not the daughter of my mother

The Hebrew in Genesis 20:12 that is translated as “the daughter of my mother” in English is translated in Nyamwezi as “not of one stomach,” i.e. not sharing the same mother. (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

complete verse (Genesis 20:12)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 20:12:

  • Newari: “She really is my younger sister. She is the daughter of my father, but not of my mother. I married her.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “(It is) really true that we (excl.) are-siblings, but only (from)-the father-(side) and not the mother-(side); and I married her.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Besides, she really can be considered my sister, because she is the daughter of my father, although she is not the daughter of my mother. She is the daughter of another woman, and I married her.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

addressing one’s mother humbly / neutrally in Japanese

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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between. One important aspect of addressing someone else in one’s or someone else’s family is by selecting the correct word when referring to them. One way to do this is through the usage of an appropriate title within a conversation as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017.

When the speaker humbly refers to his or her mother in the presence of respected interlocutor(s), haha (母) is often used as in the case of Abraham referring to his mother before Abimelech (Genesis 20:12). This form is very appropriately chosen as Abraham is speaking to Abimelech the king of Gerar. While haha can carry this humbling effect in reference to the speaker’s mother, in some types of dialogues/utterances such as in poetry (Song 3:4) and proverbial teachings (e.g. “honor your father and mother” in Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 5:16 et al.), haha is used without the humbling effect. (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on Genesis 20:12

Abraham’s defense grows weaker as he finds more excuses for his deceit.

Besides she is indeed my sister: Besides is a term that means “also,” “in addition,” “as well.” Here it marks the introduction of a second excuse. In the Law (see Lev 18.9, 11; 20.17; Deut 27.22) marriage between such brothers and sisters was prohibited at later periods in Israel, although it was practiced among the Canaanites (as Driver states) and may have been permitted at the time of King David (2 Sam 13.13).

Indeed translates a Hebrew form that emphasizes the word or statement that follows: “here indeed,” “in fact,” “in truth.” This emphasis is accomplished in Good News Translation by “really.” Revised English Bible has “She is in fact….” This claim will be modified in the following clause. For sister see comments on Gen 20.2.

The daughter of my father but not the daughter of my mother: these two phrases explain the clause before them, and in Revised Standard Version they are separated from it by a comma. In other languages it may be necessary to begin a new sentence: “She is the daughter of….” If the Hebrew manner of expressing the relationship is not satisfactory, we may also say, for example, “My father was her father but my mother was not her mother” or “She and I had the same father but not the same mother.”

And she became my wife: in some languages this statement may require a transition; for example, “When we grew up, she [Sarah] became my wife” or “Later, I married her.”

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 .