complete verse (Hebrews 11:18)

Following are a number of back-translations of Hebrews 11:18:

  • Uma: “[It was] from Abraham’s faith, [that] he offered Ishak his child as his worship-gift to God, when God examined [lit., looked-at] his faith. First God said to Abraham like this: ‘From that child of yours you will get many descendants, like I have promised to you.’ But even so, Abraham was ready to offer that only child of his to be slaughtered.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Ibrahim, because of his trust in God followed his (God’s) command and gave his child Isahak as a sacrifice to God. God commanded that, to test Ibrahim if he truly trusted in him. God had hep covenanted/promised to Ibrahim that his descendants should become really many by/through Isahak but Ibrahim was about to kill his only child as a sacrifice to God.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “We know that God promised Abraham that by means of his son Isaac, his descendants would be very many. And when God tested that faith of Abraham, He told him to offer Isaac in sacrifice. However, Abraham’s faith was very strong in the promise of God and he never considered that he would not sacrifice Isaac.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Let us consider the faith that Abraham showed when God tested him. Because of his faith, he was prepared to kill his only son Isaac to offer him to God, even though God had promised that Isaac would be the origin of his descendants.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “‘Isaac will be the origin of that nation which will be called your (sing.) descendants.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “‘When your son Isaac has been born, he will multiply, there will live very many of your descendants,’ he had told him.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Isaac

The name that is transliterated as “Isaac” in English is signed in Spanish Sign Language and French Sign Language with a sign that is linked to his mother’s laughter when she hears that she will be pregnant with him (referring to Genesis 18:12 – 18:15) and also is the meaning of the Hebrew “Isaac” (Yitschaq — “he laughs”):


“Isaac” in French Sign Language (source: La Bible en langue des signes française )

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Isaac .

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

Honorary "are" construct denoting God ("say")

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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 usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme are (され) is affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, iw-are-ru (言われる) or “say” is used.

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

Translation commentary on Hebrews 11:17 – 11:18

As a sacrifice (twice) is implicit; the word for offer is often used of making “sacrifices” to God, as in 5.1. God is implied by the Greek passive verbs for “was tested” and (in verse 18) “it was said.” His son is also implied.

The first sentence of verse 17 may be rendered as “Because Abraham trusted God, he offered his son as a sacrifice to God when God put him to the test,” “… when God tested Abraham,” or “… when God wanted to see what Abraham would do.” However, in rendering It was faith that made Abraham offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice, it is important to avoid the implication that this actually took place. Therefore one may translate “Because Abraham trusted God, he was prepared to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice” or “… was about to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice.”

There is some repetition between made Abraham offer and he was ready to offer. The same event (Gen 22.1-10) is seen from two points of view: first, as a whole, as the next event in the series of examples of faith; and second, with a special focus on the moment when Abraham’s hand was stretched out to kill Isaac, but God told him not to do so.

There is room for great variety in restructuring these verses. It may be possible to combine them; for example:

• It was faith that made Abraham offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice, when God put him (Abraham) to the test. God had promised him, “It is through Isaac that you will have descendants,” yet he was ready to offer his only son as a sacrifice.

“God had promised him” is literally “having received the promises,” but the only example of a “promise” given here is the quotation from Genesis 21.12. “Received” here suggests more than a passive attitude; rather it means a willingness to take what God offered (see verse 13).

Another possible restructuring is that of Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch: “17 Because Abraham trusted God, he offered him his son Isaac as a sacrifice when he was put by God to the test. He was ready to offer his only son, 18 although God had promised him….” It is important to make it clear whether Abraham, Isaac, or God is the subject or object of each verb.

The reference to descendants introduces a new idea into this chapter, though a country of their own in verse 14 implies that future generations will live there. Although in Genesis 21.12 through Isaac is emphasized, Isaac has already been mentioned here in verse 17, so the main emphasis in the quotation is now on descendants.

Quoted with permission from Ellingworth, Paul and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Letter of the Hebrews. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1983. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .