priest

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The Hebrew, Aramaic, Ge’ez, and Greek that are typically translated as “priest” in English (itself deriving from Latin “presbyter” — “elder”) is often translated with a consideration of existing religious traditions. (Click or tap for details)

Bratcher / Nida (1961) say this:

“However, rather than borrow local names for priests, some of which have unwanted connotations, a number of translations have employed descriptive phrases based on certain functions: (1) those describing a ceremonial activity: Pamona uses tadu, the priestess who recites the litanies in which she describes her journey to the upper or under-world to fetch life-spirit for sick people, animals or plants; Batak Toba uses the Arabic malim, ‘Muslim religious teacher;’ ‘one who presents man’s sacrifice to God’ (Bambara, Eastern Maninkakan), ‘one who presents sacrifices’ (Baoulé, Navajo (Dinė)), ‘one who takes the name of the sacrifice’ (Kpelle, and ‘to make a sacrifice go out’ (Hausa); (2) those describing an intermediary function: ‘one who speaks to God’ (Shipibo-Conibo) and ‘spokesman of the people before God’ (Tabasco Chontal).”

In Obolo it is translated as ogwu ngwugwa or “the one who offers sacrifice” (source: Enene Enene), in Mairasi as agam aevar nevwerai: “religious leader” (source: Enggavoter 2004), in Ignaciano as “blesser, one who does ritual as a practice” (using a generic term rather than the otherwise common Spanish loan word sacerdote) (source: Willis Ott in Notes on Translation 88/1982, p. 18ff.), and in Noongar as yakin-kooranyi or “holy worker” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

For Guhu-Samane, Ernest Richert (in The Bible Translator, 1965, p. 81ff. ) reports this: “The [local] cult of Poro used to be an all-encompassing religious system that essentially governed all areas of life. (…) For ‘priest’ the term ‘poro father’ would at first seem to be a natural choice. However, several priests of the old cult are still living. Although they no longer function primarily as priests of the old system they still have a substantial influence on the community, and there would be more than a chance that the unqualified term would (in some contexts particularly) be equated with the priest of the poro cult. We learned, then, that the poro fathers would sometimes be called ‘knife men’ in relation to their sacrificial work. The panel was pleased to apply this term to the Jewish priest, and the Christian community has adopted it fully. [Mark 1:44, for instance, now] reads: ‘You must definitely not tell any man of this. But you go show your body to the knife man and do what Moses said about a sacrifice concerning your being healed, and the cause (base of this) will be apparent.'”

For a revision of the 1968 version of the Bible in Khmer Joseph Hong (in: The Bible Translator 1996, 233ff. ) talks about a change in wording for this term:

​​Bau cha r (បូជា‌ចារ្យ) — The use of this new construction meaning “priest” is maintained to translate the Greek word hiereus. The term “mean sang (មាន សង្ឃ)” used in the old version actually means a “Buddhist monk,” and is felt to be theologically misleading. The Khmer considers the Buddhist monk as a “paddy field of merits,” a reserve of merits to be shared with other people. So a Khmer reader would find unthinkable that the mean sang in the Bible killed animals, the gravest sin for a Buddhist; and what a scandal it would be to say that a mean sang was married, had children, and drank wine.

In Cuban Sign Language (the Jewish) priest is translated referencing the ephod , the traditional apron that was worn by priests:


“Priest” in Cuban Sign Language (source: La Biblia Para Personas Sorde )

Alain Montano (in: The Bible Translator 2026, p. 173ff.) explains: “A second challenge arose in translating the term ‘priest’ in Luke 10:31, referring to the priest who was descending from the temple. The translation team consisted primarily of Evangelical translators and included one Catholic translator. The initial sign proposed for ‘priest’ referenced the clerical collar, a symbol commonly associated with clergy across multiple Christian denominations, such as Methodists, Anglicans, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Reformed, Catholics, Moravians, and others. While most team members considered this option acceptable, the Catholic translator raised concerns that this representation could generate confusion, as it encompassed denominational identities not directly related to the priest described in the biblical text.

“Given this observation, the team began searching for a sign that accurately represented the priest in question and his role, with the aim of ensuring that the translation and interpretation of the text was as faithful as possible. Signs referencing a bishop’s miter or the skullcap worn by cardinals and popes were discarded, as the priest in question did not belong to the Catholic tradition as the evangelical translators initially understood it.

“The possibility of representing the high priest—using the breastplate and the Urim and Thummim — was also rejected, since the character in the text was not the high priest, but a Levitical priest serving his assigned turn in the temple. The challenge was ultimately resolved through the creation of a new sign referencing the ephod, which more accurately represented this type of priest, who served as an assistant in the work of the temple of Israel.”

See also idolatrous priests.

complete verse (Numbers 16:39)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Numbers 16:39:

  • Kupsabiny: “The priest Eleazar took those pans of bronze and beat them to make them flat and made them cover the altar.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Eleazar the priest, took the bronze firepots [that] had been offered by those people who had been reduced to ashes, and beat them into metal sheets to put on the altar,” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “So according to what the LORD had-commanded through Moises, Eleazar the priest took the bronze containers of incense that were-burned that was-brought by men, and have- (them) -hammered in-order to-cover/lay-upon the altar. This is a warning for the Israelinhon that no-one can-come-near the altar to burn incense to the LORD aside only for the descendants of Aaron, so-that what had-happened to Korah and his followers will- not- happen to him.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “So Eleazar the priest collected the 250 pans for burning incense that had been used by the men who died in the fire. He hammered the pans very thin to make a covering for the altar, as Yahweh told Moses/me should be done.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Numbers 16:39 - 16:40

So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers: This is the first time chapter 16 mentions that the censers were made of bronze. Good News Translation omits this idea here, but has included it in verse 37. The Hebrew term rendered bronze means both “bronze” and “copper,” but “bronze” is probably what is intended here. Copper is a reddish metal, and bronze is a man-made alloy (compound) of copper and tin (and sometimes other elements).

Which those who were burned had offered refers to the 250 chieftains who were burned to death. The Hebrew verb rendered were burned comes from the same root as the noun translated “blaze” in verse 37 (see the comments there). Offered renders the Hebrew verb hiqrib (see verse 38 and 9.7). The past perfect verb had offered in English indicates that these rebels presented their censers before they were burned. In languages that do not have this verbal form, translators may need to put these two verbs in chronological order by rendering this clause as “which those men presented before they were burned up.” This clause repeats what has been said already to highlight the sin of the rebels and their awful punishment. Good News Translation omits this clause. However, if such repetition is used for emphasis in a language, it should be kept.

And they were hammered out as a covering for the altar: See verse 38.

To be a reminder to the people of Israel is literally “a reminder to the people of Israel” (see verse 38 for a similar expression). Good News Translation says “This was a warning to the Israelites.” There is no verb here in the Hebrew text. This phrase is in apposition to a covering for the altar, which New Revised Standard Version conveys by using a long dash before it and saying “a reminder to the Israelites.” New Revised Standard Version is more accurate here than Revised Standard Version or Good News Translation by keeping the appositional construction. In some languages such a construction will make the narrative more vivid.

So that no one who is not a priest, who is not of the descendants of Aaron …: The Hebrew has no past tense verbs here. The text primarily addresses Israelites at a time when there were still Aaronite priests, and this should be clear from the translation as well. So we do not recommend Good News Translation‘s rendering here, which is “that no one who was not a descendant of Aaron….” Who is not a priest is literally “stranger/foreigner/outsider” (see 3.10, where the Hebrew word here is rendered “any one else”). The Hebrew word for descendants is literally “seed” (see 14.25). New Revised Standard Version follows the Hebrew more closely for this whole clause by saying “that no outsider, who is not of the descendants of Aaron…” (similarly New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). Another possible model is “that no one except a descendant of Aaron…” (New International Version).

Should draw near to burn incense before the LORD: Draw near may be rendered “approach” (NET Bible) or “come forward” (Revised English Bible). Good News Translation specifies the place by saying “come to the altar.” The Hebrew words for burn and incense come from the same root meaning “smoke.” For incense and before the LORD, see verse 7.

Lest he become as Korah and as his company: Chewa says “lest similar things befall him as befell Korah….” Good News Translation begins a new sentence here, saying “Otherwise he would be destroyed like Korah…,” and so does New Living Translation with “If anyone did, the same thing would happen to him as happened to Korah….” For the Hebrew word rendered company (ʿedah), see verse 5.

As the LORD said to Eleazar through Moses is literally “just as the LORD said by the hand of Moses to him,” which NET Bible renders “just as the LORD had spoken by the authority of Moses.” It will often be more natural to start a new sentence here, as in Good News Translation, which says “All this was done as the LORD had commanded Eleazar through Moses.” Some translations place this clause at the beginning of verse 40, treating it as a logical continuation of verse 39; for example, New Century Version renders verses 39-40 as follows:

• 39 So Eleazar the priest gathered all the bronze pans that had been brought by the men who were burned up. He had the pans hammered into flat sheets to put on the altar, 40 as the LORD had commanded him through Moses. These sheets were to remind the Israelites that only descendants of Aaron should burn incense before the LORD. Anyone else would die like Korah and his followers.

Quoted with permission from de Regt, Lénart J. and Wendland, Ernst R. A Handbook on Numbers. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .