divination

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “divination” or similar in English is translated in Elhomwe as edduwelle or “to know about the future” (source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext) and in Bariai as “magic” (source: Bariai Back Translation).

See also spirit of divination and practice divination.

complete verse (Joshua 13:22)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Joshua 13:22:

  • Kupsabiny: “Among the people whom the people of Israel killed were a prophet who was called Balaam son of Beor.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “In addition to the people killed in battle, the Israelites also killed Balaam, son of Beor, who practiced divination.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Together-with those who were-killed by the Israelinhon was Balaam one-who-divines/fortune-tells child of Beor.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “The Israeli army killed many people during those battles, including Balaam, the prophet from Beor, who tried to use magic to predict/tell what would happen in the future.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Joshua 13:22

Among those whom of Good News Translation translates “also” (Revised Standard Version) of the Hebrew text. One may render “Together with these” or “In addition.”

The noun fortuneteller is made from a Hebrew verb which means “practice divination,” something that was generally done by consulting lots which had been cast.

For the fortuneteller Balaam, see Numbers chapters 22–24; his death (and that of the leaders of Midian) is reported also in Numbers 31.8.

The identifying noun phrase son of Beor makes restructuring into English somewhat awkward. Without this phrase one could translate “In addition the people of Israel also killed Balaam the fortuneteller.” In some languages son of Beor may be rendered following Balaam without this problem, since that is the formal way of indicating a person’s name, as, for example, “Ismael bin (son of) Hussain.” But for English readers “Balaam son of Beor the fortuneteller” would cause the reader (particularly the person who hears the scripture read) to understand Beor as the fortuneteller. If “son of Beor” is retained in the text, the verse may be translated as two sentences: “In addition the people of Israel killed Balaam the fortuneteller. He was the son of Beor.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Newman, Barclay M. A Handbook on Joshua. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1983. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .