village

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “village” or “town” in English is translated in Noongar as karlamaya or “fire (used for “home“) + houses” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

In Elhomwe it is typically translated as “place.” “Here in Malawi, villages very small, so changed to ‘places,’ since not sure whether biblical reference just to small villages or also to bigger towns. (Source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

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.

complete verse (1 Chronicles 6:56)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Chronicles 6:56:

  • Kupsabiny: “They were given the city of Hebron in the area/province of Judah and the land for grazing which surrounded that city. Hebron was a city that one could flee to. But Caleb son of Jephunneh was given farms/land and villages which were near that city. Other cities that were given to the descendants of Aaron in the province of Judah together with the grazing areas were these: Libnah, Jattir, Eshtemoa,” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “But the fields and villages around the city were given to Jephunneh’s son Caleb.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “But the fields/farms and the barrios/villages around Hebron were-given to Caleb the child of Jefune.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “but the fields farther from the city and the villages near the city were given to Caleb, the son of Jephunneh.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 1 Chronicles 6:56

Revised Standard Version and many other English versions begin this verse with the connector but to render the common Hebrew conjunction. Good News Translation conveys the contrast with the word “however” later in the sentence. The contrast should be marked in one way or another.

The fields of the city and its villages: The distinction between fields in this verse and “pasture lands” in the previous verse is important. The Hebrew word for “pasture lands” refers to open land where livestock could graze. The word translated fields is a more general term, used of cultivated land or potential agricultural land belonging to or attached to a particular town. In many languages it may difficult to find two separate terms, but it is important to do so since the text will sound contradictory otherwise (see Euan Fry’s article on this topic in The Bible Translator).

Larger walled towns often were surrounded by small villages that were not protected by walls. The people who lived in these villages often provided military support to the walled towns and went there for protection when they were attacked. Archaeological evidence indicates that the villages were often no more than one or two acres in size.

They gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh: Good News Translation uses a passive verb here (“were assigned”), and this certainly conveys the idea of the text. However, in those languages where the passive form is not an option, it will be necessary to follow the form of the Hebrew with an impersonal third person plural or to turn the sentence around by saying “Caleb … received the fields and villages….” For Caleb the son of Jephunneh, see 1 Chr 4.15.

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 .