The Hebrew that is transliterated as “Reuben” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the sign for “head” or “leader” referring to the position he had among his brothers as the firstborn. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
Three clans shall spread/set up on the South side, and the clan of Reuben shall be in charge. Those clans are these:
Clan
Leader
Number of soldiers
Reuben
Elizur son of Shedeur
46,500
Simeon
Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai
59,300
Gad
Eliasaph son of Deuel
45,650
The total/all is 151,450. The community of Reuben is number two to be going.
(Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “In the camp of Reuben the whole number according to section was 151,450 [men]. These will march second in line.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “151,450 (in) all (are) the numbers of these group which the tribe of Reuben is-leading. These are the second group whenever the Israelinhon go/travel/[lit. walk].” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “So there will be 151,450 troops on the south side of the Sacred Tent. Those three tribes will follow the first group when the Israelis travel.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Many languages use a “body part tally system” where body parts function as numerals (see body part tally systems with a description). One such language is Angguruk Yali which uses a system that ends at the number 27. To circumvent this limitation, the Angguruk Yali translators adopted a strategy where a large number is first indicated with an approximation via the traditional system, followed by the exact number according to Arabic numerals. For example, where in 2 Samuel 6:1 it says “thirty thousand” in the English translation, the Angguruk Yali says teng-teng angge 30.000 or “so many rounds [following the body part tally system] 30,000,” likewise, in Acts 27:37 where the number “two hundred seventy-six” is used, the Angguruk Yali translation says teng-teng angge 276 or “so many rounds 276,” or in John 6:10 teng-teng angge 5.000 for “five thousand.”
This strategy is used in all the verses referenced here.
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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.
One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme rare (られ) is affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, oku-rare-ru (送られる) or “send” is used.
Most of the comments on verses 3-9 apply here as well.
On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben means Reuben and the other tribes in its group must camp on the south side of the Tent of Meeting. The cardinal point south may be difficult to translate. In some languages, with an orientation toward the rising sun (east), south is spoken of as being on the “right hand.” The camp of Reuben refers to the tribes of Reuben, Simeon, and Gad.
The leader of the people of Reuben being Elizur the son of Shedeur: See 1.5.
And those to encamp next to him shall be the tribe of Simeon: The pronoun him refers to the tribe of Reuben. Contemporary English Version makes this clear by rendering this clause as “On one side of Reuben will be the tribe of Simeon.”
The leader of the people of Simeon being Shelumi-el the son of Zurishaddai: See 1.6.
In some languages it will be more natural and seem less repetitive if Then the tribe of Gad (verse 14) is moved to the beginning of verse 12, combining it with the tribe of Simeon as follows: “Those to camp next to the tribe of Reuben shall be the tribes of Simeon and Gad….”
The leader of the people of Gad being Eliasaph the son of Reuel: See 1.14. The name Reuel is spelled “Deuel” by Good News Translation. There is textual evidence for both these spellings in this verse. (The Hebrew letters for “d” and “r” look very similar and are easily confused.) Reuel follows Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia as well as the Septuagint and the Peshitta, the ancient Syriac translation. “Deuel” is found in the Vulgate and the Samaritan Pentateuch. Elsewhere in the book of Numbers (1.14; 7.42, 47; 10.20), the same person, the father of Eliasaph, is consistently called “Deuel.” So we recommend “Deuel” here as well (so also Hebrew Old Testament Text).
They shall set out second: The pronoun They refers to the three tribes under the banner of Reuben. Set out renders the same Hebrew verb as at the end of verse 9 (see the comments there). Chewa translates this clause as “They should be the second group when traveling.”
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 .
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