OET interlinear NUM 11:31

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

וְ⁠ר֜וּחַ נָסַ֣ע ׀ מֵ⁠אֵ֣ת יְהוָ֗ה

and=spirit went_out from,with YHWH

Here, the author is speaking as if the wind were actually a person that Yahweh sent on a mission. Your language may have a comparable expression that you can use in your translation, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [And Yahweh sent a wind]

Note 2 topic: translate-unknown

שַׂלְוִים֮

quail

A quail is a kind of small, plump game bird. If your readers would not be familiar with what a quail is, you could use the name of a similar bird that your readers would recognize, or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: [small, plump game birds]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

מִן־הַ⁠יָּם֒

from/more_than the=sea

The author assumes that readers will know that the sea refers to the Gulf of Aqaba, on the eastern side of the Sinai region. You could say that explicitly if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [from the nearby gulf]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

וַ⁠יִּטֹּ֨שׁ עַל־הַֽ⁠מַּחֲנֶ֜ה

and,it_left_[them] on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in the,camp

The author is leaving out some of the words that in many languages a sentence would need in order to be complete. You can supply these words from the context if that would be clearer in your language. Alternate translation: [and it left the quails upon the camp]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

כְּ⁠דֶ֧רֶךְ י֣וֹם כֹּ֗ה וּ⁠כְ⁠דֶ֤רֶךְ יוֹם֙ כֹּ֔ה סְבִיב֖וֹת הַֽ⁠מַּחֲנֶ֑ה

about,a_journey_of day on_this_side and,about,a_journey_of day on_the_other_side all_around_of the,camp

The phrase as a way of a day this way and as a way of a day that way was a common expression of this culture that means “about a day’s journey in each direction.” If this phrase does not have that meaning in your language, you could use a comparable expression from your language that does have that meaning, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [and about a day’s journey in each direction from the camp]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

וּ⁠כְ⁠אַמָּתַ֖יִם עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָ⁠אָֽרֶץ

and,about,two_cubits on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in face/surface_of the=earth/land

Here, the author could be indicating that: (1) the quails lay in piles on the ground, and the piles were about two cubits high. Alternate translation: [and in piles about two cubits high on the face of] (2) the quails were flying about two cubits above the ground. Alternate translation: [and flying about cubits above the face of]

Note 7 topic: translate-bdistance

וּ⁠כְ⁠אַמָּתַ֖יִם

and,about,two_cubits

The term two cubits refers to a unit of measurement corresponding to the distance between an average person’s elbow and middle fingertip, or about 46 centimeters or 18 inches. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could express this distance in modern measurements, either in the text or a footnote. Alternate translation: [and about three feet]

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָ⁠אָֽרֶץ

on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in face/surface_of the=earth/land

Here, face of the land represents the surface of the ground. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression or plain language. Alternate translation: [on top of the land]