dual vs. plural (Acts 7:16)

In this episode in Acts it is ambiguous whether only Jacob and Joseph or Jacob and all of the other patriarchs were were taken back to Shechem. In languages that distinguish between a dual and a plural this ambiguity has to be resolved. In the translation into Kahua only two bodies were taken back because Joseph’s body is specifically mentioned in Exod 13:19 and Josh 24:32.

complete verse (Acts 7:16)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 7:16:

  • Uma: “But their bones were carried back here to the town of Sikhem and buried in the grave that Abraham bought from the descendants of Hemor with silver money.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Their corpses were taken to Sekem and they were buried there in the burial-place which Ibrahim had bought long ago/in the ancient past. He bought that from the sons of Hamor there in the place Sekem.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And as each of them died, his body was returned there to where they came from, there to Shechem, and there they were buried in the burial cave that Abraham had bought before. He bought it with silver money from the children of Hamor who were the inhabitants there in Shechem.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Their corpses however, they were taken-home to Sekem and buried (lit. placed-in) in the cave that Abraham had previously bought from the children of Hamor.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But even though Egipto is where they died, it wasn’t indeed there where they were buried, but on the contrary in Canaan which was their land. They were taken to their burial-place which was the cave at Siquem which Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Abraham

The name that is transliterated as “Abraham” in English is translated in the vast majority of sign languages, including American Sign Language with the sign signifying “hold back arm” (referring to Genesis 22:12).


“Abraham” in American Sign Language (source )

In Vietnamese (Hanoi) Sign Language it is translated with a sign for that demonstrates his new destiny. Previously, he had been called to wander from his home, and the name “Abram” reflected this movement (see here). The new sign name is in one location and stays there, showing Abraham will be given a land to call his own. At this time, Abraham was in the southern part of Canaan, which is shown on the base arm by the location near the elbow. (Source: The Vietnamese Sign Language translation team, VSLBT)


“Abraham” in Vietnamese Sign Language, source: SooSL

In Tira it is transliterated as Abaram. The choice of this, rather than the widely-known “Ibrahim,” as used in the Tira translation of the Qu’ran, was to offset it against the Muslim transliteration which originates from Arabic. (Source: J.A. Naudé, C.L. Miller Naudé, J.O. Obono in Acta Theologica 43/2, 2023, p. 129ff. )

Click or tap here to see two short video clips about Abraham (source: Bible Lands 2012)

See also our ancestor Abraham and Abram.

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Abraham .

Translation commentary on Acts 7:16

Their bodies translates “they,” but the reference is of course to the bodies of Jacob and Joseph. In a number of languages were moved must be translated by an active phrase, indicating more specifically the action involved, e.g. “they carried the bodies back.” From the tribe of Hamor is a Semitic expression which reads literally “from the sons of Hamor.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Acts of the Apostles. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1972. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .