The Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic and Latin that is transliterated “Levites” in English (only the Contemporary English Version translates it as “temple helpers”) is translated in Ojitlán Chinantec as “temple caretakers,” Yatzachi Zapotec as “people born in the family line of Levi, people whose responsibility it was to do the work in the important church of the Israelites,” in Alekano as “servants in the sacrifice house from Jerusalem place,” and in Tenango Otomi as “helpers of priests.” (Source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
In American Sign Language with a sign that combines “temple” + “servant.” (Source: RuthAnna Spooner, Ron Lawer)
“Levite” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor
Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the people of Israel …: The conjunction Thus (literally “And”) is not found in the Hebrew text, but it serves well to mark the close of a discourse unit in English. An expression should be used in the translation to show that this verse is the conclusion of the unit spanning verses 5-14 as well as the paragraph incorporating verses 12-14; for example, Chewa begins this verse with “This is how you should separate the Levites….”
And the Levites shall be mine is the first, most general result of the Levites’ dedication ritual recorded in verses 5-14. Good News Translation says “so that they will belong to me.”
Quoted with permission from de Regt, Lénart J. and Wendland, Ernst R. A Handbook on Numbers. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
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