firstborn

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “firstborn” in English is translated in a number of ways:

  • “he/she that opens the gown” in Batak Toba (because formerly a woman stopped wearing a gown and started using a bodice after the birth of her first child)
  • “he/she that damages the stalk (i.e. the body)” in Uab Meto (source for this and above: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • “the oldest son of all” in Mezquital Otomi
  • “oldest child” in Isthmus Zapotec (source for this and one above: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
  • “firstborn child, who was a boy” in Elhomwe (to make clear, without ambiguity, that Mary did not have daughters before) (source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

In Bawm Chin, the term can imply the existence of younger siblings, so a translation is needed that brings out the fact that Jesus is superior to all else, not just the first of a series. (Source: David Clark)

See also only begotten son / (one and) only son and firstborn.

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 36:15)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 36:15:

  • Newari: “Here are the chiefs, clan leaders, from among Esau’s descendants — The sons of Eliphaz, eldest son of Esau — Teman, Omar, Zepho. Kenaz,” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “These were the-(ones-who) became leaders from the descendants of Esau: Teman, Omar, Zefo, Kenaz,” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Here is/I will now give you a list of the people-groups who were descendants of Esau. His oldest son Eliphaz was the ancestor of the Teman people-group, the Omar people-group, the Zepho people-group, the Kenaz people-group,” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 36:15 - 36:16

These are the chiefs of the sons of Esau: chiefs translates a Hebrew term related to the word meaning “thousand.” The reference is to a political unit and not to an individual, as chief suggests in Revised Standard Version. The term is used in reference to a political group in Judges 6.15 (“clan”); 1 Sam 10.19 (“thousands”). However, the expression “clans of the sons of Esau” is unclear without defining the relation between the sons and the particular clan name. The crucial point is that the sons of Esau were the originators or ancestors of the clans or tribes that bore their names. Accordingly Good News Translation is quite right when it translates “These are the tribes [clans] descended from Esau.”

Because these men are described as descendants of Eliphaz in verse 15 and are listed again as clan heads in verse 16, it may be best to combine the two verses. In this way we may restructure these two verses; for example, “Here are the names of the clans that descended from Esau: the clans of Teman, Omar … Amalek. Eliphaz, the first son of Esau and Adah, was their ancestor.”

At the beginning of verse 16 Korah is included. Many versions omit Korah at this point because this name appears to have been introduced by error from verse 18. The omission of Korah in verse 16 is supported by Hebrew Old Testament Text Project.

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 .