The priest of Midian is not named in the Hebrew text until verse 18, but Good News Translation identifies him here as “Jethro,” since he is now mentioned for the first time, and many translators will wish to do the same. However, it may be that the writer does not give his name here for reasons of style, or in order to build up suspense. Translators therefore should decide whether it is better for their readers if they translate according to Good News Translation and name the priest here, or if they should wait until verse 18. (The problem of his name is discussed at verse 18.) The word for priest has a broad meaning. It is used throughout the Bible for both Israelite and non-Israelite cultic leaders. The term priest will be difficult to translate in some languages, especially for translators who have not yet translated the New Testament. A Handbook on the Book of Leviticus, page 16, has an excellent discussion on the Levitical priests, whose rank and duties would have been similar to that of Jethro’s, even though he did not necessarily worship Yahweh:
… priests were representatives of the people … The primary duty of the priest was to serve as an intermediary between the LORD and his people. The means by which this was done was sacrifice. Thus in some languages this word has been translated “sacrificer,” or “intermediary.” But care should be taken to avoid negative connotations of a word like “sacrificer” if it evokes ideas of pagan sacrifices quite different from those of the people of Israel….
In this context, of course, the sacrifice is being performed by a Midianite, but it appears that Jethro was sacrificing to God. So a possible alternative translation for priest is “one who presents people’s gifts to God.”
A Handbook on the Gospel of Mark, page 69, talks about how certain cultures have translated the term priest; for example, “ ‘one who presents man’s sacrifice to God,’ … ‘one who takes the name of the sacrifice,’ … ‘one who speaks to God,’ … and ‘spokesman of the people before God’ ….”
The seven daughters were probably unmarried, for it is unlikely that married women would have been free to take care of the animals. At least some of them would have been old enough to marry, and it is even possible that their father had more than one wife.
They came and drew water, and filled the troughs suggests three actions that were actually carried out: (1) they arrived at the well, (2) they drew water out of the well, using some sort of container, and (3) they poured the water into the troughs. Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version, however, may suggest that there was only one action, namely that the daughters came with the intention of drawing water and filling the troughs, but the shepherds stopped them before they actually drew the water. Note the difference between and drew … and filled (Revised Standard Version) and “to draw … and fill” (Good News Translation). With the use of and, Revised Standard Version shows the second and third actions as completed, while in Good News Translation they may be understood as intended actions only. New Jerusalem Bible is nonspecific: “They used to come and draw water to fill the troughs.” The Hebrew text is ambiguous and can be understood in any of these ways. The translator must decide just how far they got in completing their intended actions before they were interrupted. (See verses 17 and 19 for the fuller narration.)
They drew water by means of lowering a clay jar into the well with a rope. The troughs were large water containers close to the well, and they were probably constructed from wood or clay. It was probably a long and difficult task to draw water and fill more than one trough (note the plural) in order to water a flock. Their father’s flock included both “sheep and goats,” since the Hebrew word refers to small domesticated animals. If “sheep” and “goats” are unknown in a receptor culture, one may wish to borrow a foreign name. If this is necessary, it will be helpful to include a picture of these animals and even a footnote describing them. In certain languages it will be necessary to add the words “for their sheep and goats to drink” to this final sentence.
Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .