complete verse (Leviticus 27:25)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Leviticus 27:25:

  • Kupsabiny: “Each value is to be measured according to how things are weighed/measured in the Tent of God.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “All values must be declared in terms of the silver shekel in the holy place. One shekel is 20 Gera.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “All the prices/values of these offering/sacrifices to the LORD must (be) according-to the weight/heaviness of the silver on the scale of the priests.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “All the silver that is paid must be compared with the official pieces of silver in the Sacred Tent.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Leviticus 27:25

The shekel of the sanctuary: that is, the official rate of value. See verse 3.

Gerahs: a unit of weight which was, according to this verse, one twentieth of a shekel. Compare also Exodus 30.13. A literal translation as in Revised Standard Version is meaningless to today’s reader, who is ignorant of the fact that the “gerah” was the smallest unit of measurement in the system used at that time. It was equivalent to about a half a gram. This information is, however, retained in Bible en français courant, with “of which the basic unit weighs 10 grams.” Another possible translation of this verse is “Every amount shall be decided according to the official measure, which may be divided into twenty parts.”

Quoted with permission from Péter-Contesse, René and Ellington, John. A Handbook on Leviticus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1990. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .