Considerations for OT Translation

Abstract

Old Testament translation brings new challenges. This article touches on some of the areas which may need special attention when translating the Hebrew Bible. These include textual issues, hapax legomena, genre, and poetical language. Textual problems in the OT are more difficult to handle compared to those in the NT. Rare words or words that occur only once are more frequent and difficult to explain. Some of the text types differ from those of the NT and need to be investigated because they can influence our exegesis. Finally, the poetical language is richer and more abundant and may challenge some of our translation theories. The article does not cover these issues in any depth but is intended to raise awareness, give guidance, and suggest some further helps.