Esau

The name that is transliterated as “Esau” in English means “covered with hair,” “hairy.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )

In Finnish Sign Language and American Sign Language it is translated with the signs signifying “hairy forearm” (referring to the story starting at Genesis 27:11). (Source: Tarja Sandholm, Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)


“Esau” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

See also hairy (like Esau).

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Esau .

complete verse (Genesis 27:24)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 27:24:

  • Kankanaey: “but he said again to ask-for-clarification, ‘Are you (sing.) Esau truly?’ ‘Yes indeed,’ said Jacob.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “‘Are you really Esau?'” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “he still asked, ‘Are you really truly Esau?’ Jacob replied, ‘Yes, I really am.'” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “But first Isaac asked, ‘Are you really my son Esau?’ Jacob replied, ‘Yes, I am.'” (Source: Translation for Translators)

2nd person pronoun with low register (Japanese)

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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between. One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used anata (あなた) is typically used when the speaker is humbly addressing another person.

In these verses, however, omae (おまえ) is used, a cruder second person pronoun, that Jesus for instance chooses when chiding his disciples. (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also first person pronoun with low register and third person pronoun with low register.

Translation commentary on Genesis 27:24

He said, “Are you really my son Esau?”: it may be necessary to render said with “asked,” “inquired,” “questioned Jacob.” And since this is not the first time Isaac has asked this question, it will be more natural in many languages to say “he asked him again.” The wording follows that expressed already by Isaac in verse 21.

He answered: he is Jacob, which may need to be expressed as “Jacob answered him.” I am is literally “I.” In some languages this reply may be “Yes, sir,” “I am who you say,” “I am Esau.”

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 .