fat, oil

The different Hebrew and Greek terms that are translated as “(olive) oil” and “(animal) fat” in English are translated in Kwere with only one term: mavuta. (Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

Jacob

The Hebrew, Latin, and Greek that is transliterated as “Jacob” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with a sign that signifies “lentil,” referring to the soup he gave his brother in exchange for his birthright (see Genesis 25:34). Note that another Spanish Sign Language sign for Jacob also users the sign for Jewish. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Jacob” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

In German Sign Language it is a sign that shows the touching of the hip, described in Genesis 32:25:


“Jacob” in German Sign Language (source: Taub und katholisch )

In Finnish Sign Language it is translated with the signs signifying “smooth arm” (referring to the story starting at Genesis 27:11). (Source: Tarja Sandholm)


“Jacob” in Finnish Sign Language (source )

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

See also Esau.

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Jacob .

complete verse (Genesis 35:14)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 35:14:

  • Newari: “Jacob set up a rock there and poured new wine and oil on it.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Then God left that place which (was) where he talked-together with Jacob, and Jacob set-up/[lit. caused-to-stand] a remembrance stone there. He then poured- wine and oil -on the stone in-order (for it) to-become sacred.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Jacob set up a large stone at the place where God had talked with him. He poured some wine and some olive oil on it to dedicate it to God.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Honorary "rare" construct denoting God (“speak”)

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 usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme rare (られ) 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, kata-rare-ru (語られる) or “speak” is used.

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

Translation commentary on Genesis 35:14

And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where … him: for set up a pillar see 28.18; 31.45.

A pillar of stone is a further modification of the pillar and may be handled best in translation by saying “set up a stone pillar.” See Good News Translation.

He poured out a drink offering: drink offering renders a noun related to the verb meaning to “pour”; literally “he poured a pouring.” A drink offering is a libation or offering of a liquid that is used as a drink. We may assume that it is wine, and that the oil is olive oil. Drink offering is used, for example, in relation to pagan rites in Isa 57.6 and Jer 7.18. See also 2 Kgs 16.13.

Poured oil on it: poured is the same verb as used in 28.18, where Jacob poured oil the first time he set up a pillar at Bethel. Pouring the drink offering and the oil on the stone is a ritual whose purpose is, as Good News Translation indicates, “to consecrate it.” To consecrate means to dedicate, or set aside something for the worship of God. Bible en français courant translates “Jacob set up there a stone and poured oil and an offering of wine on it to make it a sacred stone.” We may also say, for example, “Jacob set up a stone and poured wine and oil on it to set that place aside [or, make it taboo] for worshiping God.”

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 .