Because Hebrew is read from right to left, the interlinear translation is also based on this reading direction, i.e. different from what one would expect in Dutch. For example, if one wants to read the interlinear translation of a complete Bible verse, one begins with the word immediately to the left of the corresponding verse number. For each Hebrew word, the eye then jumps to the left, after which one reads the translation of the Hebrew word in question in the Dutch reading direction.
For example, for Gen. 1:1, this yields as an interlinear translation:
Some of the arrangements made in producing the interlinear translation of the Old Testament we would like to mention here in particular.
1.
For verbs that are not accompanied by a word functioning as a subject, in Hebrew the subject is already included with the verb, which in Dutch can be represented by a personal pronoun (e.g. Gen. 2:3 HAbat 'He stopped'). In such cases, in principle, the personal pronoun is mentioned first and then the verb. When one would like to turn the interlinear translation into a running sentence, it is sometimes necessary to reverse this word order.
2.
The word 'Et (which is often connected to another word by a hyphen, as in Gen. 1:16 'et-Hünê) has the function in Hebrew of indicating the accusativus (fourth case). This word is left untranslated in the interlinear translation (see, e.g., the fourth word of Gen. 1:1). Any prefixes or suffixes are, of course, translated (see, e.g., the sixth word of Gen. 1:1, where "and" is the translation of the prefix wü-).
3.
Regularly in Hebrew occurs a formulation in which an infinitivus absolutus (a Hebrew infinitive that cannot have prefixes or suffixes) is followed by an inflected verb form. In such cases, the interlinear translation finds a participle followed by the translation of the inflected verb form (e.g. Gen. 3:16 "multiplying - I will multiply").
4.
Sometimes words are added in the interlinear translation that are not present in the Hebrew but are necessary for proper understanding of the translation. In such cases, the added word(s) is placed in round brackets (e.g., in Gen. 4:4). Incidentally, round brackets are also used when the Hebrew offers multiple translation options, as in the case of "heaven(s)" in Gen. 1:1, where the singular and plural are both correct renderings of the Hebrew word.
5.
The spelling of proper names basically follows the booklet Biblical Names: list of Biblical personal and place names, compiled by the Catholic Bible Foundation and the Netherlands Bible Society (fifth edition 1988). The interlinear translation is thus consistent with modern Dutch Bible translations, as well as with recent editions of the NBG's Nieuwe Vertaling (1951). It should be noted that the spelling chosen sometimes differs from the Hebrew spelling, which can be consulted via transliteration if desired.
6.
As far as the rendering of the God's name is concerned, we chose to adhere to the New Translation of the NBG (1951), which renders the name of God as LORD. The disadvantage of this translation is that it is not immediately clear that it does not refer to a title, but to a name. However, other alternatives also have disadvantages, so that an ideal translation is not possible. This is also the reason that in the revised Willibrord Translation (WV) and in the New Translation of the Bible (NBV) has chosen to conform more or less to the use of the Statenvertaling and New Translation, by rendering the name of God with LORD.
7.
Hebrew is written without punctuation (although the masoretic accent marks added to the text in the Middle Ages can act as punctuation in practice). Therefore, in principle, the interlinear translation does not include punctuation. An exception is made when Hebrew has a question clause (for example, há-, which introduces a question sentence as a prefix). In such cases, the question phrase is ended with a question mark (e.g. Gen. 4:9; the question clause precedes -HOmEr).
