years (age)

In Aekyom, years are counted as “turtles” (ambum).

Norm Mundhenk tells this story:

“Recently I was checking some New Testament material in the Aekyom language of western Papua New Guinea. It seemed relatively clear until suddenly we came to a passage that started, ‘When Jesus had 12 turtles, …’ Surely I had misunderstood what they said.
“‘Did you say that Jesus had 12 turtles?’
“‘Let us explain! Around here there is a certain time every year when river turtles come up on the banks and lay their eggs. Because this is so regular, it can be used as a way of counting years. Someone’s age is said to be how many turtles that person has. So when we say that Jesus had 12 turtles, we mean that Jesus was 12 years old.’
“It was of course the familiar story of Jesus’ trip with his parents to Jerusalem. And certainly, as we all know, Jesus did indeed have 12 turtles at that time!”

In Tok Pisin, krismas (derived from “christmas”) is taken as the fixed annual marker, so Jesus had 12 “christmases” (Jisas i gat 12-pela krismas pinis) or Abram (in Gen. 12:4) had 75 (Abram i gat 75 krismas) (source: Norm Mundhenk). In Noongar it is biroka kadak or “summers had” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

See also advanced in years.

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 .

complete verse (Genesis 23:1)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 23:1:

  • Kankanaey: “When Sara yeared one-hundred and twenty and seven,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “When Sarah was 127 years old,” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Sarah lived 127 years.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “When Sarah was 127 years old,” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 23:1

Sarah lived a hundred and twenty-seven years: or “Sarah lived to be a hundred and twenty-seven years old” (Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, New International Version).

The heading and blank space will be sufficient in many translations to show that a new story begins here. However, in some languages it may be necessary to link chapter 23 with what has gone before, and also to state at the outset that Sarah died. This may be done by saying, for example, “Some time later” or “After many years”; then the information in verse 2 may need to be shifted to the opening. Another possibility is to keep the order as in the Hebrew text (seen in Revised Standard Version) but to make verse 1 a time clause and verse 2 the main clause. For example, “Years later when Sarah was … she died at….” Another model again is given in the translation “Sarah lived on until she became old and she died. At that time she was 127 years old.”

These were the years of the life of Sarah: on the basis of 25.7; 47.28, we normally expect the years of the life of Sarah to occur before Sarah lived … years. Furthermore, this phrase is lacking in both the Septuagint and Vulgate. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project explains that this phrase has been added by later copyists and recommends that it be omitted or, if footnotes are used, that it be placed in a footnote. However, it gives no significant information, and placing it in a footnote will be of little value. Most modern translation omit it from the text and do not include it in a footnote.

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 .