9After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands.
The term that is translated as “lamb” in English is typically translated as “offspring of a sheep” in Ixcatlán Mazatec since there is no specific word for “lamb.” Since this could distract readers with thoughts of God being the sheep when the “lamb” refers to Jesus the translation into Ixcatlán Mazatec chose “little (individual) sheep” for those cases. (Source: Robert Bascom)
In Dëne Súline the native term for “lamb” directly translated as “the young one of an evil little caribou.” To avoid the negative connotation, a loan word from the neighboring South Slavey was used. (Source: NCEM, p. 70)
For the Kasua translation, it took a long process to find the right term. Rachel Greco (in The PNG Experience ) tells this story:
“To the Kasua people of Western Province, every four-legged animal is a pig. They call a horse a pig-horse, a cow, a pig-cow, and a sheep, a pig-sheep, because all of these animals have four legs, which is kopolo, or pig, in their language.
“When the translation team would translate the word, ‘sheep’ in the New Testament, they would translate it as ‘pig-sheep’. So when Jesus is referred to as the ‘Lamb,’ (John 1:29; Rev. 12:11; Rev. 17:14), they translated as ‘pig-sheep’ so that in John 1:29 it would read: ‘Behold, the pig-sheep of God.’
“When some members of the translation team attended the Translators Training Course, they had the opportunity to observe and study sheep for the first time. As they watched and learned more about the animals’ behavior, their understanding of these creatures—and God’s Word—rotated on its axis.
“Once during the course, Logan and Konni — the translation team’s helpers — were driving with the team to a Bible dedication when Amos, one of the team members, said passionately, ‘We can’t use the word kopolo in front of the word, ‘sheep’! Pigs know when they’re about to die and squeal and scream.’ The team had often watched villagers tie up pigs so they wouldn’t escape.
“’But,’ Amos said, ‘Jesus didn’t do that.’ The team had learned that sheep are quiet and still when death walks toward them. They had observed, as they translated the New Testament, the words of Isaiah 53 fulfilled: ‘Like a lamb led to the slaughter, he did not open his mouth.’ And now they understood what it meant. For this reason, the team decided not to put pig-sheep in the New Testament for the word ‘sheep,’ but used sheep-animal or, in their language, a:pele sipi.
“The Kasua translation team also chose to discard the word ‘pig’ before sheep because pigs are unclean animals to the Jews. The team knew that Jesus was called the ‘Lamb of God’ in the New Testament to show that he is unblemished and clean. Hopefully the Lord will open up the Kasua villagers’ eyes to these same truths about Jesus as they read of Him in their own language.”
Following are a number of back-translations of Revelation 7:9:
Uma: “After that, I again saw people/mankind no kidding their manyness, no-one could count them. They were from all over the world, from every country, every descent-group and every kind of language. They stood in front of the Seat of the King and in front of the Lamb. They were dressed in white clothes and they held fronds which they continually waved as a sign of their respect/honor.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “After that I saw crowds of people, very many, uncountable. Those people were from all kingdoms in the world, from all tribes, from all places and from every kind of language. They were standing there facing the throne and the one called the Sheep. They wore white robes and carried each one of them (something) like the shape of the end of a coconut palm leaf.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “After that I saw a great number of people who could not be counted because they were so many. They came from every kingdom, and tribe, and race, and every language. They were standing before the seat of God and before the young sheep. They were dressed in white, and they were carrying leafy branches.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “When I looked-from-a-distance again, why there were many people who couldn’t be counted who were from all nations and groups whose languages and skin were mutually-different. They were standing before the throne and the Sheep. They were dressed in white robes and they were holding leaves of trees like the coconut-palm as-evidence-of their happiness.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “When that thing was ended, what I saw next was many, many people. They couldn’t be counted by anyone. Those people, they came from every language and nation. They were standing in the presence of that one who was sitting on the king’s seat and in the presence of that one referred to as Young Sheep. They were all dressed in white and they were holding fronds of a palm like badangan.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “Having passed what I saw, I looked again, and there were very many people whom I saw. They had come from all the nations, they were natives of everywhere. And each one spoke different languages. They stood in front of the chair where the Lamb stood at. Very, very many people were there, they couldn’t be counted. And all were clothed in white clothing and all held palm branches.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
More than forty types of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) are found in dry tropical countries all the way from the Canary Islands, across Africa to India. They probably originated in the Middle East, where they are still found in abundance. In Leviticus 23:40 we read that the branches of date palms were to be used for the Festival of Shelters, and in John 12:13 people welcomed Jesus with date palm leaves. In the latter case there is a legitimate question of where they got the leaves, since Jerusalem is rather too high and cold for date palms. But the same could be asked about the prophetess Deborah’s palm (Judges 4:5), which was located between Ramah and Bethel, scarcely lower than Jerusalem. Jericho was known as the “city of palm trees” (temarim in Hebrew). Date fruits were eaten fresh or dried and pressed into “cakes,” and they were sometimes made into a drink. It is possible that in Deuteronomy 8:8 the Hebrew word devash that we normally take as “honey” refers to a syrup made from dates. The leaves were and are used for mats, baskets, fences, and roofs. Date palms are now cultivated intensively in the Jordan and Aravah valleys, around the Dead Sea, and on the coastal plain of Israel. The word “date” entered English from Latin dactylus via Old Frenchdatil. Latin got it from Greek daktylos, meaning “finger.”
The date palm typically grows to a height of 10-20 meters (33-66 feet) and has a cluster of immense leaves at the top. Each year, old leaves wither and droop, and people who own palms cut the old branches off. The tightly packed bunch of immature leaves is called lulav in Hebrew. Date palms start bearing fruit at around five to eight years of age. The sweet fruits, a little smaller than a human thumb, grow in large bunches. Inside the soft fruit is a very hard seed about 2.5 centimeters (1 inch) long. Date palm trees are either male or female, and there are places where the trees of one sex grow but no fruit is seen, because they lack pollination. Farmers prefer to propagate them by cultivating the suckers that grow at the base of the tree, rather than from seeds, which would produce too many male trees. The fruit appears on the female tree in the summer (June-August).
In Song of Songs 7:7 we find the palm used as a symbol of elegance and grace. In Psalm 92:12–14 we are told that the righteous will flourish like the palm tree, but Job 15:32 says the wicked will wither like a dry palm branch. In 1 Maccabees 13:37 the palm branch is a symbol of peace, but in 1 Maccabees 13:51 it is a symbol of victory (so also John 12.13; Rev 7.9; 2 Macc 10.7).
Translators living along the West African coast often substitute the oil palm or the coconut palm for the date palm, which is found normally in desert areas. Others are familiar with the fan palm (Borassus, “ruhn palm”) but they should note that the shape of the leaf of the fan palm is quite different from that of the date palm. I am not aware of a non-European language that has a generic word for palm. Since the function of palm branches in the Festival of Shelters is to build rough shelters, the type of palm tree does not make a lot of difference. The same is true for references where the image of the palm is used as a decoration, as in the description of the Temple (see 1 Kings 6:29 et al.). In cases where the fruit is mentioned, a transliteration is recommended, either from the Hebrew word tamar or from a major language.
In locations where oil and coconut palm trees are found, but no date palms, the oil palm is to be preferred. In places where no palms are found, it is still possible that the date fruit is found in markets, particularly in Muslim-dominated areas, where it may be a popular item for breaking the fast during Ramadan. In northern Nigeria, a dwarf species of date palm (Phoenix reclinata) grows in ravines and bears small edible fruits much like the big palm. At least one translation there (Berom) makes use of the local name.
It would seem then that if the date palm is not known at all, the options here are:
1. use the word for oil or coconut palm (and consider writing a footnote that indicates that the Hebrew words tamar and tomer and the Greek word phoinix refer to a similar tree that has a quite different fruit);
2. transliterate from Hebrew (tomera, tamara) and Greek (fonis, fowinik);
3. transliterate from a major language, for example, nakhal/temer (Arabic), dattier (French), datil/palmera (Spanish), mtende (Swahili), khajoor (खजूर) (Hindi), and hǎizǎo (海枣 / 海棗) (Chinese);
4. use a generic phrase appropriate to the context, for example, “beautiful tree.”
In Chichewa, gwalanga, the word for the local fan palm is used for translation. In rural areas people use the leaves for vegetables. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.
Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.
One way to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. When the referent is God, the “divine” honorific prefix mi- (御 or み) can be used, as in mi-za (御座), mi-kura (みくら) (Psalm 7:7), or mi-kurai (御位) (Psalm 113:5) in the referenced verses, all relating to the “throne (or: high seat) (of God)”.
Before the time of Abraham at least five breeds of sheep had already been developed in Mesopotamia. From mummified remains (that is, preserved dead bodies) and ancient art it is also known that at least two different breeds had reached Egypt by about 2000 B.C. Thus it is likely that the sheep mentioned in the Bible were of more than one breed.
The Hebrew word kar seems to be used of imported foreign sheep and may refer to a special breed but some scholars think it refers to a wether (castrated ram), since this word is never used in the context of sacrifice. This word is also used for a battering ram, that is, a heavy pole suspended on a rope, used in war for breaking down walls. ’Ayil is the word for a ram or adult male sheep, rachel is a breeding ewe or female sheep, and taleh is a very young lamb, probably still unweaned. The remaining Hebrew words refer to sheep in general.
The Greek word probaton is the general word for sheep, or flocks that may include goats. Krios is the Greek word for a ram or male sheep. Pascha is a technical name for the Passover lamb exclusively, and the remaining Greek words all mean lamb. Ovis is the Latin word for sheep.
Click or tap here for the rest of this entry in United Bible Societies’ All Creatures Great and Small: Living things in the Bible.
The early Hebrews were nomadic shepherds to whom sheep were the most important domestic animal. While goats eat almost any vegetation, sheep are much more selective about the grasses and plants they eat. This meant that suitable grazing for them was not always easy to find, and shepherds had to keep moving their flocks from place to place. This led to a nomadic lifestyle, with movable tents rather than houses being the normal household shelter. It was not until the occupation of Canaan after the Exodus that the lifestyle of the Israelites changed, and they became settled village-dwelling farmers and fruit growers.
However, even then, most households owned sheep, and some family members would function as shepherds, often living away from home for fairly long periods.
Sheep in the Bible were a source of meat, milk, wool, hides, and horns, and it seems likely that various strains were bred selectively to enhance production of these commodities. Wool is mentioned in the Bible as early as the Mosaic Law, which forbade the weaving of cloth containing both wool and plant fibers. The shearing of sheep is mentioned even earlier, in Genesis 31:19. Wool was in fact the most common and available fiber known to the people of Israel.
There was a very extensive wool trade in biblical times, stretching from Egypt to China. In the Middle East wool was cheaper than cotton or linen, which were the other common fibers. (Silk was known by the time of Solomon, but it was extremely expensive as it was produced in China and handled by numerous traders on its way west.) It would be a mistake to think of all wool at that time as being white, as Genesis 30 indicates quite clearly that there were also dark colored sheep and sheep that had dark and light patches, probably varying combinations of black, white, and brown.
We can be fairly sure that one breed of sheep known to the Israelites was the Fat-tailed Sheep Ovis laticaudata and that its fatty tail is referred to in Exodus 29:22, Leviticus 3:9 et al.
Rams’ horns had a variety of uses. Whole ram horns were used as drinking vessels, jars, and trumpets. But pieces of horn were used as handles for knives and other household implements, and for jewelry such as bracelets and beads. Needles too, and probably also arrow heads, were made from horn, as well as from bone and later from bronze and iron.
Sheep were also very important in Israelite religion. They were a very important element in the sacrificial system and in the traditional religious feasts, especially the Feast of Passover.
Sheep and goats belong to the same general family. They differ in that sheep produce wool, which is a special type of soft hair, among the ordinary hairs on their bodies. A ram’s horns too differ in shape from a goat’s horns, those of a ram curling down in a tight spiral beside its face, with those of a goat curving more gently back towards its shoulders. The sheep of biblical times produced much shorter wool than is common with wool-bearing breeds of today.
