Isaac's well (image)

Hand colored stencil print on washi by Sadao Watanabe (1977).

Image taken with permission from the SadaoHanga Catalogue where you can find many more images and information about Sadao Watanabe.

For other images of Sadao Watanabe art works in TIPs, see here.

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 .

complete verse (Genesis 26:17)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 26:17:

  • Kankanaey: “And-so Isaac departed from that country and camped in the plain at Gerar there he stayed.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “So Isaac went out from the city, and setting up tents in a place which had a dry river outside Gerar, lived [there].” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Therefore Isaac left, and he erected/[lit. caused-to-stand] his tent in Gerar which (is a) place-where- water -flows, and now settled there.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “So Isaac and his family moved from there. They set up their tents in Gerar Valley and started to live there.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 26:17

Verses 17-25 show Isaac moving from the valley of Gerar to Beersheba. It is not possible to show with any certainty the migration route Isaac and his people followed. The central point in these verses, however, is the establishing of a series of wells along the route, in a situation where pasturing nomads depended upon these wells for their water and therefore for their survival. It was important for these watering places to have names that would become known to the nomadic herders.

So Isaac departed from there: So marks the result of verse 16. Departed from there means from Gerar, the area where Abimelech lived.

Encamped in the valley of Gerar: encamped translates a verb used here and in 33.18 and means “pitched his tents,” “made his camp,” “settled.” Valley translates the Hebrew nahal, which refers to a stream or river bed. Usually these stream beds are dry except after a heavy rain. The term may also be applied to the valley through which the stream flowed. In the literature in English these areas are usually referred to by the Arabic term wadi. It is not known how far this place may have been from Abimelech’s Gerar.

Dwelt there means he settled, stayed, lived there for a time.

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 .