Sarai / Sarah

The Hebrew and Greek that is transliterated as “Sarai” and “Sarah” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the sign depicting coins on a headband, referring to women from the Middle East and North Africa who wear a headband decorated with small coins. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Sarai” and “Sarah” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Sarah .

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 .

complete verse (Genesis 21:2)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 21:2:

  • Kankanaey: “Because even though Abraham was already old, his spouse became-pregnant (lit. passive of existential) just the same. At the correct time that God said is when-she-gave-birth-to their male child.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Even though Abraham was an old man, Sarah gave birth to a son at just the time God said [she would].” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Sara became-pregnant and gave-birth to a son even-though Abraham was already old. The child was-born at the very time God had-said back-then.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “She became pregnant and gave birth to a son for Abraham when he was very old, at the time God promised it would happen.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 21:2

And Sarah conceived: it may be necessary to use a connecting expression that shows the link between verses 1 and 2; for example, “And so,” “Therefore.” Conceived means she became pregnant.

Bore Abraham a son: that is, “gave Abraham a son,” “had a son with Abraham.”

In his old age: that is, “when he was old.”

At the time of which God had spoken to him: this refers back to God’s promise of a son to the aged Abraham in chapter 18. The time refers to the time mentioned in 18.10, 14. Note how Good News Translation has rephrased the second clause as an independent sentence: “The boy was born at the time God had said he would be born.” Other translations that follow this approach say, for example, “Sarah gave birth at the [exact] time God had indicated earlier.”

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 .