Translation commentary on Genesis 31:47

Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha: it refers to the pile of stones. For the English translation of the names, see the footnotes in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation. For the translation of names generally, see “Names in Genesis” in “Translating Genesis,” page 8. Some translations bring the explanation of the two names into the text by saying “Laban gave a name to the heap as a reminder in his language…, and his son-in-law gave a name to the heap as a reminder in his language….”

But Jacob called it Galeed: see Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation footnotes.

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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