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 .

complete verse (Genesis 30:8)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 30:8:

  • Newari: “Then Rachel said — I have had a very difficult struggle with my elder sister and I have won.’ So she named him Naphtali.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Raquel said, ‘Very great (was) my struggle with my sister, and I have-won.’ So she named the child Naftali.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Then Rachel said, ‘I have had a great struggle to have children like my older sister, but truly I have a son.’ So she named him Naphtali, which sounds like the Hebrew word that means ‘struggle’.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 30:8

With mighty wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister: the Hebrew says “with wrestling of ʾelohim,” which creates a problem of interpretation. There are three views of the significance of this expression:
(1) Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation take ʾelohim, which normally means “God,” to be a descriptive term meaning “great” or “mighty.” In 23.6 Abraham is described as a prince or leader of ʾelohim, and Revised Standard Version translates “mighty prince,” and Good News Translation “mighty leader.”
(2) Some understand that Rachel’s wrestlings or struggles are “for ʾelohim,” that is, to win God’s favor.
(3) Speiser understands that the expression refers to a mysterious struggle and translates “a fateful contest.” Revised English Bible translate “I have played a fine trick on my sister.”

The Handbook recommends that translators follow Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation, which are supported by Bible en français courant, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch.

I … have prevailed: prevailed means “won,” “succeeded,” or “become victorious.”

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 .