family / clan / house

The Hebrew terms that are translated as “family” or “clan” or “house” or similar in English are all translated in Kwere as ng’holo or “clan.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

In the English translation by Goldingay (2018) it is translated as “kin-group.”

See also tribe.

complete verse (Numbers 26:14)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Numbers 26:14:

  • Kupsabiny: “The people of the houses of the clan of Simeon were 22,200.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “These were the clans of Simeon. Their count was 22,200 men.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “They were-particularly the families who came from Simeon; they were 22,200 in all.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “The Israeli leaders counted 22,200 men from the tribe of Simeon. They were in clans descended from Nemuel, Jamin, Jakin, Zerah, and Shaul.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Numbers 26:12 - 26:14

This paragraph is about the census of the tribe of Simeon. The formulaic phrases here are virtually the same as in verses 5-7 (see the comments there). There is one small difference between verse 7 and verse 14. Verse 14 does not have the Hebrew phrase rendered “and their number was” in verse 7. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh supplies this implied information by rendering verse 14 as “Those are the clans of the Simeonites; [persons enrolled:] 22,200,” and so does New Living Translation with “These were the clans of Simeon. Their registered troops numbered 22,200.”

The clans of Simeon descended from his sons Nemuel, Jamin, Jachin, Zerah, and Shaul (see Gen 46.10; 1 Chr 4.24). It is worth footnoting or cross-referencing the name Shaul to Gen 46.10 and Exo 6.15, which say he was the offspring of a Canaanite woman, thus introducing a significant foreign element in the line of Israel’s descendants.

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 .