And behold translates a frequently used attention-getter; see comments on 1.20, where it is first used in the Gospel. As there, a phrase such as “And it happened that” can be used, or the phrase can be dropped if it is not natural in the receptor language.
Canaanite is found numerous times in the Old Testament, though it is used only here in the New Testament. The problem is that there was no longer a political country called “Canaan” in New Testament times. Some scholars are of the opinion that this was the Semitic manner of referring to the people of Phoenicia at the time that Matthew’s Gospel was written.
Canaanite woman is frequently rendered as “a woman from Canaan,” but here this results in the awkward phrase “a woman from that area who was from Canaan.” And it is not proper to say that she came from a country that no longer existed. “A woman who lived in that area who was of the people from Canaan” or “a woman from the area who was of the group called Canaanites” may be better.
From that region is best taken to mean that the woman lived in that region: “living in that locality” (New American Bible) and “from those parts” (New English Bible; Barclay “these parts”).
Came out translates the same verb rendered “went away” in verse 21, and it raises a question regarding the exact location of Jesus at the moment that the Canaanite woman came to him with her request. The problem is that the Greek of verse 21 may imply that Jesus only headed in the direction of Tyre and Sidon, but did not in fact get beyond the borders of northern Galilee. If this is accepted as the meaning, then came out states that the woman left her territory and went down to northern Galilee where Jesus was at the time. Without hesitation Jerusalem Bible‘s footnote says “Since the woman has left pagan territory it is in Israel that Jesus grants his favour.” Both Zürcher Bibel and Luther 1984 support this interpretation, as does Moffatt (“came out of these parts”). But came out may describe no more than the woman’s departure from her home or village; or it may be used loosely in the sense of “came” (New English Bible), which seems to be the intent of “presented herself” (New American Bible) and “came to” (Good News Translation, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, New International Version, Barclay, Phillips). Revised Standard Version is ambiguous, with woman from that region came out (similarly An American Translation).
Cried is not used here to mean “weep.” Rather the woman “cried out” (Good News Translation) or “shouted.”
The noun of address by which the woman appeals to Jesus may mean either Lord (so also New American Bible, Phillips) or “sir” (Good News Translation, Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible, Barclay). If the meaning is “sir,” then it is equivalent to an honorific and so may be omitted from explicit mention in English translation. On the other hand, if the meaning is Lord, then this will have to be stated explicitly in the text. See comment at 8.25.
Son of David is a Jewish Messianic title (see comments at 12.23). It is especially noteworthy that a Canaanite woman would speak to Jesus in this way.
In many languages, O Lord, Son of David will have to be the first thing the woman says. O is no longer common in English as a means of addressing people, which is why Good News Translation has dropped it. There are also translators who will find that the two terms of address together is not natural, and they may find it better to separate them somewhat, as Good News Translation has.
In some languages the title Son of David does not lend itself naturally as a term of address. This is true, for example, in languages where the formula for a title would result in “the One people call Son of David.” A woman calling out in a desperate attempt to get someone’s attention would certainly not take time to say all that. Son of David with a footnote to explain that it is a Messianic title will be much more appropriate.
For Have mercy on me, see comments at 9.27.
Severely possessed by a demon (Good News Translation “has a demon and is in a terrible condition”) translates two words in Greek, a verb modified by an adverb, which mean literally “terribly possessed.” Both New Jerusalem Bible and New English Bible render “is tormented by a devil”; Barclay translates “is possessed by a demon and is very ill.” Phillips is fairly dramatic: “is in a terrible state—a devil has got into her!” Another possible rendering is “is suffering very much because she is possessed by an evil spirit.”
For possessed by a demon, see comments at 4.24.
Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
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