complete verse (Exodus 14:29)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 14:29:

  • Kupsabiny: “But the Israelites had gone on dry ground with walls of water being on both sides.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground. A wall of water stood on their right and on their left.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “But the Israelinhon on-the-other-hand went-through on dry land in the middle of the sea, wherein the water seemed-as-if a stone-wall on both sides/[lit. side and side].” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “But the Israel people walked and crossed over and went to the other side on dry ground. And the ocean became like a railing/barrier at the edge of their path on this side and that side.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “And people of Israel, when they had crossed other side, they went on a place which be dry, and water stopped as fence on the right and left their.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “But we Israeli people had already crossed through the sea by walking on dry ground, with the water being like two walls, one on the right side and one on the left side.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

sea / lake

The various Greek, Aramaic, Latin and Hebrew terms that are translated as “sea,” “ocean,” or “lake” in English are all translated in Chichewa with one term: nyanja. Malawi, where Chichewa is spoken, has a lot of lakes but does not share a border with the ocean. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Exod 14:29

This verse repeats what is said in verse 22 and should be understood as contrasting the deliverance of the Israelites with the death of Egyptians. It does not mean that the Israelites walked through the sea a second time. The only difference is that verse 22 uses the word for “went into” rather than the word for walked. To repeat the same thing again is not unusual in Hebrew narrative, and here it should be understood simply as a summary statement. The waters being a wall to them, the Israelites, suggests that the same waters that destroyed the Egyptians actually protected the Israelites. But the repetition of what is said in verse 22 does not necessarily suggest that the Israelites were still walking on dry ground even after the sea had covered over the Egyptians.

Contemporary English Version‘s model for this verse is a good one:

• But the sea had made a wall of water on each side of the Israelites; so they walked through on dry land.

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .