daughter of

The Greek and Hebrew that is translated as “daughter of” in English is translated in all Icelandic Bible versions of the Icelandic Bible Society (latest edition 2007) in parallel with the Icelandic patronymic or matronymic naming system . This means that for instance in Luke 2:36 the name that is transliterated and translated in English as “Anna the daughter of Phanuel” becomes “Anna Fanúelsdóttir” or in Jeremiah 52:1 “Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah” becomes “Hamútal Jeremíadóttir” where in both cases the “-óttir” means “daughter of.

In cases where “daughter of” does not refer to a literal father or perhaps stepfather but to lineage (or is uncertain), however, this system is not used. So in 1 Chronicles 1:50 “Mehetabel daughter of Matred daughter of Me-zahab” is translated as “Mehetabeel, dóttir Matredar, dóttur Mesahabs.” (Source: Halldór Elías Guðmundsson)

See also son of.

Translation commentary on Tobit 3:7

Ecbatana was the capital city of Media. It is the modern city of Hamadan, in Iran.

Sarah, the daughter of Raguel: Both Sarah and Raguel are introduced here for the first time. Good News Translation marks this as new information by speaking of “a man named Raguel.” In Hebrew Raguel means “friend of God.”

Reproached by one of her father’s maids: In Greek this clause is literally “heard insults from one of her father’s female servants.” Both New Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation miss a phrase here that serves a literary purpose of connecting Tobit’s story with Sarah’s. This is that Sarah “heard insults,” the same phrase used in verse 6 above, when Tobit cries “I have had to listen [literally, listened] to undeserved insults.” So the translation here should be “had to listen to one of her father’s women servants insulting her.” Reproached may also be expressed as “said bad [or, hurtful] words to her.” Maids are young servant girls; whether they were virgins or not is irrelevant.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Tobit. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.