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 31:33)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 31:33:

  • Newari: “Then Laban went into the tent of Jacob, Leah, and the two maid servants. He was not able to find anything there. Coming out of Leah’s tent he went inside Rachel’s tent.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “So Laban searched for his little-gods/false-gods in the tent of Jacob, in the tent of Lea, and as-well-as the tent of the two female servants who (were) wives of Jacob. But he did- not -find his little-gods. When he came-out from the tent of Lea, he then went-inside to the tent of Raquel.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Laban went into Jacob’s tent, and then into Leah’s tent, and then into the tents of the two female slaves and searched for the idols, but he did not find them. After he left their tents, he entered Rachel’s tent.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 31:33

Laban says nothing in reply to Jacob, but goes immediately from tent to tent and searches through the camp baggage.

So Laban went into Jacob’s tent: Laban begins the search in Jacob’s tent, since Jacob himself is probably the number one suspect in Laban’s eyes. In translation it may be necessary to state the purpose for going into the tents; for example, “So Laban began to search in Jacob’s tent, then in Leah’s tent, and in the tent of the two women servants, but he did not find his household gods.”

… and into … and into …: verse 33 summarizes the search of three tents. If we assume the narrator gives the tents in order of the search, this is Jacob, Leah, the maids. The final sentence, however, says And he went out of Leah’s tent, and entered Rachel’s. It is probable that Leah’s tent is mentioned here rather than the maids’, as the latter are only secondary characters in the story. Nevertheless, if translators find this a problem, it is possible to make an adjustment by saying, for example, “When he had searched those tents he went into Rachel’s” or “he went from those tents and into….” For another model see Good News 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 .