The fat-tailed or broad-tailed sheep is a smallish breed usually brown and white with a very broad tail. Like most other breeds of sheep in the Middle East it has large floppy ears.
Sheep are generally fairly timid animals, lacking the self-confidence and adaptability of goats. While goats will spread out in their search for food and then regroup without much difficulty, sheep become very insecure when they are separated from other sheep and tend to stay bunched together. They thus require a lot of shepherding. In the Middle East the method of shepherding involves training the dominant ram to follow the shepherd. The remaining sheep then follow this dominant ram, which often wears a wooden clapper or a bell. As they feed, the sheep usually keep within earshot of this sound. It is likely that this method is centuries old.
In most modern breeds only male sheep have horns, but in most ancient breeds female sheep had short horns too. This made separating sheep from goats in a single flock more difficult than it is today.
Of all animals the sheep was the most important for the Israelite nation. It had great religious, social, and economic importance.
The metaphor of a lamb is used in the New Testament to refer to Christ, with an emphasis on his being a sacrifice for the sin of the world. This is especially the case in John’s gospel and Revelation. In the latter book the metaphor is introduced in a very striking way. In Revelation 5:5 as the writer is mourning the fact that no one can be found to open the scroll, he is comforted by one of the elders who tells him that “the Lion of the tribe of Judah” has triumphed and can thus open the scroll. Then the writer, expecting to see the Lion, sees instead a Lamb that looks as if it has been killed for sacrifice. The remainder of the book is then concerned with describing the triumph of this Lamb over the forces of evil.
In the gospels Jesus also refers to his disciples as “sheep” and “lambs” (Matthew 10:17; John 10:1 et al.).
The metaphor of the shepherd is extended to God himself who is the ultimate “Shepherd of Israel” (Psalms 23:1; 80:1). Then those who are responsible for the nurture, guidance, ruling, and protection of Israel, be it kings, prophets, or priests, are also likened to shepherds (Isaiah 56:11; Jeremiah 23:4; 49:19; Ezekiel 34:2; Zechariah 10:2).
The Messiah is also called a shepherd (Isaiah 40:11), and Jesus refers to himself as “the good shepherd” (John 10:11). In Hebrews 13:20 he is referred to as “the great shepherd of the sheep” and in 1 Peter 2:25 he is called “the Shepherd and Guardian of your lives”.
In languages that have a word for sheep, it is advisable to translate according to the meanings given above. If possible, the feminine forms should be translated as “female lamb” or “female sheep”. In languages in which sheep are not known, a word has usually been coined or borrowed by the time Bible translation begins, and this word should be used. It is not advisable to substitute another locally well-known animal in this case, since doing so negates the ritual and symbolic importance that sheep had for the biblical cultures.
In translating Psalms 23:1 it is extremely important to make sure that the phrase “my shepherd” preserves the relationship intended by the writer and reflects the psalmist’s theme that Yahweh is his benefactor, protector, and guide. There are really two metaphors involved in the opening verse-the caring shepherd (God) and by clear implication, the dependent sheep (the psalmist). In many languages the literal phrase “my shepherd” depicts a wrong relationship, meaning something like “the one who looks after my sheep” or “the one I employ to watch my sheep.” In many African languages unwary translators have produced a rendering that means “The Chief is (nothing more than) my herdsman.” It is often necessary to restructure the whole verse as something like “I am a sheep, and the lord is my shepherd.”
After this I looked, and behold: a new vision (see 4.1).
A great multitude which no man could number: this can be expressed by “a crowd too large to be counted” or “a crowd so large that no one could count all the people.”
From every nation, from all tribes and peoples and tongues: all four words (in different order) are used in 5.9. For emphasis the writer uses all of them, to indicate the whole human race.
Standing before the throne and before the Lamb: the language used makes it appear that the crowd stood facing the throne, not in a circle around it. For the translation of throne see 1.4b and elsewhere. For the translation of Lamb see 5.6.
White robes: see 3.4-5; 6.11.
Palm branches: this indicates joy and celebration (see John 12.13; also 1 Maccabees 13.51; 2 Maccabees 10.7). If palms are unknown in a given language group, it may be necessary to say “branches” or “branches of trees,” and it may be useful, in some instances, to add the explanation “to show their happiness.”
