The Hebrew and Greek that is transliterated as “Ephraim” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the sign for “palm tree” referring to the palm of Deborah in the land of Ephraim (see Judges 4:5. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Judges 8:2:
Kupsabiny: “But Gideon replied, ‘But the clan of Ephraim has done something powerful beyond the whole of my clan of Abiezer.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “He said to them — "What have I done that is [anything] like what you have done? What! Are not the grapes left behind for Ephraim better than the whole harvest of Abiezer?” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “But Gideon said to them, ‘What I have-done is just very small compared to what you (plur.) have-done. Even the small-(things) that you (plur.) have-done are greater in comparison to all that my family has-done.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “But Gideon replied, ‘I have done very little compared with what you have done! My small clan of descendants of Abiezer only started the battle, but your very large group of descendants of Ephraim helped me to finish the task very well. It is like the final grapes of the harvest being much better than the first grapes that are picked.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
The Hebrew, Greek and Latin that is translated in English typically as “vine” is translated in Lak as къюмайтӀутӀул мурхьра: “the (grape-) cluster tree.”
Vitaly Voinov tells this story: “Laks (who live in the mountainous regions of Dagestan) historically have had no experience with planting and tending vineyards. They buy grapes at the market or the store, but that’s about all they know of grape growing. Thus, in field testing, none of the readers could picture the primary image of this chapter. The translator’s initial attempt of rendering ‘vine’ as ‘grape stalk’ met with complete non-understanding. After much discussion of the problem and potential solutions, we settled on what one of the field testing respondents suggested to remedy the problem: ‘vine’ was rendered as ‘the (grape-)cluster tree’ (къюмайтӀутӀул мурхьра). Technically grapes of course don’t grow on trees, but something had to be put in the text, and it had to be said in a way that the average reader/hearer could understand it. The Lak team could have borrowed the Russian word for ‘vine’ (лоза), but since this is a very low-frequency word in the Russian language, it’s likely that many Laks wouldn’t know the Russian word either. So the team settled for a reduction of accuracy in order to achieve greater clarity. After all, the primary point of importance in this passage is not a horticultural analysis, but a metaphorical comparison to the spiritual world, to the relationship between the Father, His Son, and the followers of Jesus. This rendering allows readers to get to the core of this meaning without getting tangled up in unknown terms.”
The Common Grape Vine Vitis vinifera is mentioned more often than any other plant or tree in the Bible. Excavations in Greece have discovered grape seeds dating to 4500 B.C. Egyptian records document the existence of cultivated vines in Canaan as early as 2375 B.C., and subsequent records report trade in vine products around 1360 B.C. and many times thereafter.
The vine is a creeping plant that develops a woody stem when it matures. It grows along the ground until it finds a tree or other object to climb, using tendrils. It bears bunches of small round fruit that are sweet and juicy. Today farmers grow them commercially throughout the Mediterranean area, in South Africa, in North America, and in many other countries. The first reference to the vine in the Bible (Genesis 9:20) tells us that Noah planted a vineyard (Hebrew kerem) and that he made an alcoholic drink from the fruit. Farmers since then have improved on the size, color, and quality of the fruit by careful pruning and selection until now there are at least 65 kinds of grapevines. Like many other plants in temperate areas, the vine has leaves that appear in early spring. After the fruit is picked and the weather gets cold, the leaves drop off and the plant is bare until the following spring. A typical vineyard in Bible times was surrounded by a stone fence. It had a stone tower from which the owner could watch for predators, and a place to squeeze the juice out of the fruits.
The vine is the most frequently cited plant in the Bible, and that alone makes it special. Vines, grapes, raisins, and wine were a major element of Jewish life, so it is not a surprise that the vine and its products are used figuratively probably more than any other Bible plant. After the flood purified the earth at the time of Noah, the vine became the means by which the human race was plunged again into sin (Genesis 9:20). We know from Jacob’s blessing in Genesis 49:11f. and other passages that the vine was the symbol of blessing, prosperity, and happiness. The fact that there were groups like the Nazirites and Rechabites who abstained from drinking wine simply shows the radical self-denial that these people imposed on themselves. A drink offering of wine was an important part of worship (Exodus 29:40), and the image of contentment was “every man under his vine and under his fig tree” (Micah 4:4). Jotham includes the vine in his well-known Parable of the Trees (Judges 9:7ff.). In the New Testament, Jesus rescued a man from humiliation at a wedding party by miraculously providing a fresh supply of wine (John 2:1ff.). Wine becomes a major symbol in the Christian community when Jesus foreshadows his crucifixion by comparing the wine poured out in the Passover celebration to his blood (Matthew 26:27f. et al.). He speaks of the need for Christians to be like the branches of the vine, drawing their nourishment from him, the True Vine (John 15.:1ff.). Nearly every New Testament writer makes some metaphorical reference to the vine or its products.
There are around 65 kinds of grapevines (Vitis vinifera) found in the Northern Hemisphere. They belong to a larger family of creeping plants called Vitaceae, which has over 800 species throughout the world including many in the tropical and warm climates of the world.
Grapevines have occasionally been grown in West Africa (for example, in The Gambia and in northern Nigeria) but are not well known even where they are grown commercially. Attempts at substituting a local tree name have not been entirely successful because the species chosen is usually not cultivated and/or does not have the same economic or social function that the grape had in Israel.
