covenant

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The Hebrew, Greek, and Latin that are translated as “covenant” in English are translated in a variety of ways. Here are some (back-) translations:

  • Mossi: “helping promise”
  • Vai: “a thing-time-bind” (i.e. “an arrangement agreed upon for a period of time”)
  • Loma (Liberia): “agreement”
  • Northwestern Dinka: “agreement which is tied up” (i.e. “secure and binding”)
  • Chol: “a word which is left”
  • Huastec: “a broken-off word” (“based on the concept of ‘breaking off a word’ and leaving it with the person with whom an agreement has been reached”)
  • Tetelcingo Nahuatl: “a death command” (i.e. “a special term for testament”)
  • Piro: “a promised word”
  • Eastern Krahn: “a word between”
  • Yaka: “promise that brings together” (source for this and all above: Bratcher / Nida)
  • Nabak: alakŋaŋ or “tying the knot” (source: Fabian 2013, p. 156)
  • Nyamwezi: ilagano: “agreement, contract, covenant, promise” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Q’anjob’al: “put mouths equal” (representing agreement) (source: Newberry and Kittie Cox in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 91ff. )
  • Manikion, Indonesian: “God’s promise” (source: Daud Soesilo)
  • Natügu: nzesz’tikr drtwr: “oneness of mind” (source: Brenda Boerger in Beerle-Moor / Voinov, p. 164)
  • Tagalog: tipan: mutual promising on the part of two persons agreeing to do something (also has a romantic touch and denotes something secretive) (source: G. Henry Waterman in The Bible Translator 1960, p. 24ff. )
  • Tagbanwa: “initiated-agreement” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Guhu-Samane: “The concept [in Mark 14:24 and Matthew 16:28] is not easy, but the ritual freeing of a fruit and nut preserve does afford some reference. Thus, ‘As they were drinking he said to them, ‘On behalf of many this poro provision [poro is the traditional religion] of my blood is released.’ (…) God is here seen as the great benefactor and man the grateful recipient.” (Source: Ernest Richert in The Bible Translator, 1965, p. 81ff. )
Law (2013, p. 95) writes about how the Ancient Greek Septuagint‘s translation of the Hebrew berith was used by the New Testament writers as a bridge between the Old and New Testaments (click or tap here to read more):

“Right from the start we witness the influence of the Septuagint on the earliest expressions of the Christian faith. In the New Testament, Jesus speaks of his blood being a kaine diatheke, a ‘new covenant.’ The covenant is elucidated in Hebrews 8:8-12 and other texts, but it was preserved in the words of Jesus with this language in Luke 22:20 when at the Last Supper Jesus said, ‘This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. Jesus’s blood was to provide the grounds for the ‘new covenant,’ in contrast to the old one his disciples knew from the Jewish scriptures (e.g., Jeremiah 31:31-34). Thus, the earliest Christians accepted the Jewish Scriptures as prophecies about Jesus and in time began to call the collection the ‘Old Testament’ and the writings about Jesus and early Christianity the ‘New Testament,’ since ‘testament’ was another word for ‘covenant.’ The covenant promises of God (berith in Hebrew) were translated in the Septuagint with the word diatheke. In classical Greek diatheke had meant ‘last will, testament,’ but in the Septuagint it is the chosen equivalent for God’s covenant with his people. The author of Hebrews plays on the double meaning, and when Luke records Jesus’ announcement at the Last Supper that his blood was instituting a ‘new covenant,’ or a ‘new testament,’ he is using the language in an explicit contrast with the old covenant, found in the Jewish scriptures. Soon, the writings that would eventually be chosen to make up the texts about the life and teachings of Jesus and the earliest expression of the Christian faith would be called the New Testament. This very distinction between the Old and New Testaments is based on the Septuagint’s language.”

See also establish (covenant) and covenant (book).

Translation commentary on Daniel 11:28

He: in most languages it will probably be better to translate the pronoun by a full noun phrase, either “the king of Syria” or “the king of the north,” depending on the decision made earlier. See verse 5.

Return to his land: since this king stopped for some time in Jerusalem on his way home, it has been suggested that this be translated “he will leave for his country” (Bible en français courant) or “he will start back home.” Essentially the same phrase is used again at the end of the verse, where he continues and completes his journey back to his own country.

Great substance: compare verses 13 and 24. But here the same term is applied to booty or loot captured in war.

His heart shall be set against: the heart is here seen as the seat of intelligence and will (see 1.8, “resolved,” and 2.30, “mind”) and therefore symbolizes his plans against the people of God.

The holy covenant: in verse 22 the “prince of the covenant” referred to the leader of the Jewish religion, the High Priest. The expression used here refers to the religion itself or the people who adhere to that religion. It involves the agreement between God and his people about their relationship. In many languages the concept of religion is difficult to translate directly. If this is the case, translators may consider “the proper worship of God” as a valid translation.

He shall work his will: literally “he will do (or act).” According to some interpreters the Hebrew translator of the supposed Aramaic original misread it or had a faulty copy. The original is presumed to have meant “as he passes through,” which fits the context and the known historical facts much better (see Anchor Bible). But most versions accept the text as it stands and translate something like “he will take action” (New Jerusalem Bible) or “he will do as he pleases” (Good News Translation). The latter takes it to have the same meaning as “do according to his own will” in verses 3, 16, 36.

Return to his own land: this is essentially the same expression as earlier in the verse. Bible en français courant avoids the repetition by translating the first occurrence as indicated above. Another possibility is to translate this second occurrence as “then he will complete the journey back home” or something similar.

At the end of his Egyptian campaign, Antiochus IV returned with a large amount of captured loot. On his way home he carried out an attack on Jerusalem and the Jewish religion in particular.

Quoted with permission from Péter-Contesse, René & Ellington, John. A Handbook on Daniel. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1994. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .