cubit

The Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek that is translated as “cubit” or into a metric or imperial measurement in English is translated in Kutu, Kwere, and Nyamwezi as makono or “armlength.” Since a cubit is the measurement from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger, one armlength (measured from the center of the chest to the fingertips) equals two cubits or roughly 1 meter. (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

Similarly, in Akoose, the translation is “arm distance.” (Source: Joseph Nkwelle Ngome and Marlie van Rooyen & Jacobus A. Naudé in Communicatio 2009, p. 251ff.)

In Klao it is converted into “hand spans” (app. 6 inches or 12 cm) and “finger spans” (app. 1 inch or 2 cm) (source: Don Slager) and in Bariai into leoa or “fathom,” which comprises the distance from a person’s fingertip to fingertip with arms outstretched, app. 6 feet (source: Bariai Back Translation).

complete verse (Genesis 7:20)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 7:20:

  • Kankanaey: “until the depth of the water was more than four fathoms (distance-between-outstretched-arms) over those mountains.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The water became high, reaching 15 cubits above the mountains.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “and until the waters went-high/went-up even more for about more than 20 feet from the peak of the highest mountain.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Even the highest mountains were covered by more than 20 feet/6 meters of water.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

distance (long / wide / high)

The concepts of distance that are translated in English with “long,” “wide,” and “high/tall” are translated in Kwere with one word: utali. (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

Translation commentary on Genesis 7:20

The waters prevailed above the mountains repeats the information given in a slightly different manner in verse 19. The rest of the verse goes on to state more precisely how deeply the water covered the mountains. Fifteen cubits deep is equivalent to about twenty-two and a half feet or approximately seven meters. According to 6.15 the height of the boat was thirty cubits. Therefore in translation the figure used should be one half of that used in 6.15.

Translations handle the repetition at the beginning of the verse in various ways. Good News Translation translates prevailed above as “it went on rising….” Biblia Dios Habla Hoy says “and after having covered the mountains, it rose about seven meters more.” Either of these is a suitable model. Another possibility is given by a recent translation: “[Verse 19] … water covered all the highest mountains. [Verse 20] At the tops of these mountains the water was almost four fathoms deep.”

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 .