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 21:3)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 21:3:

  • Kankanaey: “Abraham named their child Isaac,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Abraham named him Isaac.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Abraham named the child Isaac.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Abraham gave the name ‘Isaac’ (which means ‘he laughs’) to the son Sarah gave birth to.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 21:3

Called the name of his son may also be expressed “named his son,” “called his son,” “gave his son the name.” It was the custom for the father to give the name to a child, but there were exceptions to this (see 19.37, 38). Abraham had named Hagar’s son in 16.15.

Who was born to him is repeated in the words whom Sarah bore him. Most translations reduce this repetitive statement in one way or another. Revised English Bible say “the son whom Sarah bore to him.” Because it is stated in verse 2 that Sarah bore Abraham a son, Good News Translation does not repeat this information here.

Isaac: see discussion at 17.19. It should be noted that Isaac’s name in chapters 17 and 18 is associated with the laughter of disbelief. In verse 6 of this chapter the laughter is related to joy over the birth of a child in the old couple’s declining years.

The whole verse may be rendered, for example, “Abraham named the son Sarah gave him Isaac” or “Isaac is the name Abraham called his son.” In a number of languages this verse is made a continuation of verse 2 and may be shortened by simply saying “… and Abraham called the baby’s name Isaac.”

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 .