making implicit plural form explicit (Genesis 19:23)

In many, if not most of the languages in the Philippines, proper nouns, such as personal names, are tagged with a marker that determines their grammatical role within a sentence. For Tagalog and the Visayan languages , this includes si to mark the proper noun as the actor or subject (nominative case), ni to mark the proper noun as an owner (genitive case), and kay to mark the proper noun as the object, i.e. the one that is acted upon (dative case). All of these also have plural forms — sina, nina and kina respectively — and unlike in the biblical languages or in English, the plural form has to be used when only a single proper name is mentioned but implicitly that proper name includes more than just one.

In this verse, where English translates “Lot (arrived in Zoar),” the Tagalog translation translates “sina Lot” because the context of the text makes clear that Lot was not alone. (Source: Kermit Titrud)

Lot

The Hebrew and Greek that is transliterated as “Lot” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with a sign that signifies “cousin,” referring to the fact that Lot is Abraham’s cousin (see Genesis 11:27). (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Lot” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

More information on Lot (biblical person) .

complete verse (Genesis 19:23)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 19:23:

  • Kankanaey: “When it-was-becoming-daylight, Lot arrived at Zoar.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “When Lot arrived in Zoar, the sun had already risen.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The sun was- really/(emphasis marker) -rising when Lot and company arrived at Zoar.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “As the sun was rising, Lot and his family arrived in the town which is now called Zoar.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 19:23

Revised Standard Version, New English Bible, and others associate verse 23 with what has gone before. Good News Translation and others place it with the following paragraph. The latter has the advantage of connecting sun and earth more closely with the vocabulary in verse 24.

The sun had risen on the earth: in some languages it will be more natural to begin with the time clause when Lot came …. In this context the Hebrew verb translated had risen may mean “was rising” or “had just risen.” Some translations that take the meaning “had risen” express this as “the sun was climbing up.” On the earth is not required in English, since it is included in the sense of risen. Therefore Good News Translation has “The sun was rising when Lot….”

Came to Zoar means “reached Zoar,” “arrived in Zoar.” The focus in the Hebrew remains on Lot, and so the singular is used.

Since the previous verses only speak of the angels giving Lot permission to go to Zoar, and this verse starts with his arrival, the story is incomplete in that it does not actually say that he and his family made the journey. In some languages it is necessary to include this information; and this can easily be done in a transition statement. One translation, for example, says “Lot and his family traveled in the early morning, and when the sun rose they came to that little town.”

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 .