book of the annals

The Hebrew that is translated as “book of the annals” in English is translated in Newari as “history book” (source: Newari Back Translation).

family / clan / house

The Hebrew terms that are translated as “family” or “clan” or “house” or similar in English are all translated in Kwere as ng’holo or “clan.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

In the English translation by Goldingay (2018) it is translated as “kin-group.”

See also tribe.

Levite

The Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic and Latin that is transliterated “Levites” in English (only the Contemporary English Version translates it as “temple helpers”) is translated in Ojitlán Chinantec as “temple caretakers,” Yatzachi Zapotec as “people born in the family line of Levi, people whose responsibility it was to do the work in the important church of the Israelites,” in Alekano as “servants in the sacrifice house from Jerusalem place,” and in Tenango Otomi as “helpers of priests.” (Source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)

In American Sign Language with a sign that combines “temple” + “servant.” (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)


“Levite” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor

For the sign in Spanish Sign Language, see Levi.

More information about Levites .

complete verse (Nehemiah 12:23)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Nehemiah 12:23:

  • Kupsabiny: “The names of heads of the Levite families were written until the days of Johanan who a grandson of Eliashib.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The leaders/[lit. heads] of the families of the Levites were listed in the Book of the History until the time of Johanan the grandchild of Eliashib.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “They wrote the names of the leaders of the clans who were descendants of Levi in the Book of Events in Israel, but they stopped writing those names when Eliashib’s grandson Johanan was the Supreme Priest.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Nehemiah 12:23

Here it is specifically stated that the records of the Levite family heads until the time of Johanan the son of Eliashib were recorded in the Book of the Chronicles. In Hebrew this is literally “the book of the words [or, affairs] of the days.” It is the Temple archives or “annals” (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible), “the book in which important events were recorded” (Bible en français courant). This book is not the same as 1-2 Chronicles in the Old Testament canon. New Revised Standard Version calls it “the Book of the Annals,” while Revised English Bible says simply “the annals.” It may be described, for example, as “the book of daily events” or “the official record of events from day to day.” For further comments on this expression, see A Handbook on the Book of Esther since it occurs also in Est 2.23; 10.2.

Were written: See the comments in the previous verse on “were recorded” since both expressions translate the same Hebrew verb “to write.” There it is translated by Revised Standard Version as “were recorded” because the text there does not say where the names were recorded. Here Revised Standard Version translates it as “were written” because the names were written in a book.

Until the days of: As in the previous verse, this refers to “until the time of” rather than to specific days. Good News Translation and some other translations understand this statement to indicate a limited duration of time, that is, “only down to the days of” (Revised English Bible).

As explained in the comments on verse 22 above, Johanan should be retained here and not “Jonathan” as in Good News Translation.

Quoted with permission from Noss, Philip A. and Thomas, Kenneth J. A Handbook on Nehemiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2005. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .