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).

complete verse (Genesis 17:4)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 17:4:

  • Kankanaey: “‘This is the agreement-that- I -will-present to you (sing.). Starting-from now, your (sing.) name will not be Abram, but rather Abraham, because I will make- you (sing.) -become the ancestral-source of those who inhabit many nations.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “‘It is with you that I have made this covenant — You will be the father of many nations.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “‘On my part, this is my agreement with you: You will-become a father of many nations.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “‘Listen to this agreement that I am making with you: People of many nations will be your descendants.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 17:4

Behold, my covenant is with you are the first words of God’s second speech. For Behold see 1.31. My covenant is with you: that is, “I make this covenant with you:…” (Good News Translation). We may also translate, for example, “I promise you…,” “This is the promise I make to you:…,” or “The covenant that I will make with you is like this:….”

You shall be the father of a multitude of nations: the promise to increase Abram’s descendants runs throughout the chapter. Father of a multitude is used also in Gen 17.5. This promise anticipates the change of Abram’s name in the following sentence.

In verses 4b and 5b the word translated multitude is hamon. It is suggested that through a play on words the “ha” of hamon is inserted before the final letter of Abram, thus giving the form Abra-ha-m. The close association of Abram’s name with multitude led to a popular interpretation of the name Abraham as meaning “father of a multitude [of people].” This is reflected in the footnotes of Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, and other versions. However, it is also possible that Abraham is a grammatical or dialect variation of Abram, which means “father is exalted.”

Nations (see 12.2) here refers to tribal or ethnic groups and not modern nation states. These are often translated as “tribes,” “ethnic groups,” “peoples,” “countries.”

It may not be possible to use the term father in reference to the originator of numerous nations. However, it may be possible, as in Good News Translation, to speak of being “the ancestor of many tribes,” “the ancestor of the people in many places,” or “the great-grandfather of many nations.” It may also be necessary to make some adjustments so that it is understood that Abram will have this title in the future. Accordingly it may be necessary to say something like “After many years have passed you will become [be known as] the ancestor of many…” or “After many generations have passed….”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .