Rachel

The Hebrew that is transliterated as “Rachel” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with a sign that signifies the eyelashes, referring to “beautiful eyes” as the opposite of Leah (see Genesis 29:17). (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Rachel” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

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 Leah.

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Rachel .

Jacob

The Hebrew, Latin, and Greek that is transliterated as “Jacob” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with a sign that signifies “lentil,” referring to the soup he gave his brother in exchange for his birthright (see Genesis 25:34). Note that another Spanish Sign Language sign for Jacob also users the sign for Jewish. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Jacob” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

In German Sign Language it is a sign that shows the touching of the hip, described in Genesis 32:25:


“Jacob” in German Sign Language (source: Taub und katholisch )

In Finnish Sign Language it is translated with the signs signifying “smooth arm” (referring to the story starting at Genesis 27:11). (Source: Tarja Sandholm)


“Jacob” in Finnish Sign Language (source )

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 Esau.

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Jacob .

complete verse (Genesis 29:20)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 29:20:

  • Kankanaey: “Therefore seven years is the time-that- Jacob -worked so-that he could marry Raquel, but it was like just-a-few days the way- he -felt because-of his love for her.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “So Jacob stayed there for seven years working for Rachel. Because of his great love for Rachel, this seemed like a short time to him.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “So Jacob served Laban seven years so-that only he could-marry Raquel. Because of his love for Raquel the seven years seemed-like only a few days to him.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “So Jacob worked for Laban for seven years to get Rachel, but to him it seemed like it was only a few days, because he loved her so much.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 29:20

So Jacob served seven years: in the Hebrew text both verse 20 and verse 21 begin with the normal connective, and there is no indication of a paragraph break. Some translations make verse 20 the conclusion of the negotiation and begin a new paragraph at verse 21 (Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New International Version, Speiser). Most of these translations, including Revised Standard Version, begin with So; but translators may find that a conclusion marker is not required here.

Other translations regard verse 20 as beginning the next episode, which continues to verse 30, and they make verse 20 the beginning of the new paragraph. New Jerusalem Bible still indicates the link with verses 15-19 by beginning with “So Jacob worked….” Revised English Bible, however, joins verse 20 to verse 21 as a time clause: “When Jacob had worked seven years for Rachel, and they seemed like a few days…, he said to Laban, ‘I have served my time. Give me my wife….’ ” Translators may follow either of these models.

For Rachel may need to be expressed as “in order to marry Rachel” or “to get Rachel as his wife.”

They seemed to him but a few days: they refers to the seven years of work. They seemed … a few days may need to be expressed, for example, as “The seven years passed as quickly as a few days.”

Because of the love he had for her: or “because he loved Rachel so much.”

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 .