complete verse (1 Chronicles 24:1)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Chronicles 24:1:

  • Kupsabiny: “The sons of Aaron are: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. Nadab and Abihu died early without children while their father was still alive. So it was the house of Eleazar and that of Ithamar who become priests. David divided the priests into twenty-four houses so that they could be doing the work they had been prepared for. In those days, Zadok who was from the house/family of Eleazar and Ahimelech from the house/family of Ithamar who were leaders in their houses. Those priests helped David at the time that he was dividing work to the other priests.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “This is how the descendants of Aaron were divided into groups. The sons of Aaron [were] Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “These were the groups of the descendants of Aaron:
    The male children of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Itamar.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “These are the groups of the descendants of Aaron the first Supreme Priest: Aaron’s four sons were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 1 Chronicles 24:1

The divisions of the sons of Aaron were these …: The word divisions refers to “work groups” (Contemporary English Version) or “groups for service” (New Living Translation). In certain languages it is necessary to use an expression such as “rows of men” or “packets of workers” to express this idea. The sons of Aaron refers to men who were priests, so Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch begins this verse with “The priests, the descendants of Aaron, were also divided into groups….” The phrase the sons of Aaron occurs twice in this verse. The first occurrence refers to the priestly order in general, as in verse 31 and 23.32. The second occurrence refers specifically to Aaron’s biological sons (Exo 6.23). For some unknown reason Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente lists five sons of Aaron: “Nadab, Abihu, Abiathar, Eleazar, and Ithamar.” But this is clearly not recommended as a model.

Bible en français courant provides a helpful model for this verse, saying “The descendants of Aaron were divided into groups. Aaron had four sons, Nadab….” New Living Translation makes explicit that priests are in view, and this may be a good model for other translations: “This is how Aaron’s descendants, the priests, were divided into groups for service. The sons of Aaron were Nabab….”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Chronicles, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2014. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .