plague

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “plague” in English is translated in Bariai as “killing-off” (source: Bariai Back Translation).

In the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) as Katastrophe or Katastrophenschlag, i.e. “disaster” or “disastrous strike.”

complete verse (Numbers 16:49)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Numbers 16:49:

  • Kupsabiny: “The people who died reached 14,700 without counting those people who died because of the rebellion of Korah.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Aside from those who died, having joined together with Korah, that time fourteen thousand and seven hundred (14,700) people died from the plague.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “But 14,700 have-died not counting/included those who have-died because of Korah.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “But 14,700 people had already died from that plague/sickness, in addition to the people who died with Korah.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Numbers 16:49

Now those who died by the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred: Revised Standard Version‘s literal rendering here is awkward in English. New Living Translation provides a helpful model, saying “But 14,700 people died in that plague” (similarly New International Version). The conjunction “But” fits well here.

Besides those who died in the affair of Korah: Although the Hebrew term for affair is very general, “rebellion” (Good News Translation) fits the context better. Since Korah was not the only rebellious person, this clause may be rendered “in addition to those who had died in the rebellion led by Korah” (similarly New Living Translation).

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 .