family / clan / house

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.

Levite

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 .

complete verse (1 Chronicles 24:30)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Chronicles 24:30:

  • Kupsabiny: “There were also other leaders of the house of Mahli, Eder, and that of Jerimoth who were sons of Mushi. Those people were (the) leaders of the Levites according to their houses.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “And the sons of Mushi [were] Mahli, Eder and Jerimoth.
    These were the Levites according to their families.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “From the descendants of Mushi: Mali, Eder, and Jerimot.
    These were the Levites according to their families.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 1 Chronicles 24:30

The sons of Mushi …: Mushi was a brother of Mahli and another son of Merari (verse 26).

Jerimoth is written “Jeremoth” in 1 Chr 23.23. The spellings may be harmonized since they are two very similar forms of the same name. New Living Translation uses “Jerimoth” in both cases, while Good News Translation uses “Jeremoth” for the two occurrences.

These were the sons of the Levites according to their fathers’ houses: This sentence refers to all of the above list beginning at verse 20, not just to the first half of this verse, as the paragraphing in Revised Standard Version seems to suggest. For this reason many versions begin a new paragraph here (so Good News Translation, New International Version, New Living Translation, La Bible Pléiade, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, El libro del Pueblo de Dios, Nueva Versión Internacional, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente), which we recommend. The sons of the Levites means simply “the Levites” (Good News Translation). According to their fathers’ houses may be rendered “according to their respective families” (Bible en français courant). For this whole sentence New Century Version has “These are the Levites, listed by their families.”

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 .