Chapter 3 - Translating the Bible

Summary

Introduction

Given the vast number of manuscripts of the Bible, it was necessary to develop a process for establishing a basic, unified text. This process, of course, began by working with written Hebrew and Greek texts. Even today, regardless of the reasons or motives for studying the Bible, it is important to begin by seeking insight about the meanings of the original Hebrew or Greek texts and to use translations of them that capture, as much as possible, what the biblical authors intended to communicate.

Over time, literature that was recognized as being sacred became part of the Bible and was used in Jewish synagogues during worship services and for study by the scribes and rabbis (teachers in the synagogues). And, when individuals could no longer read the original languages of the Bible, needs arose for translations of biblical works into other languages. In this chapter, we consider the many challenges of this process.

Establishing the Text

The oldest manuscripts of the Bible were written only in consonants, without any spaces between words or divisions into chapters and verses. And, Hebrew texts have always been written and read from right to left. Naturally, it was hard to know how to pronounce words without vowels when reading texts aloud. Take, for example, the simple Hebrew word “son” (BN), for which the consonants are the equivalent of our “b” and “n.” Should it be pronounced “BaN,” “BeN,” “BiN,” or “BoN”?