Beor / Bosor

The name that is transliterated as “Beor” and “Bosor” in English means “torch,” “lamp,” “burning.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )

In Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) it is translated with a sign that combines “Balaam” (he was Balaam’s father) and “fire” (the name means “burning”). (Source: Missão Kophós )


“Beor / Bosor” in Libras (source )

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

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 (Numbers 24:15)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Numbers 24:15:

  • Kupsabiny: “Balaam narrated proverbs/sayings that God told him,
    ‘These are the words of Balaam son of Beor,
    words of a man who looks ahead,” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Then he spoke this word of God,
    "This is the prophecy of Balaam, son of Beor,
    the prophecy of a person whose eyes can see clearly.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Then Balaam spoke this message: ‘I am Balaam the child of Beor, and I have a clear understanding.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “So Balaam said this to Balak:
    ‘I, Balaam, son of Beor, am again giving a prophecy,
    speaking as a man who sees what will happen in the future clearly speaks.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Numbers 24:15

After a long prophetic introduction that duplicates earlier material (verses 15b-16), the rest of Balaam’s fourth oracle appears to adopt a chiastic structure as follows:

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 .