An alternative translation model for this verse is:
• After this I looked and saw there a crowd of people so large that no one could count them all. They came from every tribe in the world, and stood in front of the throne and the Lamb. They wore white robes, and each person was holding a palm branch in his hand.
Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Revelation to John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
In this section, John saw a new part of this vision. He saw believers rejoicing, praising, and worshiping in heaven. One of the elders around the throne (4:4) explained the vision to John.
Other examples of headings for this section are:
The vision of a huge crowd of believers and its explanation -or-
The Great Multitude in White Robes (New International Version) -or-
God’s People Around His Throne in Heaven (God’s Word)
Paragraph 7:9–12
7:9a
After this: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as this is literally “these (things).” It refers to the events of 7:1–8. Other ways to translate this phrase here are:
After these things I looked (New American Standard Bible) -or-
Then as I looked -or-
When those things were finished, I looked ⌊around/up⌋
I looked and saw: The Greek words are literally “I saw, and look.” The phrase “and look” emphasizes or calls attention to the words that follow. It also probably indicates surprise or suddenness. The word “look” is not a command to look at something. Other ways to translate these words are:
I looked again, and before my eyes appeared (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English) -or-
I looked, and suddenly/hey ⌊I⌋ saw
See how you translated these words in 6:2.
7:9b
a multitude too large to count: The word multitude means “very big crowd.” This crowd is so large that John says it is too large to count. Use the word in your language for such a large crowd.
too large to count: This clause indicates a very large number of people. God knew how many there were, but no man or woman could count them. Other ways to translate it are:
no person could count -or-
innumerable -or-
countless
7:9c
from every nation and tribe and people and tongue: The word every applies to each of the four groups. In some languages it is more natural to repeat it for each group. For example:
from every nation, every tribe, every people, and every language
This phrase naming the four groups is also in 5:9d. The order of the groups is different, but the meaning is the same. See how you translated this phrase in 5:9.
7:9d
standing before the throne: This phrase refers to standing before God. He is sitting on the throne. But John usually speaks indirectly about God, as in 4:2.
In some languages it is more natural to refer to the person sitting on the throne. You should refer only indirectly to God. For example:
standing before ⌊the one on⌋ the throne -or-
standing before ⌊him who sits on⌋ the throne
In some languages it is more natural to refer to God here. For example:
standing before ⌊God sitting on⌋ the throne
Lamb: This word refers to a young sheep. Here, the word is a symbolic title for Jesus Christ. See how you translated this word in 5:6.
7:9e
robes: This word refers to a long loose garment that covers the body from the shoulders to feet. A robe also has loose sleeves covering the arms. See how you translated this word in 1:13 or 6:11.
7:9f
palm branches: Palm trees have branches that all extend from the top of the trunk. The leaves are long and flat.
In some languages people are not familiar with palm trees. If that is true in your language, you may want to:
• Use a general word referring to tree branches. You may then want to describe them. For example:
⌊flat⌋ branches -or-
branches of the palm tree
• Use a word for a similar tree with long, flat branches.
Use the major language word. If people are not familiar with this word, you may want to explain it in a footnote. An example footnote is:
Palm trees have branches that all extend from the top of the trunk. The leaves are long and flat.
You may want to include an illustration.
To the Jewish people palm branches are symbolic of joy and victory (as in Leviticus 23:40 and John 12:13). In many languages a literal translation would not imply this symbolic meaning. If that is true in your language, you may want to:
• Explain the symbolic meaning in your translation. For example:
palm branches ⌊as a symbol of joy and victory⌋
• Explain the symbolic meaning in a footnote. For example:
Palm branches were a symbol of joy and victory.
• Use a symbol of rejoicing or victory in your language. Do not use a symbol that has incorrect connections to spirits and such things. You may then want to explain the literal word in a footnote. For example:
Literally: “palm branches.” In Jewish culture, palm branches were a symbol of joy and victory.
Living Water is produced for the Bible translation movement in association with Lutheran Bible Translators. Lyrics derived from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®).
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