complete verse (Deuteronomy 2:20)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Deuteronomy 2:20:

  • Kupsabiny: “(That land was also called the land of the Rephaites. The Rephaites lived there before. The Ammonites called those people Zamzummites.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “(Formerly the Rephaites were living there. So that country was called the country of the Rephaites. But the Ammonites called [them] Zamzummites.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “‘That-particular land was-considered also in-time-past as land of the Refaimnon, but they were-called by the Ammonhon Zamzumnon.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “That region is also called the land of the Repha giants, who formerly lived there. The Ammon people-group call them the Zamzum group.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 2:20 - 2:22

Verses 20-23 are another explanatory note that disrupts the narrative. It is well to place these verses within parentheses, as Revised Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, and others do. The speech of Yahweh resumes at verse 24.

Verse 20 speaks of an ancient race of giants known by some as Rephaim and by others as Zamzummim. The suffix -im is the Hebrew pluralizer. For Rephaim see verse 11. The origin of Zamzummim is uncertain; some think it was an insulting term used by the Ammonites, but this cannot be proved. This name will have to be transliterated, like any other personal name.

In verse 21 a people great and many, and tall as the Anakim is exactly like the wording in verse 10. The rest of the verse is virtually like verse 12, except that here Yahweh is named as the one who destroys them. Dispossessed them means “to drive out” or “dislodge” the inhabitants. Good News Translation has “took over their land.”

Verse 22 describes the same kind of event with the same kind of language. At the end of the verse, and settled in their stead even to this day is better expressed by Good News Translation “and settled there, where they still live.”

To this day: some translations may wish to imitate Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje, which here and elsewhere includes a footnote:
to this day: that is, until the time this account was written.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .