There is no word in Khanty that directly corresponds to the concept of “love.”
In one of the two Bible translation projects (see here ) for which so far (2023) Genesis, Jonah, Luke, and Acts have been translated, mosty (мосты) with the primary meaning of “to be needed” or “to be necessary” was often used when translating the Greek agapao (ἀγαπάω) and the Hebrew aheb (אָהַב) — “love” in English — and the Greek agapétos (ἀγαπητός) — “beloved” in English.
Interestingly, the same word is also used in verses like Luke 7:2 for the Greek entimos (ἔντιμος) or “value highly” or in Luke 20:17 and Acts 4:11 where the “cornerstone” is the “necessary stone.”
In the other translation project in Khanty, the gospel of Mark has been translated (see here ). Here the translators have used vŏłanga săma (вŏԓаӈа сăма), meaning “important” or “pleasant to the heart” when referring to love.
The term that is transliterated as “Joseph” in English is translated in American Sign Language with a sign that relates to a) the coat he wore (see Gen 37:3), b) the holding of his clothes by Potiphar’s wife (see Gen 39:12), and c) the many times Joseph experienced grief. (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)
“Joseph” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor
In Spanish Sign Language it is translated with a sign that signifies “dream,” referring to Jacob’s dream at Bethel (see Genesis 28:10 and the following verses). (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
The Hebrew that is translated as “ornamented robe ” or similar in English is translated in Kim as mwaɗak or “multi-colored (robe),” following the traditional translation (Greek Septuagint: χιτῶνα ποικίλον; LatinVulgate: tunicam polymitam; EnglishKing James/Authorised Version: coat of many colours; German Luther translation: bunter Rock etc.)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 37:3:
Kankanaey: “As for Israel, Jose was the child he loved, because that’s who was born when he was already old. So then, there-was that which he caused-to-be-made which was a long (as a robe) and decorated garment and he gave-(it) to Jose.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Newari: “Since [Joseph] had been born after [Israel] had become an old man, Israel loved Joseph more than [he loved] his other sons. He had a beautiful, wide, embroidered upper garment made for Joseph.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Jose (was) more beloved of Jacob than his other children, because he was already old when Jose was-born. So he had- a beautiful and long garment -sewn for Jose.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “Jacob loved Joseph more than he loved any of his other children, because Joseph had been born when Jacob was an old man. Jacob made for Joseph a long pretty robe that had long sleeves.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Now Israel loved Joseph …: Revised Standard Version translates the common Hebrew connective as a transitional Now. Verses 3 and 4 are actually an interruption or diversion from the main story line; so Now introduces a parenthetical note, to give additional information about the family which is important for the story that follows from verse 5 on. Note that Good News Translation begins a new paragraph here. Although the Hebrew has Israel, which refers to Jacob, it my be clearer for the reader to use “Jacob,” as Israel is mainly used to refer to the nation descended from Jacob. See 35.10, 21 for comments on translating Jacob as Israel.
More than any other of his children: in some languages the comparative degree loved … more than is expressed “Israel loved his children; he surpassed in his love for Joseph.” In others a kind of positive-negative expression is used; for example, “Jacob loved Joseph; he didn’t love his other children much.” In others again the normal expression is “Jacob loved Joseph a lot, and loved his other children only a little.”
Son of his old age gives the reason why Jacob loved Joseph more. This expression may need to be expressed as “because he had been born when Jacob was already old.” See Good News Translation. Joseph’s special position in his father’s affections was obvious to his brothers and a reason for their hating him.
Another reason for hating Joseph was that he [Jacob] made him a long robe with sleeves. The traditional rendering is “coat of many colors,” which follows the Septuagint and theVulgate. Although the details are not certain, some understand it to have been a garment worn next to the skin, and that covered the arms to the wrists and the legs to the ankles (Koehler-Baumgartner). In 2 Sam 13.18 it is the garment worn by a princess. By contrast the ordinary garment for males reached only to the knees and did not cover the arms. Anchor Bible finds support in cuneiform inventories that suggest it was “an ornamented tunic,” that is, a tunic or robe that was decorated by sewing ornaments to the cloth. Von Rad describes it as “a luxury which only those who did not have to work could think of having.” In summary the garment may refer to a robe, coat, or long shirt-like piece of clothing. It was clearly a very special garment that gave Joseph a status not shared by his brothers. Some typical translations are “a very pretty coat with long arms” and “a special long jacket with full sleeves.”
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 .
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