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 23:3)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 23:3:

  • Newari: “He went to the Hittites and said –” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Now, Abraham left-alone for-a-while the corpse/dead-body of his wife and he went-to-go-see the Hithanon and said to them,” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “he left the body of his wife and went and spoke to some of the descendants of Heth, saying,” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 23:3

Rose up from before his dead: the position of the mourner is described as sitting on the ground in Job 2.13. Rose up probably refers to getting up from the ground and ending the period of mourning. However, in the context of what follows, it may simply be saying that Abraham left one place to go to another; Good News Translation has “He left the place where….” His dead refers to the corpse of Sarah, but translators should use the normal way of referring to the body of a dead person in their own culture; note Good News Translation “his wife’s body.”

The Revised Standard Version text gives the impression that Abraham finished mourning for Sarah and then immediately began speaking to the Hittites, as if they were in the place where he was mourning. It may be necessary to separate the two events in time and space. Accordingly we may translate the first part of this verse “When Abraham had finished the time of mourning for his dead wife, he went to speak to the people called Hittites.” Other ways of expressing the change of scene that is involved here are “… he left that place where the body was, and went to see the headmen of the town” and “… he got up from his dead wife, and went to the meeting place at the town gate where all the important people were.” The conversations, according to verse 10, take place at the gate of the city.

Hittites translates the Hebrew “sons of Heth.” For discussion of Hittites see 10.15. The Hittites or “sons of Heth” are one of several ethnic groups who occupied ancient Canaan before the arrival of the Israelites. See 15.19-21; Num 13.29; Deut 7.1. To avoid identifying these people near Hebron with the historical Hittites who lived north of Phoenicia, some translators retain the literal expression. Bible en français courant says “the descendants of Heth,” Speiser “the children of Heth,” Traduction œcuménique de la Bible “the sons of Heth.” Translators may say Hittites or follow one of the models cited.

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 .