כָּֽל־הַפְּקֻדִ֡ים אֲשֶׁר֩ פָּקַ֨ד מֹשֶׁ֧ה וְאַהֲרֹ֛ן וּנְשִׂיאֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֶת־הַלְוִיִּ֑ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם וּלְבֵ֥ית אֲבֹתָֽם׃
46All those who were enrolled of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the leaders of Israel enrolled, by their clans and their ancestral houses,
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.
The Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic and Latin that is transliterated “Levites” in English (only the Contemporary English Version translates it as “temple helpers”) is translated in Ojitlán Chinantec as “temple caretakers,” Yatzachi Zapotec as “people born in the family line of Levi, people whose responsibility it was to do the work in the important church of the Israelites,” in Alekano as “servants in the sacrifice house from Jerusalem place,” and in Tenango Otomi as “helpers of priests.” (Source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
In American Sign Language with a sign that combines “temple” + “servant.” (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)
“Levite” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor
For the sign in Spanish Sign Language, see Levi.
More information about Levites .
The name that is transliterated as “Aaron” in English means “light,” “a mountain of strength” “to be high.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )
In Catalan Sign Language and Spanish Sign Language it is translated as “stones on chest plate” (according to Exodus 28:15-30) (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. )
“Aaron” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España
In Colombian Sign Language, Honduras Sign Language, and American Sign Language, the chest plate is outlined (in ASL it is outlined using the letter “A”):
“Aaron” in ASL (source )
For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .
See also Moses, more information on Aaron , and this lectionary in The Christian Century .
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Numbers 4:46:
So, Moses and Aaron and the leaders of the clans counted the people as God has told them. The three houses that hailed from the clan of Levi were counted according to their houses. Those were: House of Kohath, Gershon and Merari. The men who had thirty years up to fifty were counted so they could work in the Tent of God. The list was like this:
| House | Counting |
|---|---|
| Kohath | 2,750 |
| Gershon | 2,630 |
| Merari | 3,200 |
| Total number | 8,580 |
(Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
To follow the command of the LORD, Moises, Aaron and the leaders of the community of Israel census the descendants of Kohat, Gershon, and Merari according to their relatives and families. They counted all the men that ages from 30 to 50 years old who were able to serve the Meeting-Together-Place, and these are their number:
| Family | Number |
|---|---|
| Kohat | 2,750 |
| Gershon | 2,630 |
| Merari | 3,200 |
The total of their number, 8,580 all.
(Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
The name that is transliterated as “Moses” in English means “taken out of the water,” “saved out of the water,” “a son.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )
It is translated in Spanish Sign Language and Polish Sign Language with a sign in accordance with the depiction of Moses in the famous statue by Michelangelo (see here ). (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. )
“Moses” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España
American Sign Language also uses the sign depicting the horns but also has a number of alternative signs (see here ).
In French Sign Language, a similar sign is used, but it is interpreted as “radiance” (see below) and it culminates in a sign for “10,” signifying the 10 commandments:
“Moses” in French Sign Language (source )
The horns that are visible in Michelangelo’s statue are based on a passage in the Latin Vulgate translation (and many Catholic Bible translations that were translated through the 1950ies with that version as the source text). Jerome, the translator, had worked from a Hebrew text without the niqquds, the diacritical marks that signify the vowels in Hebrew and had interpreted the term קרו (k-r-n) in Exodus 34:29 as קֶ֫רֶן — keren “horned,” rather than קָרַו — karan “radiance” (describing the radiance of Moses’ head as he descends from Mount Sinai).
In Swiss-German Sign Language (and Hungarian Sign Language) it is translated with a sign depicting holding a staff. This refers to a number of times where Moses’s staff is used in the context of miracles, including the parting of the sea (see Exodus 14:16), striking of the rock for water (see Exodus 17:5 and following), or the battle with Amalek (see Exodus 17:9 and following).
“Moses” in Swiss-German Sign Language, source: DSGS-Lexikon biblischer Begriffe , © CGG Schweiz
In Vietnamese (Hanoi) Sign Language it is translated with the sign that depicts the eye make up he would have worn as the adopted son of an Egyptian princess. (Source: The Vietnamese Sign Language translation team, VSLBT)
“Moses” in Vietnamese Sign Language, source: SooSL
In Korean Sign Language it is translated with the sign that depicts the arms held up by Moses to assure the Israelites victory over the Amalekites (see Exodus 17:11).
“Moses” in Korean Sign Language, source: Korean Sign Language Bible House
In Estonian Sign Language Moses is depicted with a big beard. (Source: Liina Paales in Folklore 47, 2011, p. 43ff. )
“Moses” in Estonian Sign Language, source: Glossary of the EKNK Toompea kogudus
For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .
Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Moses .
Verses 46-49 summarize the registration of all the Levite clans.
All those who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the leaders of Israel numbered …: Numbered renders the Hebrew verb paqad both times (see 1.3), so it is better translated “enrolled” (New Revised Standard Version) or “recorded” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). For leaders see verse 34.
By their families and fathers’ houses: See verse 34.
From thirty years old up to fifty years old: See verse 35.
Every one that could enter to do the work of service and the work of bearing burdens in the tent of meeting: See verse 35. To do the work of service is literally “to serve the service of service.” The Hebrew verb for “serve” (ʿabad) and both occurrences of the noun for “service” (ʿabodah) come from the same root. This verb plus cognate noun construction emphasizes the activity of service (compare 3.7). Bearing burdens renders the Hebrew word massaʾ (see verse 15).
Those who were numbered of them were eight thousand five hundred and eighty: The total number of Levites registered for service in the Tabernacle was 8,580. For numbered see above.
Verse 49 begins with the phrase According to the commandment of the LORD through Moses (literally “Upon the mouth of the LORD … by the hand of Moses”; see verse 37) and ends with the synonymous expression as the LORD commanded Moses. This boundary-marking inclusio stresses the divine authority behind the enrolment made by Moses, which is the main idea of this final verse in the concluding paragraph.
They were appointed: Appointed renders the Hebrew word paqad (see 1.3), which is better rendered “recorded” (New Living Translation).
Each to his task of serving or carrying is literally “a man a man on his service and on his load/burden.” The Hebrew word for each is actually repeated, which justifies translations such as “man by man” (Buber) and “one by one” (Revised English Bible). Carrying renders the Hebrew word massaʾ (see verse 15).
Thus they were numbered by him: Revised Standard Version follows the Septuagint here, which emends the Hebrew text. Most modern versions do the same; for example, New Revised Standard Version has “thus they were enrolled by him.” The Hebrew is literally “and his enrolled men,” which makes no clear sense in the context.
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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