1When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called his elder son Esau and said to him, “My son,” and he answered, “Here I am.”
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”):
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 27:1:
Kankanaey: “When Isaac was already old and-at-the-same-time his eyes had-become-weak, he called Esau who was his older child and said, ‘Ay (vocative) my child.’ ‘What (lit. why)!’ said Esau.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Newari: “After he was no longer able to see well, having became a very old man, he called his eldest son, Esau.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Isaac was now very old and almost could not see anymore. One time, he called his oldest child Esau. He said, ‘Child.’ Esau replied, ‘What, father?'” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “When Isaac was old, he became almost blind. One day he summoned Esau, his firstborn/older son,” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Chapter 27 opens at some time in Isaac’s old age. It is in no way tied to the time of the end of chapter 26.
When Isaac was old is for many languages an acceptable discourse opener for this new story. Some languages prefer to begin with something like “Well, Isaac had become an old man,” “Many years had passed and Isaac was getting very old,” “One day when Isaac was old and blind he called Esau,” “Isaac lived on until he was very old and he became blind. Then one day….”
And his eyes were dim so that he could not see: the literal translation of this expression is “his eyes were too dim to see with,” which means he was blind. See Good News Translation. That Isaac was blind and not just suffering from impaired vision is witnessed in verses 18-24.
He called Esau his older son: called, that is, “sent for,” “sent someone to bring,” “called Esau to come to him.” Older son refers to the firstborn son. For the way older son has been translated, see 25.23.
Isaac addresses Esau as My son. In languages in which a special address form is reserved for the oldest son, it may be best to use that form here. In some languages a vocative form, showing direct address, will also be used; for example, “O, son,” or “You son.” In other cases it may be more natural to use the son’s name: “Esau!”
Here I am is the same reply Abraham made to God in 22.1. See there for translation.
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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