the clan is the ethnic group, usually referred to inconsistently as the tribe. Members of an ethnic group share feelings of belonging to a common group. The basis of ethnic identity is not always derived from a common descent, real or fictional; it may draw on any of the bases mentioned above.

“The Israelites identified themselves as one people sharing a common descent, a common religious and cultural heritage, a common language and history. There is no doubt that they constitute what would nowadays be called an ethnic group, or by some people a tribe. The twelve subunits of the Israelite ethnic group or tribe, (Hebrew shebeth or matteh, or Greek phyle) are clearly equivalent to clans. In fact this is what seems to make sense to most African Bible translators in the light of their understanding of these terms and the biblical account. Referring to a shebeth as a tribe or an ethnic group and to Israel as a collection of twelve tribes creates unnecessary confusion. Translating each of the terms shebeth, matteh, and phyle as clan seems to solve this problem and to be consistent with current usage in African languages.”

See also family / clan / house.

idol / idols

The Hebrew, Greek and Latin that is translated as “idol(s)” in English is translated in Central Subanen as ledawan or “images.” (Source: Robert Brichoux in OPTAT 1988/2, p. 80ff. )

In German, typically the term Götze is used. Originally this was used as a term of endearment for Gott (“God” — see here ), later for “icon” and “image, likeness.” Luther started to use it in the 16th century in the meaning of “false god, idol.”

Other terms that are used in German include Götzenbild(er) (“image[s] of idols”) or Bildnis (“image” — Protestant) / Kultbild (“cultish image” — Catholic) (used for instance in Exodus 20:4 and Deuteronomy 5:8). The latest revision of the Catholic Einheitsübersetzung (publ. 2016) also uses the neologism Nichtse (“nothings”) in 1 Chron. 16:26 and Psalm 96:5. (Source: Zetzsche)

See also worthless idols.

son vs. grandson

“Son of x, son of y” must be rendered as “son of x and grandson of y” in Tibetan or else it will sound like two different people.

Note: The same translation solution is chosen in many contemporary English Bibles that emphasize easy readability, such as the Contemporary English Version, Common English Bible, Good News Translation, God’s Word, or New Living Translation.

See also father / grandfather.

priest

Click here to view graphically

The Hebrew, Aramaic, Ge’ez, and Greek that are typically translated as “priest” in English (itself deriving from Latin “presbyter” — “elder”) is often translated with a consideration of existing religious traditions. (Click or tap for details)

Bratcher / Nida (1961) say this:

“However, rather than borrow local names for priests, some of which have unwanted connotations, a number of translations have employed descriptive phrases based on certain functions: (1) those describing a ceremonial activity: Pamona uses tadu, the priestess who recites the litanies in which she describes her journey to the upper or under-world to fetch life-spirit for sick people, animals or plants; Batak Toba uses the Arabic malim, ‘Muslim religious teacher;’ ‘one who presents man’s sacrifice to God’ (Bambara, Eastern Maninkakan), ‘one who presents sacrifices’ (Baoulé, Navajo (Dinė)), ‘one who takes the name of the sacrifice’ (Kpelle, and ‘to make a sacrifice go out’ (Hausa); (2) those describing an intermediary function: ‘one who speaks to God’ (Shipibo-Conibo) and ‘spokesman of the people before God’ (Tabasco Chontal).”

In Obolo it is translated as ogwu ngwugwa or “the one who offers sacrifice” (source: Enene Enene), in Mairasi as agam aevar nevwerai: “religious leader” (source: Enggavoter 2004), in Ignaciano as “blesser, one who does ritual as a practice” (using a generic term rather than the otherwise common Spanish loan word sacerdote) (source: Willis Ott in Notes on Translation 88/1982, p. 18ff.), and in Noongar as yakin-kooranyi or “holy worker” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

For Guhu-Samane, Ernest Richert (in The Bible Translator, 1965, p. 81ff. ) reports this: “The [local] cult of Poro used to be an all-encompassing religious system that essentially governed all areas of life. (…) For ‘priest’ the term ‘poro father’ would at first seem to be a natural choice. However, several priests of the old cult are still living. Although they no longer function primarily as priests of the old system they still have a substantial influence on the community, and there would be more than a chance that the unqualified term would (in some contexts particularly) be equated with the priest of the poro cult. We learned, then, that the poro fathers would sometimes be called ‘knife men’ in relation to their sacrificial work. The panel was pleased to apply this term to the Jewish priest, and the Christian community has adopted it fully. [Mark 1:44, for instance, now] reads: ‘You must definitely not tell any man of this. But you go show your body to the knife man and do what Moses said about a sacrifice concerning your being healed, and the cause (base of this) will be apparent.'”

For a revision of the 1968 version of the Bible in Khmer Joseph Hong (in: The Bible Translator 1996, 233ff. ) talks about a change in wording for this term:

​​Bau cha r (បូជា‌ចារ្យ) — The use of this new construction meaning “priest” is maintained to translate the Greek word hiereus. The term “mean sang (មាន សង្ឃ)” used in the old version actually means a “Buddhist monk,” and is felt to be theologically misleading. The Khmer considers the Buddhist monk as a “paddy field of merits,” a reserve of merits to be shared with other people. So a Khmer reader would find unthinkable that the mean sang in the Bible killed animals, the gravest sin for a Buddhist; and what a scandal it would be to say that a mean sang was married, had children, and drank wine.

See also idolatrous priests.

complete verse (Judges 18:30)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Judges 18:30:

  • Kupsabiny: “After that, those people of the clan of Dan arranged where to place the idol. Then, they chose Jonathan who was a descendant of Gershom son of Moses to become priest. This house/family continued to be priests of the clan of Dan until when the people of that area were taken away to go to another country.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The tribe of Dan set up those idols. Then, until the nation Israel was deported [lit.: taken away] Jonathan son of Gershom, son of Moses and his sons were priests of the tribe of Dan.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “They set-up there the little-god of Micas and they worshipped (it). Jonatan the child/(son) of Gershom and grandchild/(grandson) of Moises whom they made as a priest. The descendants of Jonatan were the ones-who-served as priests in the tribe of Dan until the captivity of those (who) come-from-Israel.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “The people of the tribe of Dan set up in the city the idols that had been made for Micah. Jonathan, who was the son of Gershom and the grandson of Moses, was appointed to be their priest. His descendants continued to be priests until the Israelis were captured and taken to Assyria.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Moses

The name that is transliterated as “Moses” in English is signed in Spanish Sign Language and Polish Sign Language in accordance with the depiction of Moses in the famous statue by Michelangelo (see here ). (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. )


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

American Sign Language also uses the sign depicting the horns but also has a number of alternative signs (see here ).

In French Sign Language, a similar sign is used, but it is interpreted as “radiance” (see below) and it culminates in a sign for “10,” signifying the 10 commandments:


“Moses” in French Sign Language (source )

The horns that are visible in Michelangelo’s statue are based on a passage in the Latin Vulgate translation (and many Catholic Bible translations that were translated through the 1950ies with that version as the source text). Jerome, the translator, had worked from a Hebrew text without the niqquds, the diacritical marks that signify the vowels in Hebrew and had interpreted the term קרו (k-r-n) in Exodus 34:29 as קֶ֫רֶן — keren “horned,” rather than קָרַו — karan “radiance” (describing the radiance of Moses’ head as he descends from Mount Sinai).

In Swiss-German Sign Language it is translated with a sign depicting holding a staff. This refers to a number of times where Moses’s staff is used in the context of miracles, including the parting of the sea (see Exodus 14:16), striking of the rock for water (see Exodus 17:5 and following), or the battle with Amalek (see Exodus 17:9 and following).


“Moses” in Swiss-German Sign Language, source: DSGS-Lexikon biblischer Begriffe , © CGG Schweiz

In Vietnamese (Hanoi) Sign Language it is translated with the sign that depicts the eye make up he would have worn as the adopted son of an Egyptian princess. (Source: The Vietnamese Sign Language translation team, VSLBT)


“Moses” in Vietnamese Sign Language, source: SooSL

In Estonian Sign Language Moses is depicted with a big beard. (Source: Liina Paales in Folklore 47, 2011, p. 43ff. )


“Moses” in Estonian Sign Language, source: Glossary of the EKNK Toompea kogudus

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Moses .

Translation commentary on Judges 18:30

Once again, the wayward ways of the people of Dan are highlighted in this verse. They were unable to capture the land that was allotted to them, so they traveled north. They stole religious objects from Micah and attacked the peaceful people of Laish, burning down the town and killing its inhabitants. Then they changed the town’s name to honor their ancestor, and indirectly, themselves. Now the series of misdeeds comes to a climax as the Danites set up an unholy cult in this place. Contemporary English Version puts a paragraph break here, which the Hebrew allows. However, several versions let the text flow without such a break (Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation).

