1Now there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine that had occurred in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Gerar, to King Abimelech of the Philistines.
The term that is transliterated as “Philistines” in English is translated in American Sign Language with a sign that signifies the helmet the Philistine warriors wore was decorated with feather-like objects. (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)
“Philistines” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor
Click or tap here to see a short video clip about Philistines (source: Bible Lands 2012)
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”):
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).
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)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 26:1:
Kankanaey: “When that was so, there was a famine again in the country, not the famine previously in the time of Abraham. And-so Isaac went to the location of Abimelek who was king of the Filisteo at Gerar.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Newari: “After the famine that occurred in Abraham’s time, a famine happened there once again. So Isaac went to Gerar, to Abimelech, king of the Philistines.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “There was a famine/hunger that arrived in the place where Isaac was-living, besides that famine/hunger which had-arrived in the time of Abraham. Therefore Isaac went to Abimelec king of the Filistinhon in Gerar.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “Some time later there was a severe famine/scarcity of food there. That was different from the famine that occurred when Abraham was alive. So Isaac went southeast to Gerar town, to talk to Abimelech, the king of the Philistine people-group. What happened was this: Isaac considered going to Egypt,” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as “king” in English. Here are some (back-) translations:
Ninia Yali: “big brother with the uplifted name” (source: Daud Soesilio in Noss 2007, p. 175)
Nyamwezi: mutemi: generic word for ruler, by specifying the city or nation it becomes clear what kind of ruler (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
Ghomála’: Fo (“The word Fo refers to the paramount ruler in the kingdoms of West Cameroon. He holds administrative, political, and religious power over his own people, who are divided into two categories: princes (descendants of royalty) and servants (everyone else).” (Source: Michel Kenmogne in Theologizing in Context: An Example from the Study of a Ghomala’ Christian Hymn))
Faye Edgerton retells how the term in Navajo (Dinė) was determined:
“[This term was] easily expressed in the language of Biblical culture, which had kings and noblemen with their brilliant trappings and their position of honor and praise. But leadership among the Navajos is not accompanied by any such titles or distinctions of dress. Those most respected, especially in earlier days, were their headmen, who were the leaders in raids, and the shaman, who was able to serve the people by appealing for them to the gods, or by exorcising evil spirits. Neither of these made any outward show. Neither held his position by political intrigue or heredity. If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior. If the shaman failed many times in his healing ceremonies, it was considered that he was making mistakes in the chants, or had lost favor with the gods, and another was sought. The term Navajos use for headman is derived from a verb meaning ‘to move the head from side to side as in making an oration.’ The headman must be a good orator, able to move the people to go to war, or to follow him in any important decision. This word is naat’áanii which now means ‘one who rules or bosses.’ It is employed now for a foreman or boss of any kind of labor, as well as for the chairman of the tribal council. So in order to show that the king is not just a common boss but the highest ruler, the word ‘aláahgo, which expresses the superlative degree, was put before naat’áanii, and so ‘aláahgo naat’áanii ‘anyone-more-than-being around-he-moves-his-head-the-one-who’ means ‘the highest ruler.’ Naat’áanii was used for governor as the context usually shows that the person was a ruler of a country or associated with kings.”
As was pointed out at the beginning of chapter 25, we need to ask how chapter 26 is related to chapter 25. To begin, there is no mention in chapter 26 of Esau and Jacob, aside from the comment at the end on Esau’s foreign wives. The rivalry between Esau and Jacob begins again in chapter 27. Furthermore, chapter 26 does not form a continuity with chapter 25 (except that Isaac and Rebekah were last mentioned in 25.28). The themes of chapter 26, famine, moving to Gerar, promise of descendants, lying about Rebekah, were last seen in connection with Abraham in chapters 12, 20, and 21. Therefore chapter 26 has more continuity of theme with these earlier chapters than it has with chapter 25.
In terms of time, chapter 26 is more closely related to chapters 24 and 25 than to the earlier chapters. However, chapter 26 does not seem to begin where chapter 25 ended, and in translation we cannot open chapter 26 with a time expression such as “After that” or “Some time later.” Revised Standard Version begins chapter 26 by representing the common Hebrew connective with the transitional word Now. Other languages may also use an equivalent transitional expression. Note that Good News Translation “There was” is sometimes used in English to introduce a general reference to past time.
Another possibility that translators may wish to consider is to assume that Isaac, who was last mentioned as living at Beerlahairoi in 25.11, was still located there when the famine in verse 1 occurred. In this case we may say, for example, “While Isaac was camped [was living] at Beerlahairoi, there was a famine.”
Famine in the land: for famine see comments on 12.10. Land refers to the general area, or as Biblia Dios Habla Hoy says, “in all that region”; New Jerusalem Bible has “in the country.” Translators should refer to the expression used in 12.10.
Besides the former famine that was in the days of Abraham: the text makes clear that the famine in Isaac’s story is to be distinguished from the one in his father’s life in 12.10. Revised English Bible say “—not the earlier famine in Abraham’s time—.” In some languages it will be necessary to make this statement a separate sentence; for example, “This famine was not the same one that happened in Abraham’s time” or “This was a different famine than the one Abraham knew.” Some translations make the point by saying “There was another famine … just as there had been a famine before in the time of Abraham.”
And Isaac went to Gerar as a result of the famine. It may be necessary to make this statement a consequence; for example, “Therefore [For that reason, Because of that] Isaac moved to Gerar.” Only Isaac is mentioned as going to Gerar because the story centers on his life; however, it means that he went with all his property and the people who depended upon him. Went may need to be rendered by a verb that describes the movement of a nomadic herdsman from one campsite to another. In some languages it may be necessary to express went in this context as “left his campsite and migrated to Gerar.”
To Abimelech king of the Philistines: Isaac does not go to Abimelech in the same sense that he goes to Gerar. Gerar is the place, while Abimelech is the ruler of the people of that place and the same ruler Isaac’s father had encountered in chapter 20. Accordingly we may need to say, for example, “Isaac went to Gerar where Abimelech was king of the Philistines” or “Isaac went where Abimelech was king of the Philistines in the region called Gerar.” Having in mind the way a person would act in going to another person’s territory, one translation says “Isaac went and spoke to Abimelech … and then Isaac stayed there in that place Gerar.” For Philistines see both 10.14 and 21.32.
In some languages there is a problem with the order of verses 1-6, because the speech of the LORD in verses 2-5 actually comes before Isaac makes the journey to Gerar. In Good News Translation and some other English versions, the time of verses 2-5 in relation to verse 1 is correctly stated by the verb tenses “had appeared” and “had said.” But it may be necessary in some other languages to move verse 1b so that it comes after Gen 26.5. It is also possible in this case to combine verse 1b with verse 6 as the conclusion of the paragraph; but see the comments on verse 6 regarding this.
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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