Jacob: the Masoretic Text says Jacob, while the Septuagint says “Jacob and his sons.” It is not clear whether Good News Translation is following the Septuagint here, as Revised English Bible and New American Bible do, or whether for translation purposes the sense of the name Jacob has here been rendered “Jacob and his family.” Though Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament recommends that the Masoretic Text be accepted here, it may be best for translation purposes to follow the example of the Septuagint. A literal translation such as Revised Standard Version and New International Version (“After Jacob entered Egypt, they cried to the LORD for help”) may incorrectly suggest to some readers that “Jacob” and the third person plural pronoun “they” refer to different persons.

And the Egyptians oppressed them: these words are not in the Hebrew text but have been added in both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation on the basis of the Septuagint. The Hebrew text, followed in New International Version, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, and Fox, is given a {B} rating by Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament. But for translation purposes it may be best to make explicit what all of the original readers knew very well, namely that the Egyptians oppressed the Israelites, following the models of Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation. See also Revised English Bible: “After Jacob and his sons had gone down to Egypt and suffered at the hands of the Egyptians.”

Made them dwell: the verb in Hebrew is plural, and Moses and Aaron are the subject. The Septuagint, however, has a verb in third person singular, with God as the subject. New American Bible is based on the text of the Septuagint: “and he gave them this place to live in.” Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament does not discuss this textual problem. The Masoretic Text, with the plural subject, is rightly followed here by most versions.

Your fathers: the “ancestors.”

In this place: that is, in the Promised Land. If the word place has a very restricted meaning in the receptor language, then it will be better to translate “in this land” (Contemporary English Version and Good News Translation). Some may prefer to say more specifically “in the land where we are” (La Bible du Semeur).

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .