The Hebrew and Greek that is transliterated as “Lot” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with a sign that signifies “cousin,” referring to the fact that Lot is Abraham’s cousin (see Genesis 11:27). (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 19:12:
Kankanaey: “Then they said to Lot, ‘If you (pl.) have children and children-in-law and (other) relatives in this town, go (sing.) call (them) immediately so-that you will all leave,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Newari: “‘If you also have any [of your] own people here, sons, daughters, sons-in-law or others, take them along and escape from this city.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “The two angels said to Lot, ‘If you still have children, or sons-in-law, or relatives in this city, bring them all and you (pl.) flee,” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “Then the two angels said to Lot, ‘Who else is with you here? If you have sons or sons-in-law or daughters or anyone else in the city who is related to you, take them out of the city,” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Translators will note that verse 13 gives the reason for destroying Sodom, while verse 12 contains the instructions given to Lot to rescue his relatives. In some cases these verses may need to be combined to give a more natural flow of information.
Said to Lot may need to be translated “asked Lot.”
Have you any one else here?: the literal question is “Still who to you here?” meaning “Do you have others here?” or “Who else do you have in Sodom?” The angels mention Sons-in-law, sons, daughters. The Hebrew text has “a son-in-law,” which Hebrew Old Testament Text Project rates as a {B}, and so there may be a little doubt about its form. For translational reasons most versions use the plural, as does also the Septuagint. Furthermore, it does not appear natural for Sons-in-law or “son-in-law” to be mentioned before direct offspring. Consequently Good News Translation and others place “sons-in-law” after “daughters.”
The English expression “son-in-law” refers to the husband of a parent’s daughter. In verse 8 Lot claims to have two daughters who are not yet married. Nothing is said about other married daughters. The first part of the question refers to family members, and so Bible en français courant says “Are there other members of your family?”
Or any one you have in the city: this refers to other family members such as older sons and married daughters who may be living elsewhere in the city.
The purpose of the angels’ question is not to be told the names of Lot’s family in Sodom, but rather to make him think about who he will take out of the town with him. The question form is not essential for this, and a different form may be more appropriate in some languages. One translation, for instance, has “If you have any family in this town, go and get them. Go and get your sons and daughters, your….”
Bring them out of the place: the place refers to Sodom. The command to Lot can also be rendered “take them out of the city” or “get them away from here.” In some languages the separate actions involved in bring them out may need to be expressed separately, as in “you [singular] get them, then you [plural] go out of the town, and you [plural] go away.”
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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