Joseph

The term that is transliterated as “Joseph” in English is translated in American Sign Language with a sign that relates to a) the coat he wore (see Gen 37:3), b) the holding of his clothes by Potiphar’s wife (see Gen 39:12), and c) the many times Joseph experienced grief. (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)


“Joseph” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor

In Spanish Sign Language it is translated with a sign that signifies “dream,” referring to Jacob’s dream at Bethel (see Genesis 28:10 and the following verses). (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


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

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Joseph .

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

complete verse (Genesis 45:26)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 45:26:

  • Kankanaey: “Upon their arrival, they said, ‘Guess what, Jose is living! He rules the entire country in Egipto!’ Upon Jacob’s hearing that, he was struck-speechless and he did not believe what they said.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “They said to him — ‘Joseph has not yet died. And it turns out that he is the head of the land of Egypt.’ Hearing this Jacob was speechless [lit.: not able to say anything]. He was not able to believe this report.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “When they arrived there, they told their father that Jose (was) alive, and he (was) even in-fact the ruler of the whole of Egipto. Jacob (was) astonished; he could- not -believe (this).” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “One of them told him, ‘Joseph is still alive! In fact, he is the governor over all of Egypt!’ Jacob was extremely astonished; he could not believe that it was true.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 45:26

And they told him: told may not be suitable in this context in some languages, which may require something equivalent to “They announced,” “… reported,” “… broke the news.” It is also possible to restructure this verse to say, for example, “When they told him ‘Joseph is still alive; he is the ruler of all of Egypt,’ Jacob was….”

Joseph is still alive: this news is the climax of the whole story as far as Jacob is concerned; and it may need to be delivered with suitable excitement or emphasis. One example of how this may be done is “Joseph is not dead! No. He is still alive; and now he is….”

His heart fainted is literally “his heart froze [turned cold].” The sense of the metaphor is “to become numbed.” In English we may say “it took his breath away” or “he was stunned.” Examples from translations in other languages are “his thinking became weak,” “his head was confused,” and “his thinking became hard.”

For he did not believe them: that is, he could not believe what he was hearing. No doubt he had for years looked for the day when he would hear this news; then when it came he could not believe it. Another way of expressing he did not believe them is “he thought they were deceiving him.”

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 .