inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Judg 21:22)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, the Jarai and the Adamawa Fulfulde translation both use the exclusive pronoun, excluding the Benjaminites.

complete verse (Judges 21:22)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Judges 21:22:

  • Kupsabiny: “And if the father or brothers come to threaten us, we shall say, ‘Please, you are people who can listen to words/reason. Let these men marry your girls because we did not find enough girls for them all when we destroyed Jabesh-gilead. And again, you have not done a mistake because it was not you who gave your girls to them to marry.’ ’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Then if their fathers and brothers come to speak with us, we will say, ‘Please have pity on us by helping them, for we were not able to bring brides for them in battle. You will incur no guilt. For you have not given your daughters.’"” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “If indeed their fathers or brothers will-complain to us (excl.), this is what we (excl.) will-say to them, ‘Please you (plur.) just leave- them -alone because the ladies whom we (incl.) took-away when we (incl.) attacked Jabesh Gilead were not enough. You (plur.) have nothing to-reason-out because you (plur.) did- not -allow that the Benjaminhon will-take-as-wife your (plur.) female children/(daughters).’ ’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “If their fathers or brothers come to us and complain about what you have done, we will say to them, ‘Be kind to the men of the tribe of Benjamin. When we fought them, we did not leave any women alive to become their wives, and you did not give those young women to the men from the tribe of Benjamin. They stole them. So you will not be guilty, even though you said that you would not allow any of your daughters to marry one of them.’ ’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

formal 2nd person plural pronoun (Japanese)

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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a formal plural suffix to the second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, anata-gata (あなたがた) is used, combining the second person pronoun anata and the plural suffix -gata to create a formal plural pronoun (“you” [plural] in English).

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Japanese benefactives (yatte)

Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.

Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between. One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a benefactive construction as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017.

Here, yatte (やって) or “do for their sake” is used in combination with kudasaru (くださる), a respectful form of the benefactive kureru (くれる). A benefactive reflects the good will of the giver or the gratitude of a recipient of the favor. To convey this connotation, English translation needs to employ a phrase such as “for me (my sake)” or “for you (your sake).” (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on Judges 21:22

This verse anticipates the reaction of the fathers and brothers of the captured young women of Shiloh.

And when their fathers or their brothers come to complain to us: And when is literally “And it will happen when.” This expression introduces a temporal clause in Hebrew, but many treat it as a conditional clause by beginning with “If” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version). Another possible way to begin this verse is “And if it should happen that….” Their fathers and their brothers refer to the male relatives of the captured young women. In Hebrew the word for fathers includes uncles, and the word for brothers includes male cousins. Mentioning them reflects the cultural situation of that time, since it was the men of the family who were responsible for protecting the women, especially the unmarried girls (see Gen 34). The Hebrew verb rendered complain (riv) can mean “dispute” or even “accuse,” as in a legal setting (see verse 6.31, where it is rendered “contend”). Good News Translation uses the verb “protest,” which fits well here. The pronoun us in the Hebrew text refers to the Israelites. The Septuagint replaces this pronoun with “you,” referring to the Benjaminites. Though most versions stay with the Hebrew text, Good News Translation adopts the ver Septuagintver* reading. However, Hebrew Old Testament Text Project recommends following the Hebrew text. Translators should indicate in a footnote if they opt for another reading than the Hebrew text.

We will say to them: The pronoun we refers to Israelites, and the pronoun them points to the male relatives of the captured young women. This clause seems to confirm that the pronoun us rather than the pronoun “you” should be used in the previous clause. Good News Translation changes this clause to read “you can tell them,” a reading that Hebrew Old Testament Text Project does not recommend.

Grant them graciously to us renders a Hebrew text that says “Be gracious [or, Show favor] to them for/to us.” The Septuagint omits the words to us, but Hebrew Old Testament Text Project recommends keeping them. The pronoun them refers to the Benjaminites, and pronoun us points to the Israelites leaders. The Israelites ask the men of Shiloh to forgive the Benjaminites for capturing the young women on their behalf. They want them to allow the Benjaminites to keep the women they have captured. Thus New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “Be generous to them for our sake,” and New International Version has “Do us a kindness by helping them.” Translators may also say “Be gracious to them on our account [or, for our sake].”

Because we did not take each man of them his wife in battle explains why the men of Shiloh should be gracious to the Benjaminites. During the attack on Jabesh-gilead, the Israelites were not able to obtain enough wives for all the surviving Benjaminites. Because renders well the Hebrew particle ki. The pronoun we refers logically back to the Israelite leaders, who did not physically carry out the act of “taking” the young women from Jabesh, but who are taking responsibility. The pronouns them and him refer to the Benjaminites. New International Version says “because we did not get wives for them during the war.” Contemporary English Version is similar with “After all, we couldn’t get enough wives for all the men of Benjamin in the battle at Jabesh.”

Neither did you give them to them is literally “for you, you did not give to them,” which seeks to explain why the men of Shiloh are not at fault. Normally a wrong would have been committed if they had willingly given their daughters in marriage to Benjaminite men, as specified in verse 21.1. However, the Israelites argue that in this case, the vow is not really being broken, since the daughters had not been “given.” This clause begins with the Hebrew particle ki, which could be rendered “because” (Contemporary English Version), “since” (Good News Translation, New International Version), or “for.” The men of Shiloh (you) did not willingly give their daughters (the first them) to the Benjaminites (the second them). Translators may make these pronouns explicit if necessary (see first model below).

Else you would now be guilty is literally “at the time you would be guilty.” If the men of Shiloh had willingly given their daughters, they would have broken their vow and been guilty before Yahweh and deserved to die. But since their daughters are stolen, they are not guilty. For this clause and the previous one we might say “You did not give your daughters to the Benjaminites, so you are not really guilty” or “You did not really give your daughters to the Benjaminites. If you had, you would be guilty [but you are not].” New International Version reverses these clauses, saying “and you are innocent, since you did not give your daughters to them.”

Translation models for this verse are:

• If the young women’s fathers or brothers come to us to protest, we will say, ‘Be generous to the Benjaminites on our account, because we could not get enough wives for them during the battle [at Jabesh-gilead]. Since you did not actually give your daughters to the Benjaminites, you are not guilty of breaking your vow.’ ”

• If it happens that the girls’ male relatives come to complain, we will beg them to forgive you because we weren’t able to get enough wives for you from the battle. We will say to them, ‘You are innocent [in this matter], since you did not give your daughters to them—they stole them!’ ”

Quoted with permission from Zogbo, Lynell and Ogden, Graham S. A Handbook on Judges. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .