complete verse (Hebrews 12:19)

Following are a number of back-translations of Hebrews 12:19:

  • Uma: “They heard a big sound that was like the sound of a trumpet, and a big voice spoke to them. When they heard that voice, they were terrified, they said: ‘We(excl.) request that that voice there not speak to us any more, for we are afraid [poor us!].'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “They heard (something) like the sound of a tabuli’ (a big shell blown to give signals) and they also heard the voice of God. When the people heard that voice they really begged that it wouldn’t speak again because they were very afraid.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “They could hear the trumpet and the loud voice of God, and when the people heard that voice they begged that He might stop talking because it was very frightening.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “They also heard the trumpet and the frightening voice of God. When they heard that aforementioned voice of God, they begged that it not continue,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “There was the sound of a horn/siren and a voice which spoke. After the people heard that voice, they were asking that they would no more be spoken to by that.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “They heard the trumpets sound. They heard God speak and call to them. These people feared when they heard him call to them. Therefore they asked that no longer would they hear what word God would speak.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Hebrews 12:19

The writer is not concerned with the function of the trumpet or “ram’s horn” (Exo 19.13 New English Bible), which is not entirely clear even in Exodus. In this verse it is a sign of God’s activity, like the storm and the voice. There is no difference of meaning between the words translated blast and sound. A single blast is mentioned in Exodus 19.13, 16. Similarly, voice, literally “spoken words,” as in 1.3, and word, as in 2.2, are probably used for the sake of variety rather than to emphasize the singular another word as in Exodus 20.19.

The blast of a trumpet may be “the loud noise made by a trumpet.” There may be a problem in translating the sound of a voice, since “voice” is generally related to someone speaking. But it would be wrong to translate the sound of a voice as “the sound of someone speaking,” since this would raise the question “Who is that someone?” Because the declaration referred to is uttered by God, it may be necessary to translate the sound of a voice as “the sound of God speaking.” This means that the temporal clause When the people heard the voice must be rendered as “When the people heard God speaking” or “… heard God’s voice.”

If one introduces a term such as begged, it may be necessary to indicate to whom the petition was addressed. But this may create complications, and therefore it may be better to translate they begged not to hear another word as “they strongly said they did not want to hear another word.”

Quoted with permission from Ellingworth, Paul and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Letter of the Hebrews. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1983. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .