complete verse (Numbers 33:46)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Numbers 33:46:

  • Kupsabiny: “They left Dibon-gad and went to set up their tents at Almon-diblathaim.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “From Dibon-Gad they went and camped at Almon-diblathaim.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “From Mount Hor, the Israelinhon continued their travel. These are the places where they camped: Zalmona, Punon, Obot, Iye, Abarim, which are in the boundary of Moab, Dibon Gad, Almon Diblataim, in the mountains of Abarim which are close to Nebo, and till they reached the valleys/plains of Moab beside Jordan near Jerico.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Then they/we left Dibon-Gad and set up their/our tents at Almon-Diblathaim.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Numbers 33:41 - 33:49

Again, translators will have to decide whether it is better to condense the verses 41-49 (so Good News Translation) or to record the rhythmic repetition of movements and places that is featured in this section (so Revised Standard Version, but perhaps modifying the conjunctions used to link up each stage with the next).

And they set out from Mount Hor (verse 41): Compare 21.4. A demonstrative link word, such as “there” (Chewa), may be needed to connect this reference to Mount Hor to its last occurrence at the end of verse 39.

Zalmonah (verses 41-42) and Punon (verses 42-43) are not mentioned elsewhere in the Bible.

For Oboth (verses 43-44), see 21.10.

Iye-abarim, in the territory of Moab (verse 44): See 21.11. In the territory of Moab is better rendered “on the border of Moab” (New International Version, New Living Translation) to agree with 21.11, where it says Iye-abarim was east of Moab.

Iyim (verse 45) is another name for Iye-abarim, so some translations only refer to “Iye-abarim” to avoid confusion (so New Living Translation, New Century Version).

Dibon-gad (verses 45-46): Compare 32.34, where it says that the Gadites built (or rebuilt) Dibon (so Levine, page 521).

Almon-diblathaim (verses 46-47) is not mentioned elsewhere in the Bible.

For the mountains of Abarim (verses 47-48), see 27.12.

Before Nebo (verse 47) may be rendered “facing Nebo” (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible), “opposite Nebo” (Reina-Valera Contemporánea, Bijbel: Vertaling in opdracht van het Nederlandsch Bijbelgenootschap), “near Nebo” (New International Version), or “close to Nebo” (Willibrordvertaling). Nebo may refer to the mountain with that name in the Abarim mountain range, so several translations have “Mount Nebo” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation) or “the mountain Nebo” (Bible en français courant, Parole de Vie, Nueva Traducción Viviente, La Biblia: Traducción en Lenguaje Actual, Bijbel in Gewone Taal). However, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch says “the city of Nebo,” which makes equally good sense, since Nebo is mentioned as one of the cities in the Transjordan in 32.3, 38.

In the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho (verse 48): See the comments on 22.1. As noted at 26.3, this phrase is an important discourse boundary marker in the last third of the book of Numbers. It is repeated in verse 50.

They encamped by the Jordan from Beth-jeshimoth as far as Abel-shittim in the plains of Moab means the Israelites camped between Beth-jeshimoth and Abel-shittim along the east side of the Jordan River on the steppes of Moab. The town of Beth-jeshimoth was located on the northeastern border of Moab, a short distance east of the place where the Jordan River flows into the Dead Sea. For Abel-shittim, which may be rendered “Acacia Valley” (Good News Translation), see 25.1.

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 .