inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Judg 20:8)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, the Jarai translation uses the inclusive pronoun, including everyone.

complete verse (Judges 20:8)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Judges 20:8:

  • Kupsabiny: “Then, all the people stood together/in agreement and said, ‘Not even one person should go home.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “All the people got up and, like one man, spoke like this — "Not a single one of us will go to own home, not one of us will go to own home.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The people became-one who said, ‘No one of us (incl.) will-go-home.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “All the people stood up, and in unison said, ‘None of us will go home! Not one of us will return to his house!” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Judges 20:8

As the Israelites respond to what the Levite tells them, they resolve to act. The Hebrew word for “man” occurs three times.

And all the people arose as one man: The Hebrew waw conjunction rendered And introduces the people’s response, so we might say “Then” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) or “So.” All the people repeats the phrase used in verse 20.2. The Hebrew word for people (ʿam) is often used to refer to the Israelites (see verse 2.4). The Hebrew verb for arose (qum) occurs yet again in this section (see verse 20.5), always with irony. Though it might appear the people “stood up” (Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible), this verb also carries the sense of agreeing and acting together in this context. And behind its surface meaning is the irony that the verb evokes, as they are not “arising” to save Israel but to begin a civil war. As one man repeats the phrase from verse 20.1, here emphasizing the common accord among the tribes. This phrase also forms an inclusio around 20.1-11. Many languages have similar expressions and this figure of speech can be retained. If not, we might say “All the people agreed.”

Saying (literally “to say”) introduces the direct quote that follows. Many languages will prefer to say “and they said.” However, the people do more than speak in this context. They promise to do something, so it would be appropriate to say “and they promised/vowed/swore.”

We will not any of us go to his tent is literally “We will not go a man to his tent.” The people promise that not even one of them will return home. Any of us is a good rendering of the Hebrew word for “man” here. In this context go to his tent means “go home” (New International Version). See verse 7.8.

And none of us will return to his house is literally “and we will not return a man to his house,” once again with the emphasis on “a man.” The verbs go and return are parallel, and so are the nouns tent and house. The parallel structure expresses the determination of the Israelites to stay where they are until the matter is settled. Many languages will appreciate the parallelism here, so it can be maintained in the translation. However, if it is not natural, the two clauses may be combined, as in Contemporary English Version: “None of us will go home.” Good News Translation assumes the people live in two types of structures by saying “None of us, whether he lives in a tent or in a house, will go home.” However, this rendering may not be correct, since the parallel words tent and house probably refer to the same entity: “home.”

Translation models for this verse are:

• Then the people stood up together and promised, “Not one of us will return to his house. Not one of us will return home.

• So the entire group rose up as one man and swore, “Not one of us will return home.

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 20:8

20:8a Then all the people stood as one man and said, “Not one of us will return to his tent

Then the men stood up together as one person. They said, “Not one of us (incl.) will go home
-or-
⌊When they heard this⌋ everyone stood up and said to each other, “None of us can go home.

20:8b or to his house.

or go back to his own house.
-or-
No one will leave ⌊until we have done something about this⌋ .

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