complete verse (Numbers 16:24)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Numbers 16:24:

  • Kupsabiny: “‘Tell the people to move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Say to the community, ‘Get [lit.: go] far away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.’” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “‘Tell the community that they stay-far-away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “‘Okay, but tell all the people to get away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Numbers 16:23 - 16:24

And the LORD said to Moses: See 1.1.

Say to the congregation: This quote frame introduces what God wants Moses to tell the people of Israel. Good News Translation uses indirect speech for the following embedded quotation, which other languages may find helpful. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh renders the Hebrew word for congregation (ʿedah) as “community,” which is formally correct (see 1.2), but perhaps in this context the word “people” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation) may sound more natural so the people of Israel in view here are not confused with the [rebellious] community of Korah.

Get away from about the dwelling of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram: The Hebrew word for dwelling (mishkan) refers to the place where Korah, Dathan, and Abiram were living with their families. This word is singular in Hebrew, probably implying that their tents were all in close proximity to each other in the southern section of the camp. However, in many languages it probably will be more natural to says “tents” (Good News Translation). The names Dathan and Abiram are not in the Septuagint, which New Jerusalem Bible and La Bible de Jérusalem Nouvelle follow. According to verse 25, Dathan and Abiram were not at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, so this omission makes sense. However, we advise translators to follow the Hebrew text by keeping these names. In his warning the LORD is apparently referring to the danger of being in physical proximity to any of the rebels. The mention of Dathan and Abiram also forms a transition back to Moses’ confrontation with them (verses 12-14).

Quoted with permission from de Regt, Lénart J. and Wendland, Ernst R. A Handbook on Numbers. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .