Say you are my sister: this line may need to begin with a transition such as “So,” “Therefore,” “Because of this.” In some languages my sister will have to indicate older or younger sister. Given the setting, if a choice is required, younger sister may be more suitable. According to 20.12 Abram and Sarai had the same father but different mothers, and so she is in English terms his “half-sister.” Hebrew does not make this distinction. In translation there is no reason to use a term meaning “half-sister,” even if such a term is available in the language. In some languages relationships such as this are usually referred to in an inclusive way: “Say that we two are brother-and-sister.”

Although it is true that there is a half-sister blood relationship, Abram’s intention is to deceive the Egyptians into thinking that Sarai is not his wife. This intention must be clear to readers, and in some cases translators may need to put into words what is suggested by the Hebrew without actually being stated. For example, one translation has “Well you had better trick them. Don’t tell them that you are my wife. Just tell them that you are my sister.”

That it may go well with me because of you is parallel in meaning with the more poetic line that follows. It may go well with me is matched in the second line by the more specific that my life [nefesh] may be spared. Because of you is matched in the second line by on your account. Good News Translation reduces the parallelism in these lines to “then because of you they will let me live and treat me well.” Because of you may be rendered “because they will want you” or “because they will want you for a wife.” It is apparent that Abram is thinking of a way to save his own life. He does not seem to consider the problems he will be faced with when an Egyptian takes Sarai as his wife.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .