burnt-offering

The Hebrew olah (עֹלָה) originally means “that which goes up (in smoke).” English Bibles often translates it as “burnt-offering” or “whole burnt-offering,” focusing on the aspect of the complete burning of the offering.

The Greek Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate Bibles translate it as holokautōma / holocautōsis (ὁλοκαύτωμα / ὁλοκαύτωσις) and holocaustum, respectively, meaning “wholly burnt.” While a form of this term is widely used in many Romance languages (Spanish: holocaustos, French: holocaustes, Italian: olocausti, Portuguese: holocaustos) and originally also in the Catholic tradition of English Bible translations, it is largely not used in English anymore today (the preface of the revised edition of the Catholic New American Bible of 2011: “There have been changes in vocabulary; for example, the term ‘holocaust’ is now normally reserved for the sacrilegious attempt to destroy the Jewish people by the Third Reich.”)

Since translation into Georgian was traditionally done on the basis of the Greek Septuagint, a transliteration of holokautōma was used as well, which was changed to a translation with the meaning of “burnt offering” when the Old Testament was retranslated in the 1980’s on the basis of the Hebrew text.

In the Koongo (Ki-manianga) translation by the Alliance Biblique de la R.D. Congo (publ. in 2015) olah is translated as “kill and offer sacrifice” (source: Anicet Bassilua) and in Elhomwe as “fire offering.” (Source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

The English translation of Everett Fox uses offering-up (similarly, the German translation by Buber-Rosenzweig has Darhöhung and the French translation by Chouraqui montée).

See also offering (qorban).

drink

In Telugu different verbs for humans drinking (tāgu / తాగు) and animals drinking (cēḍu / చేడు) are required.

complete verse (Exodus 32:6)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 32:6:

  • Kupsabiny: “So, the people left early in the morning to go and perform rituals with animals burning some as sacrifice and others (they) ate together for fellowship. The people concentrated on that festival drinking until they fell into very fierce issues.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “So early next morning the people offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then they sat down (to eat) and after having eaten their festive meal they got up and made merry.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “So in-the-morning, people got-up early in the morning and offered burnt offerings and offering for a good relationship. And they ate and drank, and did-as-(they)-pleased/wanted (making)-happiness in worshipping the little-gods.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “Okay, early in the morning on the next day, the people brought animals for offering, and some of them, they put onto the fire for the fire to cook them so that they completely burned and were finished. And other animals were an offering for eating, for them to be in agreement (lit. to have a single interior). It came about that they were sitting for eating and drinking, and when it was done, then they arose and they went to play.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “Tomorrow at daybreak, many people arise, burn gift(s) of fire on altar, carry gift(s) of unity there, sit down to meal and drink, arise up, go to dance.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “So the people got up early the next morning and brought animals to kill and burn as sacrifices on the altar. They also brought sacrifices to maintain fellowship with Yahweh. Then they sat down to eat and drink wine. Then they got up and started dancing in a very immoral way.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Exod 32:6

And they rose up early on the morrow uses a word that means to do something early in the day. When it is not specified what is done, then it means to rise up early. Since the rest of the verse tells us what the people did, it is not necessary to say they rose up early. Good News Translation has “Early the next morning they brought some animals,” and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “early next day, the people offered up burnt offerings.”

And offered burnt offerings is literally “and they caused burnt offerings to ascend.” The word for burnt offering (ʿolah) is explained at 29.18. It is derived from the word ʿalah, which means “to ascend.” This does not necessarily mean that the people took over the work of the priest. Good News Translation says it less directly, “they brought some animals to burn as sacrifices,” which allows for Aaron to supervise the ceremony. And brought peace offerings is literally “and they caused settlement sacrifices to come near.” The word for “settlement sacrifice” (shelem) is explained at 29.28, but see also the comments at 20.24 and 24.5.

And the people sat down to eat follows the Hebrew literally. And drink is literally “and they drank.” It is not stated what they drank, but the implication is that it was an intoxicating drink, possibly wine. Therefore in languages where this has to be specified, it may be necessary to say “and they drank intoxicating liquor.” And rose up to play, literally “and they stood up to play,” uses a word that suggests sexual play, especially since it is associated with drinking. (The word is translated as “fondling” in Gen 26.8.) Good News Translation has “an orgy of drinking and sex.” Others are less explicit: “to indulge in revelry” (New International Version), “and then rose to dance” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). It is also possible to say “and they rose to dance in a shameful [or, immoral] way.”

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 .