For the phrase “Cast out this slave woman with her son; for the son of this slave woman shall not inherit,” see Galatians 4:30.
Isaac
The name that is transliterated as “Isaac” in English is signed in Spanish Sign Language and French Sign Language with a sign that is linked to his mother’s laughter when she hears that she will be pregnant with him (referring to Genesis 18:12 – 18:15) and also is the meaning of the Hebrew “Isaac” (Yitschaq — “he laughs”):
“Isaac” in French Sign Language (source: La Bible en langue des signes française )
Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Isaac .
For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .
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
For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .
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 21:10)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 21:10:
- Kankanaey: “and she said to Abraham, ‘Cause-to leave that slave and that child of hers, because I-don’t-want/I-refuse that a child of a slave join-in-inheriting your (sing.) wealth that our (dual) child Isaac ought to monopolize.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Newari: “[She] said to Abraham — ‘Cast out the Egyptian maid servant and her son from here. The son of that maid servant will not get the chance to inherit your property like my son Isaac.'” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
- Hiligaynon: “Therefore Sara said to Abraham, ‘Send-away that female slave and her child, for the child of that slave should not share the inheritance of my child Isaac.'” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
- English: “So she said to Abraham, ‘Get rid of that slave woman from Egypt and her son! I do not want the son of that slave woman to be alone (OR, to be an heir along with) my son, Isaac!'” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Japanese benefactives (oidashite)
Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.
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 way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a benefactive construction as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017.
Here, oidashite (追い出して) or “chase out” is used in combination with kudasaru (くださる), a respectful form of the benefactive kureru (くれる). A benefactive reflects the good will of the giver or the gratitude of a recipient of the favor. To convey this connotation, English translation needs to employ a phrase such as “for me (my sake)” or “for you (your sake).” (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )
Translation commentary on Genesis 21:10
So she said to Abraham: she refers to Sarah. So introduces the consequence of verse 9 in Revised Standard Version; but it also suggests to the reader something of the emotion that led Sarah to make this demand of Abraham. It may be necessary to show the emotion in Sarah’s words by saying something like “… Sarah was jealous, and she said….”
Cast out translates a verb meaning “drive out,” “expel,” “get rid of,” “send away.”
Slave woman is the same word as used in the plural in 20.17. See there for comments. Sarah’s demand is that Abraham send away or expel Hagar, whom she calls this slave woman, along with her son.
For the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac: by avoiding the names of Hagar and Ishmael—a rhetorical device of the narrator to show disdain—Sarah expresses the reason for her demand. Be heir, the same word as used in 15.3-4, translates the verb “to inherit.” For discussion of heir and “inherit” see 15.2.
This clause is translated by Good News Translation as a negative “must” clause: “the son of this woman must not get any part….” The sense is “the son of this slave woman must not inherit your wealth [when you die]. Only my son Isaac must inherit it.” Other expressions of this sense are “it is not right at all for the son of … to take part of what belongs to you; everything belongs to my son” and “her son can’t take over anything of yours [when you die]; Isaac my son has got to take over everything.”
Translators may wish to note the New Testament reference to this passage in Gal 4.29-30.
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 .
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