the organization of work (image)

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Image taken from the Wiedmann Bible. For more information about the images and ways to adopt them, see here .

For other images of Willy Wiedmann paintings in TIPs, see here.

son of

The Greek and Hebrew that is translated as “son of” in English is translated in all Icelandic Bible versions of the Icelandic Bible Society (latest edition 2007) in parallel with the Icelandic naming system . This means that for instance in Matthew 16:17 the name that is transliterated and translated in English as “Simon son of Jonah” becomes “Simon Jónasson” or in Isaiah 8:2 “Zechariah son of Jeberechiah” becomes “Sakaría Jeberekíason” where in both cases the “-son” means “son of.”

In cases where “son of” does not refer to a literal father or perhaps stepfather but to lineage, however, this system is not used. So in Matthew 1:1 “Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham” is translated as “Jesú Krists, sonar Davíðs, sonar Abrahams.”

The referenced verses all have at least one instance where the Icelandic patronymic or matronymic naming system is used. (Source: Halldór Elías Guðmundsson)

See also daughter of.

complete verse (Nehemiah 3:18)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Nehemiah 3:18:

  • Kupsabiny: “But/And those who followed him were the Levites who were led by Binnui son of Henadad who was ruler of another half of the area of Keilah.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Next to him were his fellowmen being-headed by the child of Henadad who-was Binui, the leader/[lit. head] of the half district of Keila.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Bavvai the son of Henadad, who ruled the other half of the Keilah District, repaired the next section along with other descendants of Levi.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Nehemiah 3:18

Their brethren repaired: Their brethren refers to the fellow Levites of those mentioned in the previous verse. They repaired the next section of the wall.

Bavvai the son of Henadad: MT has Bavvai, but this is a scribal error for “Binnui” (as in verse 24 below), which is found in some Hebrew manuscripts and versions. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project gives “Binnui” a B rating and some translations say Binnui in the text (for example, Contemporary English Version, New International Version, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible), and this is recommended to translators. Henadad was a family or clan name of Levites (see Ezra 3.9). Translators should put the name Binnui in the text and mention Bavvai in a footnote.

Ruler of half the district of Keilah: If Hashabiah was ruler of half the district of Keilah in the preceding verse, then Bavvai (or, “Binnui”) was “ruler of the other half of the Keilah District,” as Good News Translation makes explicit.

Quoted with permission from Noss, Philip A. and Thomas, Kenneth J. A Handbook on Nehemiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2005. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .