Abraham

The name that is transliterated as “Abraham” in English means “father of a multitude,” “father of mercy,” “father of many nations.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )

In the vast majority of sign languages, including American Sign Language it is translated with the sign signifying “hold back arm” (referring to Genesis 22:12).


“Abraham” in American Sign Language (source )

In Vietnamese (Hanoi) Sign Language it is translated with a sign for that demonstrates his new destiny. Previously, he had been called to wander from his home, and the name “Abram” reflected this movement (see here). The new sign name is in one location and stays there, showing Abraham will be given a land to call his own. At this time, Abraham was in the southern part of Canaan, which is shown on the base arm by the location near the elbow. (Source: The Vietnamese Sign Language translation team, VSLBT)


“Abraham” in Vietnamese Sign Language, source: SooSL

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

In Tira it is transliterated as Abaram. The choice of this, rather than the widely-known “Ibrahim,” as used in the Tira translation of the Qu’ran, was to offset it against the Muslim transliteration which originates from Arabic. (Source: J.A. Naudé, C.L. Miller Naudé, J.O. Obono in Acta Theologica 43/2, 2023, p. 129ff. )

Click or tap here to see two short video clips about Abraham (source: Bible Lands 2012)

See also our ancestor Abraham and Abram.

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Abraham .

Translation commentary on Tobit 4:12

Both New Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation open a new paragraph at this point as the subject changes to fornication. Fornication refers here to any kind of illicit sexual intercourse; it is not a warning only “against prostitutes” (Good News Translation). Contemporary English Version is correct with “My son, don’t sleep with any woman except your wife.” In some languages, however, a translation as open and direct as this will be considered offensive. In such cases translators may say something like “My son, don’t be with [or, stay/live with] any woman except….” Other polite expressions are “stay and eat with” or “know.”

First of all suggests that there will be a series of points, which in fact does not follow. “Above all” on the other hand does not follow from what Good News Translation has just said. The Greek has only the simple adverb “first,” which has the meaning here “and this is very important.” The author puts further emphasis on this by the repetitions that follow, so another way to express this is “Pay attention to what I am saying” or “What I will say now is very important.”

Descendants of your ancestors are of course your relatives, as is anyone who is of your father’s tribe. A foreign woman does not mean a woman from some other land. It describes any woman outside the circle of those Tobias may properly marry. See the note on 3.15.

We are the descendants of the prophets (literally “we are sons of the prophets”) here refers to all Israelites, in the sense of the phrase used by Peter in Acts 3.25. It is not used in the sense of “a group of prophets,” as in 2 Kgs 2.15. It also does not mean that all of their ancestors were prophets; so Contemporary English Version says “Some of our ancestors were prophets.” Prophets were people who announced or spoke God’s message to the people. If the word for “prophet” that has been used in a language means only “someone who foretells the future,” it will be helpful in this present context to translate we are the descendants of the prophets as “some of our ancestors were people who spoke [or, proclaimed] God’s message.”

For remember, see the comments on 3.3 and 4.4.

Our ancestors of old may be translated “our ancestors who lived long ago.” The Good News Translation rendering “our earliest ancestors” is potentially misleading.

For kindred see 1.3.

They were blessed in their children, and their posterity will inherit the land: This indicates, as Good News Translation shows, that they were blessed by having children. Blessed in this context means “God was good to them and let them have children.” These are the people who will inherit the land, that is, “Israel,” which Good News Translation inserts to make the reference clear. Tobit is referring to, and using the language of, God’s promises to Abraham in Gen 12.1-3; 17.4-8. This was a promise of descendants as well as a land for them to inherit—a land that God would give them to be their possession. Since Tobit’s family is living in exile, he can speak of that inheritance as still future, saying … will inherit. Another way to express this final clause is “and so their descendants will gain [or, receive] the land of Israel as their own possession.”

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.