complete verse (Genesis 35:21)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 35:21:

  • Newari: “He went on from there. He set up his tent toward the other side of Migdal-eder.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Jacob and-company/[lit. they of Jacob] continued on their journey. When- they -arrived at the-other-side of Migdal Eder, they set-up/[lit. caused-to-stand] their tents there.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Jacob, whose new name was Israel, continued traveling with his family, and he set up his tents on the south side of the watchtower at Eder town.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 35:21

Israel journeyed on: this is the first use of Israel for Jacob’s name. For the name change from Jacob to Israel, see 32.28 and 35.10. In some languages a name change like this in the course of narrative is quite difficult without some explanation. For this reason some translators retain the name Jacob throughout the rest of Genesis and indicate the variation in the Hebrew text by means of a footnote. See the comment in verse 10. Journeyed translates the same verb as in verse 16. Here Jacob and his people “continued on their way, moved on, went further to the south.”

Pitched his tent: see 12.8.

Beyond means “on the other side.”

Tower of Eder: tower refers to a watchtower built so that the keeper of the animals can climb up and watch for thieves and wild animals. See 2 Kgs 17.9; 18.8; 2 Chr 26.10. Eder means “flock” of sheep and goats.

Translators may refer to this place by its Hebrew name, that is, “Migdal-eder,” or as “the watchtower at Eder,” or by translating the full expression as “the watchtower of the flock.” If the place is called “Migdal-eder,” it may be desirable to add a note to say, for example, “Migdal-eder means ‘Watchtower of the flock.’ ” In language areas where the guarding of flocks is unknown, it may be possible to use a descriptive phrase; for example, “pitched his tent at the place where people look after the flocks of animals,” or use the Hebrew name with or without explanation.

The location of this place is unknown.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .