15and a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of choice flour mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers spread with oil, with their grain offering and their drink offerings.
The Hebrew that is translated as “offering” in English is translated in Venda as nduvho. J. A. van Rooy (in The Bible Translator 1974, p. 439ff. ) explains: “It is derived from the verb u luvha (‘to pay homage to; to acknowledge the superiority of; at the same time usually asking for a favour’). It is sometimes used as a synonym for ‘asking something from a chief. The noun nduvho means ‘a gift of allegiance,’ which corresponds closely with minchah (מִנְחָה) as ‘offering of allegiance.’ This term nduvho has in it the elements of subjugation, of reciprocity (asking for a favor), of being taken up into the same community as the chief in allegiance to him. Only the element of expiation is missing.”
In Northern Emberá, it is translated as “given to God freely.” (Source: Loewen 1980, p. 108)
The different Hebrew and Greek terms that are translated as “(olive) oil” and “(animal) fat” in English are translated in Kwere with only one term: mavuta. (Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Numbers 6:15:
Kupsabiny: “That person shall give one basket of breads that have not risen, cakes of finely ground flour which have been mixed with oil and some flat cakes which have not risen which have been smeared with oil, and sacrifices of wheat flour to be given freely (as a gift – grain offerings) and wine that is poured out.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “one basket of unleavened wheat cakes and roti spread with oil mixed with the required grain offerings and drink offerings.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Besides these, he should also offer gift offerings, drink offerings, and one basket of bread that has-none of that-which-causes-to-expand, which was made from a good/fine kind of flour. The other bread are thick mixed with oil, and the others are thin which has-been-spread with oil.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “‘hen you bring those animals, you must also bring some wine to offer as a sacrifice. And you must also bring a basket of bread that you have made with very good flour and olive oil. But you must not put any yeast in the bread. Also brush/spread some olive oil on some thin wafers and bring them to the priest.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
And a basket of unleavened bread: The Nazirite must also bring unleavened bread as an offering. Unleavened bread refers to “bread made without yeast” (Good News Bible). It was baked quickly from wheat flour and water. Yeast is the substance that causes bread to rise. In cultures where yeast is unknown, unleavened bread may be rendered “bread that does not rise.” Chewa says “non-puffed-up bread,” and Tonga has “bread without fermented grain.” The Hebrew word for basket refers to a container made of woven material, usually grass or reeds.
Two forms of bread without yeast are mentioned here: cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers spread with oil. The Hebrew word for cakes probably refers to ring-shaped loaves, and the word for wafers refers to flat loaves of bread still eaten in the Middle East today. As A Handbook on Leviticus mentions at Lev 2.4, translators should use two rather general expressions for these types of bread, for example, “thick bread” and “thin bread” respectively. However, it is important that the expressions used both designate kinds of bread that are made without yeast. The Hebrew word for fine flour refers to coarsely milled wheat flour (thus not the finely milled barley flour mentioned in 5.15). This coarser wheat flour was considered a more sumptuous kind of flour than the finely milled flour, and it was used primarily in ritual offerings. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh renders fine flour as “choice flour,” which reflects the high quality of this particular kind of flour. Mixed with oil means the choice flour of the thick bread was kneaded in olive oil before it was baked. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “with oil mixed in.” Spread with oil (literally “anointed in the oil”) means olive oil was “smeared” (Revised English Bible) or “brushed” (Good News Bible) on the thin bread after it was baked. This phrase may be rendered “coated with olive oil.”
And their cereal offering and their drink offerings: For cereal offering, see 4.16. Here this offering has a plural sense, so New International Version says “grain offerings.” For drink offerings (“libations” in New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), see 4.7. Both occurrences of the pronoun their probably refers to the three animal sacrifices mentioned in verse 14. Grain offerings and libations usually accompanied animal sacrifices. Good News Bible renders this whole phrase at the end of the verse, saying “and in addition the required offerings of grain and wine.” New International Version places this phrase at the beginning of the verse to make it clear that these offerings accompanied the animal sacrifices, saying “together with their grain offerings and drink offerings.” Contemporary English Version is similar by beginning this verse with “Wine offerings and grain sacrifices must also be brought with these animals.” Some languages may find it helpful to follow what New International Version and Contemporary English Version have done here.
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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