offering

The Hebrew that is translated as “offering” in English is translated in Venda as nduvho. J. A. van Rooy (in The Bible Translator 1974, p. 439ff. ) explains: “It is derived from the verb u luvha (‘to pay homage to; to acknowledge the superiority of; at the same time usually asking for a favour’). It is sometimes used as a synonym for ‘asking something from a chief. The noun nduvho means ‘a gift of allegiance,’ which corresponds closely with minchah (מִנְחָה) as ‘offering of allegiance.’ This term nduvho has in it the elements of subjugation, of reciprocity (asking for a favor), of being taken up into the same community as the chief in allegiance to him. Only the element of expiation is missing.”

In Northern Emberá, it is translated as “given to God freely.” (Source: Loewen 1980, p. 108)

See also offering (qorban).

fat, oil

The different Hebrew and Greek terms that are translated as “(olive) oil” and “(animal) fat” in English are translated in Kwere with only one term: mavuta. (Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

Translation commentary on Ezekiel 46:4 - 46:5

Verses 4-5 describe what offerings the king must give to God each Sabbath day.

The burnt offering that the prince offers to the LORD on the sabbath day shall be six lambs without blemish and a ram without blemish: For burnt offering, see Ezek 46.2. Offers to the LORD may be rendered “bring to the LORD” (Good News Translation) or “give to me [Yahweh].” This offering must be six lambs, that is, six young sheep, and a ram, that is, one adult male sheep. All these animals must be without blemish (see 43.22), that is, “without any defects” (Good News Translation). Contemporary English Version says “There must be nothing wrong with any of these animals.”

And the cereal offering with the ram shall be an ephah, and the cereal offering with the lambs shall be as much as he is able, together with a hin of oil to each ephah: For cereal offering, that is, “grain offering” (New Century Version), see 42.13; for oil, that is, “olive oil” (Good News Translation), see 16.9. As in 45.24 (see the comments there), the king has to give a certain amount of grain (or flour) and olive oil along with each animal he gives for the sacrifice. Along with the ram, he must give one ephah of grain or flour (for the size of an ephah, and how to translate it, see the comments on 45.10-12). Along with the lambs, however, there is not a specific amount of grain or flour given. Instead, the king has to give as much as he is able. This English phrase seems to imply that he must give as much as possible, but the Hebrew expression here more likely means “whatever he wants to give” (Good News Translation; similarly New Revised Standard Version, Contemporary English Version, New International Version, New Living Translation, Complete Jewish Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). Together with a hin of oil to each ephah means the amount of olive oil depends on the unspecified amounts of grain or flour the ruler gives with each of the six lambs, but the ratio of oil to grain or flour is to be one hin to one ephah, that is, about 3.75 liters (1 gallon) of oil to about 22 liters (6 gallons) of grain or flour (see 45.24).

Translators may need to restructure verses 4-5 to make this passage more natural in their language. A model that does this is:

• 4 On the day of rest the king will bring to me [Yahweh] six lambs and one male sheep with no faults. They [or, The priests] will burn them completely as an offering to me. 5 With the male sheep he must also give one container of flour [or, grain] as an offering and as much flour as he wants to give for each lamb, and one container [or, jug] of olive oil for each container of flour.

Quoted with permission from Gross, Carl & Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Ezekiel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .