firstborn

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “firstborn” in English is translated in a number of ways:

  • “he/she that opens the gown” in Batak Toba (because formerly a woman stopped wearing a gown and started using a bodice after the birth of her first child)
  • “he/she that damages the stalk (i.e. the body)” in Uab Meto (source for this and above: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • “the oldest son of all” in Mezquital Otomi
  • “oldest child” in Isthmus Zapotec (source for this and one above: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
  • “firstborn child, who was a boy” in Elhomwe (to make clear, without ambiguity, that Mary did not have daughters before) (source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

In Bawm Chin, the term can imply the existence of younger siblings, so a translation is needed that brings out the fact that Jesus is superior to all else, not just the first of a series. (Source: David Clark)

See also only begotten son / (one and) only son and firstborn.

complete verse (Genesis 22:21)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 22:21:

  • Newari: “Uz was the name of the eldest, after that Buz, Kemuel, father of Aram,” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Uz was the oldest, next was Buz, and then Kemuel (the father of Aram),” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “The oldest son was Uz. The next was Buz. After him was Kemuel, the father of Aram.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 22:21

Uz the first-born: Uz in 10.23 is described as a “son” of Aram. The first-born means the first son born to Nahor.

Buz is mentioned in Jer 25.23. Elihu, Job’s fourth friend, was called a “Buzite.”

Kemuel: this name is unknown elsewhere.

Aram: in 10.22 a person of this name is a son of Shem.

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 .