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, Ge’ez, 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 )

In Hungarian Sign Language it is translated with a sign signifying Jacob grabbing the heel of Esau during their birth (referring to Genesis 25:26). (Source: Jenjelvi Biblia )


“Jacob” in Hungarian 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 29:25)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 29:25:

  • Kankanaey: “When Jacob woke-up then on its-getting-light (i.e., next morning), guess-what it was Lea who was-there. So Jacob went to Laban and said, ‘Why did you (sing.) do that? It was most-certainly Raquel whom-I-worked-for. Why did you (sing.) trick me?'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The next morning Jacob saw [that it was] Leah with him. Then he said to Laban — ‘Why have you done like this to me? I worked for you for Rachel, didn’t I? Why have you deceived me?'” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “In-the-morning, Jacob realized/[lit. knew] that his sleeping-companion (was) in-fact[surprise particle] Lea. So he went to Laban and said, ‘Why did- you -do this to me? I have-served you (sing.) so-that I could-marry Raquel. Now why did- you (sing.) -deceived me?'” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “The next morning, Jacob was shocked to see that it was Leah who was with him! So he went to Laban and told him very angrily, ‘What you have done to me is disgusting!/What is this that you have done to me? I worked for you to get Rachel, did I not? So why did you deceive me?'” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 29:25

And in the morning, behold, it was Leah: the text does not make clear that it is Jacob who discovers that he has been tricked, but this is certainly the intended sense. In the morning refers to “The next morning,” “When daylight came,” or “When it was light.” Behold expresses the element of shock or surprise in Jacob’s discovery. We may translate, for example, “The next morning he saw that it was not Rachel but Leah!” “In the morning he looked at her and exclaimed, ‘Leah!’ ” In some languages an exclamation is probably required to express the element of shock and surprise: “In the morning … and said, ‘Hey! This is Leah!’ ” In other languages a word or expression may be used to describe what Jacob felt: “In the morning Jacob was shocked to see that the woman sleeping with him was not Rachel. It was Leah.”

And Jacob said to Laban: in some languages a word or expression stronger than just the word said may be required here to express the force of Jacob’s words; for example, “… went and accused Laban” or “… spoke angrily to Laban.”

What is this you have done to me?: Jacob’s question is rhetorical. He is not asking what happened but is using this form of the question to express his anger and surprise that Laban could do such a thing. Good News Translation shifts to “Why did you do this to me?” In languages that have different words for “Why?” the use of the word that expresses anger will be most appropriate here.

Did I not serve with you for Rachel? is another rhetorical question that may also be translated as a statement: “I worked for you to get Rachel,” “I served you in order to marry Rachel.”

Why then have you deceived me?: this is the climax of Jacob’s angry speech, “Why [angry] have you tricked me?” It is expressed idiomatically in some languages as “Why did you speak to me with two tongues?” or “Why did you deal with me with two hearts?”

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 .