offering

The Hebrew that is translated as “offering” in English is translated in Venda as nduvho. J. A. van Rooy (in The Bible Translator 1974, p. 439ff. ) explains: “It is derived from the verb u luvha (‘to pay homage to; to acknowledge the superiority of; at the same time usually asking for a favour’). It is sometimes used as a synonym for ‘asking something from a chief. The noun nduvho means ‘a gift of allegiance,’ which corresponds closely with minchah (מִנְחָה) as ‘offering of allegiance.’ This term nduvho has in it the elements of subjugation, of reciprocity (asking for a favor), of being taken up into the same community as the chief in allegiance to him. Only the element of expiation is missing.”

In Northern Emberá, it is translated as “given to God freely.” (Source: Loewen 1980, p. 108)

See also offering (qorban).

complete verse (Jeremiah 41:5)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Jeremiah 41:5:

  • Kupsabiny: “some eighty men who came from Shechem, Shiloh and Samaria were coming near. Those people had shaved their beards, and (they) had put on rags and cut themselves in the bodies. Those people were bringing food that were to be offered and things that smell sweet to go and sacrifice them in the House of God.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “there were 80 men who are-going to Mizpa from Shekem, Shilo, and Samaria. They shaved their beards, torn their clothes, and cut their bodies, because they were-mourning. They brought with them gift offerings and incense to offer to the temple of the LORD.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “eighty men from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria cities came to worship at the temple of Yahweh in Mizpah. They had shaved off their beards and torn their clothes and cut themselves to show that they were mourning. And they had brought grain offerings and incense to burn on the altar.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Jeremiah 41:5

Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria were all religious centers in the northern kingdom of Israel. This information might be helpful in a footnote. In the text translators can say “the towns of Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria.”

With their beards shaved and their clothes torn, and their bodies gashed: The eighty men came with marks of mourning on their bodies. What these symbolic acts represented can be put in a footnote, or translators can add to their translation “to show they were in mourning.” Note that these were things they had done to themselves, so some translations have “they had shaved their beards and torn their clothes, and had cut their bodies [to show they were in mourning].”

Bringing cereal offerings and incense to present at the temple of the LORD: The offerings had to be bloodless since the altar had been destroyed. However, even though the temple had also been destroyed, people still came to worship there where it had stood. For cereal, translators can use a general word like “grain.” If there is no such word in the language, then “foods they had harvested from the fields” can be used. For cereal offering, see 14.12. Incense is something that could be burned to make a pleasant smell as an offering. See 6.20, where Revised Standard Version renders this word as “frankincense.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Jeremiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2003. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .