complete verse (Judges 20:46)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Judges 20:46:

  • Kupsabiny: “So, in that battle soldiers who may have amounted to twenty-five thousand whom Benjamin relied on perished.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “That day 25,000 Benjaminites were killed. All of the ones that were killed were soldiers who knew how to fight.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “All-in-all 25,000 brave Benjaminhon were killed that day. They were good/capable soldiers and armed with swords.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Altogether, there were 25,000 men of the tribe of Benjamin who were killed, all of whom had swords.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

large numbers in Angguruk Yali

Many languages use a “body part tally system” where body parts function as numerals (see body part tally systems with a description). One such language is Angguruk Yali which uses a system that ends at the number 27. To circumvent this limitation, the Angguruk Yali translators adopted a strategy where a large number is first indicated with an approximation via the traditional system, followed by the exact number according to Arabic numerals. For example, where in 2 Samuel 6:1 it says “thirty thousand” in the English translation, the Angguruk Yali says teng-teng angge 30.000 or “so many rounds [following the body part tally system] 30,000,” likewise, in Acts 27:37 where the number “two hundred seventy-six” is used, the Angguruk Yali translation says teng-teng angge 276 or “so many rounds 276,” or in John 6:10 teng-teng angge 5.000 for “five thousand.”

This strategy is used in all the verses referenced here.

Source: Lourens de Vries in The Bible Translator 1998, p. 409ff.

See also numbers in Ngalum and numbers in Kombai.

Translation commentary on Judges 20:46

So all who fell that day of Benjamin were twenty-five thousand men that drew the sword … is literally “And it was that all the fallen from Benjamin [were] 25,000 man who drew [the] sword that day….” This is a summary verse that combines many of the expressions from the previous verses. It begins with the Hebrew word wayehi (literally “And it was”), which often marks the beginning and end of literary units. In English the connector So is a good way to begin this summary. Once again the verb fell comes to the forefront and should be maintained if at all possible (see comments on verse 20.44). The phrase that day occurs at the end of this clause in Hebrew, but translators may place it anywhere for naturalness. Twenty-five thousand is 100 less than the number given in verse 20.35, but since this is a summary statement, the narrator may be rounding off that number. For men that drew the sword, see verse 20.2. This expression indicates that the twenty-five thousand men were all soldiers. There may have been other casualties. Good News Translation offers a good model, saying “In all, twenty-five thousand Benjaminites were killed that day….”

For all of them men of valor, see verse 20.44.

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 20:46

20:46a That day 25,000 Benjamite swordsmen fell,

⌊In total⌋ on that day twenty-five thousand Benjamin soldiers armed with swords died.
-or-
⌊A total of⌋ twenty-five thousand (25,000) soldiers of Benjamin died that day.

20:46b all men of valor.

All of them were strong warriors.
-or-
They were all brave soldiers armed with swords.

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