And the Danites set up the graven image for themselves: The Danites install the carved image that they stole from Micah (see verse 18.18-20). The Hebrew waw conjunction rendered And may be translated “Then,” especially since it would appear the Danites wasted no time in setting up this idol. This is one of the most ironic sentences in this book, since it uses the Hebrew verb qum rendered set up, which occurs throughout the book when the LORD “raises up” deliverers to save Israel (see, for example, verse 3.9, 15). Here with biting irony, it is used to say the Danites set up an idol. Several versions miss or are unable to express the irony (for example, Revised Standard Version and New Jerusalem Bible, which uses the verb “erected”). If no link can be maintained, it may be helpful to include a footnote to explain the irony here. The graven image is the last sacred item in the series cited in verse 18.20 (see comments on verse 17.3). Contemporary English Version says “the idol Micah had made,” which fits this context well (see verse 18.31 below).

And Jonathan the son of Gershom, son of Moses, and his sons were priests to the tribe of the Danites: Up to this point the priest working for Micah has not been named. Many scholars think he is finally being named here: Jonathan the son of Gershom, son of Moses. However, it is also possible that Jonathan refers to yet another priest who came to serve the Danites. The son of Gershom, son of Moses gives the genealogy of this priest, with Gershom being one of Moses’ sons (see Exo 2.22; verse 18.3). This detail is extremely important, as this breaks God’s Law that the priests should be descendants, not of Moses, but of his brother Aaron. In the Bible the typical way of giving the genealogy of a person is to trace the person through his father, grandfather, and so on, but translators should use expressions from their own language. Good News Translation, for example, says “the son of Gershom and grandson of Moses.” However, we must note an important textual variant here. Instead of Moses, the Masoretic Text has “Manasseh,” a reading that is adopted by New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, and put in a footnote by Revised Standard Version, Contemporary English Version, and New International Version. The name Moses comes from the Septuagint and the Vulgate, but is a reading followed by Hebrew Old Testament Text Project and many English versions (Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible, New American Bible). In Hebrew the two names are very close in spelling, differing by only one letter. And clearly the name Moses fits the context here. This name also occurs at the beginning of the book (verse 1.16, 20), which suggests it forms an inclusio. The reference to Moses adds more irony to the situation, since the Danites have once more strayed far from the teachings of this great patriarch.

And his sons were priests to the tribe of the Danites refers to the descendants of Jonathan who served as priests after him. The Hebrew is emphatic here, literally “he [Jonathan] and his sons, they were priests….” Sons has the sense of “descendants” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version) in this context. For the tribe of the Danites, see verse 18.1b. While the mention of descendants is usually positive in the Bible, here it underlines that the mistakes made by the first Danites are perpetuated for decades or even centuries. In some languages it may be necessary to use two separate sentences here, for example, “And a descendant of Moses, Jonathan, son of Gershom, served as priest for the tribe of Dan. And his descendants served as priests after him.”

Until the day of the captivity of the land: This clause emphasizes that the Danites continued to disobey Yahweh and practice idolatry for a very long time, that is, until the Israelites went into captivity. The tribe of Dan and the other northern tribes were conquered by the Assyrians in 721 B.C. and sent into exile. This clause is extremely interesting to Bible scholars, because it shows that this part of the text must be dated after 721 B.C. Until the day of might be rendered more generally as “until the time of” (New International Version) or “until the period of.” Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version say simply “until” the exile. Captivity renders an infinitive of the Hebrew verb meaning “go into exile,” referring here to the capture and the deportation of the people of Israel by the Assyrians. The land renders the same Hebrew word (ʾerets) that is often used to refer to the Promised Land. Here again irony surfaces, since this word brings to mind the LORD’s original plan to have the Israelites occupy the land. Here it refers to the people of the northern kingdom of Israel who were forced into exile. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh is quite literal, saying “until the land went into exile.” Good News Translation is more natural with “until the people were taken away into exile.” Contemporary English Version also provides a good model, saying “until the people of Israel were taken away as prisoners by their enemies.”

Translation models for this verse are:

• Then the people of Dan raised up Micah’s idol to worship it. And Jonathan, son of Gershom and grandson of Moses, along with his descendants, served as priests for the tribe of Dan, right up until the time the people were taken into exile.

• The descendants of Dan set up* the carved image to worship it, and a grandson of Moses, from the family of Gershom, named Jonathan, along with his descendants, served as their priests. These men served as priests for the Danites until the time that Israel was taken into exile.
* The Hebrew verb used here is qum , which is used throughout this book when the deliverers “arose.” Here it is used ironically since the people are clearly disobeying Yahweh.

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 .