priest

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The Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek that are typically translated as “priest” in English (itself deriving from Latin “presbyter” — “elder”) is often translated with a consideration of existing religious traditions. (Click or tap for details)

Bratcher / Nida (1961) say this:

“However, rather than borrow local names for priests, some of which have unwanted connotations, a number of translations have employed descriptive phrases based on certain functions: (1) those describing a ceremonial activity: Pamona uses tadu, the priestess who recites the litanies in which she describes her journey to the upper or under-world to fetch life-spirit for sick people, animals or plants; Batak Toba uses the Arabic malim, ‘Muslim religious teacher;’ ‘one who presents man’s sacrifice to God’ (Bambara, Eastern Maninkakan), ‘one who presents sacrifices’ (Baoulé, Navajo (Dinė)), ‘one who takes the name of the sacrifice’ (Kpelle, and ‘to make a sacrifice go out’ (Hausa); (2) those describing an intermediary function: ‘one who speaks to God’ (Shipibo-Conibo) and ‘spokesman of the people before God’ (Tabasco Chontal).”

In Obolo it is translated as ogwu ngwugwa or “the one who offers sacrifice” (source: Enene Enene), in Mairasi as agam aevar nevwerai: “religious leader” (source: Enggavoter 2004), in Ignaciano as “blesser, one who does ritual as a practice” (using a generic term rather than the otherwise common Spanish loan word sacerdote) (source: Willis Ott in Notes on Translation 88/1982, p. 18ff.), and in Noongar as yakin-kooranyi or “holy worker” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

For Guhu-Samane, Ernest Richert (in The Bible Translator, 1965, p. 81ff. ) reports this: “The [local] cult of Poro used to be an all-encompassing religious system that essentially governed all areas of life. (…) For ‘priest’ the term ‘poro father’ would at first seem to be a natural choice. However, several priests of the old cult are still living. Although they no longer function primarily as priests of the old system they still have a substantial influence on the community, and there would be more than a chance that the unqualified term would (in some contexts particularly) be equated with the priest of the poro cult. We learned, then, that the poro fathers would sometimes be called ‘knife men’ in relation to their sacrificial work. The panel was pleased to apply this term to the Jewish priest, and the Christian community has adopted it fully. [Mark 1:44, for instance, now] reads: ‘You must definitely not tell any man of this. But you go show your body to the knife man and do what Moses said about a sacrifice concerning your being healed, and the cause (base of this) will be apparent.'”

For a revision of the 1968 version of the Bible in Khmer Joseph Hong (in: The Bible Translator 1996, 233ff. ) talks about a change in wording for this term:

​​Bau cha r (បូជា‌ចារ្យ) — The use of this new construction meaning “priest” is maintained to translate the Greek word hiereus. The term “mean sang (មាន សង្ឃ)” used in the old version actually means a “Buddhist monk,” and is felt to be theologically misleading. The Khmer considers the Buddhist monk as a “paddy field of merits,” a reserve of merits to be shared with other people. So a Khmer reader would find unthinkable that the mean sang in the Bible killed animals, the gravest sin for a Buddhist; and what a scandal it would be to say that a mean sang was married, had children, and drank wine.

See also idolatrous priests.

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 (2 Chronicles 5:5)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Chronicles 5:5:

  • Kupsabiny: “When all the elders of Israel had arrived there, the priests carried the Box of the Covenant to go to the House of God and the Levites carried the Tent of God and its utensils.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Levites carried ark, tent of meeting and all the holy utensils which were in the tent and brought them up.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “When all the rulers of Israel had gathered, the priests and the Levites took the Box, including the Meeting-Together-Place Tent and its holy things-for-use/articles, and they brought all of these going-up to the temple.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “and they carried it and the Sacred Tent and the sacred things that were inside it. The priests, who were also descended from Levi, carried them.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 2 Chronicles 5:5

And they brought up the ark …: The Hebrew verb rendered brought up indicates that the ark and the other items were carried to the Temple. The movement in an upward direction is not important to the story and may be omitted if its inclusion would be unnatural in the receptor language (so Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, International Children’s Bible, New American Bible, Bible en français courant, Parole de Vie, La Bible du Semeur, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy).

The tent of meeting probably refers to the tent that had been at Gibeon, according to 2 Chr 1.3, not the tent that David had made for the Covenant Box in Jerusalem (see 1 Chr 15.1; 16.1; 2 Chr 1.4). In 1 Kings and 1-2 Chronicles, the tent of meeting always refers to the tent made by Moses (see the comments on 1 Chr 6.32). The narrative does not tell when this tent had been moved from Gibeon to Jerusalem, or perhaps it was still in Gibeon.

All the holy vessels that were in the tent: See the comments on 1 Chr 22.19. This phrase may be better translated “all the sacred furnishings in it” (New International Version; similarly Revised English Bible) or “all the holy utensils in it” (God’s Word). In some languages it may be necessary to say “all the objects that the priests used in their work.”

The priests and the Levites brought them up: Both the priests and the Levites were descendants of Levi. The Levites included all of the Temple personnel who were not priests (see the comments on 1 Chr 9.2). The Masoretic Text does not have the conjunction and between the priests and the Levites, although some Hebrew manuscripts as well as the ancient versions do have the conjunction. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {B} rating to the Masoretic Text here and claims that the author did not intend to refer to two different groups. Versions that follow this understanding say “the levitical priests” (New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, Bible en français courant, El libro del Pueblo de Dios) or “The priests, who were Levites” (New International Version). Some interpreters think the Revised Standard Version translation is correct since the author of 1-2 Chronicles elsewhere always makes a distinction between the priests and the Levites.

As in verse 2, Good News Translation adds “to the Temple” (so also New Living Translation, God’s Word). This completes the meaning, and such an addition may be required by the grammar of many languages.

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 .