Thus it is probably best to use a transliteration from a major language. However, in parts of Nigeria and perhaps elsewhere, the word grep refers to “grapefruit” and should be avoided in translation. A transliteration from “vine” or “wine” is preferred, although a translator needs to be careful. The English word “vine” refers to any creeping plant, but it also refers to a particular kind of vine that produces grapes (Vitis vinifera). This can be confusing. Furthermore, translators in English-speaking countries should think carefully about what they are going to do with the word “wine.” In The Gambia, Mandinka translators first used “wayini tree” but later concluded that it may be better to have a word for “vine” that is not necessarily identical with “wine.” Bine, from binekaro (“vinegar”), was considered, as was inabi (“grape”) from Arabic.
Languages that borrow the Arabic word inabi must deal with the fact that this word bears an unfortunate resemblance to annabi (“prophet”) and new readers reading “water of inabi” in a context of prophecy may associate it, for better or worse, with prophets and prophecy. In northern Nigeria church people have gotten used to inabi in the New Testament even though many of them don’t know what it is. Basa in Nigeria uses a wild grape-like plant (afwafwa), and Igala has used the same species (achiwebetema) for years. Likewise, two translations in Mali and Burkina Faso use their local name for a wild vine (Lannea microcarpa) for the biblical vine. There is a species (Rhoicissus tridentata) in southern and eastern Africa known as “African grape” (locally called “bobbejaantou”). In such cases translators should write a footnote (or glossary item) stating that the grapes of Bible times were larger and sweeter than the local variety, and that they were cultivated extensively as a source for producing beverages. Other possibilities for transliteration are: vinyola/videra (Portuguese), vitis (Latin), and inab (Arabic).
Fruit of the vine (Hebrew ‘enav; Greek botrus, staphulē): There is some evidence that botrus refers to a bunch of grapes, while staphulē refers to individual grapes. According to Louw and Nida (Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains, 1988), however, both words may refer to individual grapes as well as bunches of grapes. The Hebrew word tirosh is equivalent to the word “vintage” in English, that is, the grape harvest and possibly the first squeezing of the grapes. It is normally used along with the words referring to the olive harvest (yitshar) and grain harvest (dagan).
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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).
Gideon tries to calm the Ephraimites by reasoning with them and using a proverb that might convince them of his viewpoint.
And he said to them: Gideon responds to the Ephraimites’ question with two rhetorical questions of his own to appease their anger. The verb said may be rendered “answered” (Contemporary English Version, New International Version) or “replied” (Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible).
What have I done now in comparison with you?: As with the Ephraimites’ questions, Gideon’s first question is more general than the second one. This first one is literally “What have I done now like you?” Here Gideon tries to assure the Ephraimites that they have played an important role, doing more than he has in the war. The pronoun I refers to Gideon as leader, and by extension to him and his troops. The verb done may be rendered “accomplished” (New International Version, Revised English Bible) or “achieved” (New Jerusalem Bible). The pronoun you refers to the Ephraimites as a group, so in some languages it may be helpful to say “you Ephraimites” or “you people of Ephraim.” For this whole question New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “After all, what have I accomplished compared to you?” Some languages may say “Comparing you and me, what did I do?” Instead of using a question, translators can use a strong statement. For example, Contemporary English Version says “Even though you came later, you were able to do much more than I did.” Other possible models are “Nothing I have done surpasses what you have done” and “What you did was far more significant than what I did!”
Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abi-ezer?: Gideon’s second rhetorical question resembles a proverb. Using figurative language, Gideon compares his and the Ephraimites’ role in the war. The gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim is imagery for the capturing and killing of the two Midianite commanders by the Ephraimites (verse 7.25), while the vintage of Abi-ezer is imagery for Gideon’s defeat of the Midianites (verse 7.22), since he came from the clan of Abiezer (verse 6.11).
Gleaning refers to a common practice in Israel, in which poor people were allowed to go through the fields after the harvest and pick up what was left behind. Here Gideon refers to the harvest of grapes, small sweet fruits that are squeezed to make wine and dried to make raisins. The vintage refers to the grape harvest in general. Translators can try to preserve this figurative speech, for example, “Aren’t the grapes you picked up after the harvest better than the whole crop I harvested?” In some languages it will be better to render the question as a strong statement, for example, “What you Ephraimites picked up after the harvest is better than the crop I was able to harvest!” Is … better than may be rendered “surpasses,” “is more significant than,” or “is worth more than.” This statement expresses some humor since gleaning represents far fewer grapes than an entire harvest. Here Gideon is clearly trying to flatter the Ephraimites. Some versions choose to remove the imagery. For example, Good News Translation says “Even the little that you people of Ephraim did is worth more than what my whole clan has done.” While Good News Translation‘s rendering is acceptable, we do not recommend it since Gideon explains his images in what follows. It is better to try to render the text as it stands.
Translation models for this verse are:
• But Gideon replied, “Come on, what have I done compared to you? The fruits you Ephraimites picked up after the harvest are more important than my crop!
• And he said to the Ephraimites, “But what I have done is nothing compared to what you did! The little fruit you were able to glean is worth much more than my whole harvest.
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 .
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