Using Translation Feature

Lynden O. Williams

If you are like me and limited or no knowledge of the biblical languages, then the translation feature is a must have.

1. Select the translation tool.

2. Highlight the word (Hebrew in this case)

3. Choose English language as the language to translate to.

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Comments

MJ. Smith

But I think that it doesn't handle the Koine Greek.

BKMitchell

then the translation feature is a must have

I can understand how one might feel that way, but please be careful and use that tool with great caution.

For example the word ישׁב is not necessarily a 3rd person masculine singular perfect (often renderd as a past tense in English) as the translation tool seems to be attempting to make us believe! Depending on the context and on the supplied vowels points ישׁב might be an imperfect ( יֵֽשֶׁב ) in Genesis 44:33, or an infinitive absolute ( יָשֹׁב ) in 1 Samuel 20:5, or a participle ( יֹשֵׁ֥ב ) in Genesis 4:20 . Without context or vowel points we simply do not know.

Carmen Gauvin-O'Donnell

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1309497#Comment_1309497

Yeah this kind of reminds me of using the Google Translate tool. The reason I can say that the French translations are mostly good is only because I speak French to begin with, but not enough these days to be comfortable writing something entirely in French without using Google Translate's help. But when I see the translation I can tell if it's suitable or not... because I already speak the language.

So it seems to me that if you have NO knowledge of Greek or Hebrew you are still hoping that they have gotten it right, ya know? Cause you can't argue if they haven't.

HJ. van der Wal

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1309497#Comment_1309497

I can understand how one might feel that way, but please be careful and use that tool with great caution.

I agree.

The translation tool will translate modern Hebrew and not classical Hebrew. That can cause confusion with words that have shifted meaning, e.g. נס ("banner" vs. "wonder") or בהמות ("hippopotamus", but a hapax legomenon in the Bible).