Canaan

The term that is transliterated as “Canaan” in English is translated in American Sign Language with the sign loosely referencing the act of hiding/covering one’s face in shame. The association of “shame” with the name “Canaan” comes from Genesis 9, specifically verse 9:25. This sign was adapted from a similar sign in Kenyan Sign Language (see here). (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)


“Canaan” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor

Click or tap here to see a short video clip about Canaan in biblical times (source: Bible Lands 2012)

inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Gen 47:4)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, the Jarai and the Adamawa Fulfulde translation both use the exclusive pronoun, excluding Pharaoh.

Pharaoh

The term that is used for monarchs in ancient Egypt and is transliterated as “Pharaoh” in English is translated in Finnish Sign Language with the sign signifying the “fake metal beard (postiche)” that was word by Pharaohs during official functions. (Source: Tarja Sandholm)


“Pharaoh” in Finnish Sign Language (source )

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Pharaoh .

complete verse (Genesis 47:4)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 47:4:

  • Kankanaey: “We (excl.) came here because the famine in Canaan is extreme and there was already no place-to-pasture our (excl.) animals. Please be-so-kind, sir, so-that you (sing.) will permit us (excl.) to stay in Gosen.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “There being a severe famine in the land of Canaan, and there being no place even to graze sheep, we have come here to stay. So allow us from the government to stay here in Goshen.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “We (excl.) came here in-order to-live here for-a-while for the hunger in Canaan (is) very severe/[double emphasis marker], and our (excl.) livestock/animals now have-nothing to-graze. We (excl.) ask-for-a-favor from you (sing.) that if possible you (sing.) allow us (excl.) to-live/dwell in Goshen.'” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “They also said to him, ‘We have come here to live for a while in this land, because the famine is very severe in Canaan, and our animals have no pasture/grass to eat there. So now, please let us live in the Goshen region.'” (Source: Translation for Translators)

servants (Japanese honorifics)

Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.

Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a humbling plural suffix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, the Hebrew and Aramaic that is translated as “servants” in English is translated as shimobe-domo (しもべども) or shimobe-ra (しもべら), combining “servant” (shimobe with the humbling plural suffix -domo or ra.

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Japanese benefactives (-sete)

Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.

Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. When the referent is God, the “divine” honorific prefix mi- (御 or み) can be used, as in mi-kao (御顔) or “face (of God)” in the referenced verses.

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

humble form of "come" (mairu)

Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.

Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way to do this is through the usage of lexical honorific forms, i.e., completely different words, as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, mairu (参る), a humble form of kuru (来る) or “come” is used.

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also respectful form of “come” (omie ni naru), respectful form of “come” (oide ni naru), and come (Japanese honorifics).

Translation commentary on Genesis 47:4

The structure of this verse is made up of a result clause followed by a cause and a request. In some languages the most natural order to express these is cause, result, and request.

We have come to sojourn in the land expresses the result. For sojourn see 12.10. In this context some translations express it as “stay for a short time” or “stay as foreigners.” In the land means “in this country” or “in your country.”

There is no pasture for your servants’ flocks, for the famine is severe in the land of Canaan: this clause expresses the reason or cause of the coming to Egypt. Pasture refers to grasslands or fields where animals graze. For the famine is severe in … Canaan, see 12.10 and 41.56.

We pray you, let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen is the request. We may translate this, for example, “Please, sir, allow us to stay in the area of Goshen.” In some languages this is expressed as a formal request: “We request you” or “We would like you to agree….” The brothers make it clear that they have come as immigrants or foreigners, and that they only request to dwell, that is, “stay,” “reside,” or “settle” in Goshen. This request was not included in Joseph’s instructions to the brothers in 46.34 but rather was what he expected the king would say.

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 .