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 )

See also Esau.

complete verse (Genesis 29:30)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 29:30:

  • Kankanaey: “And-so Jacob also slept-with Raquel, and that’s whom he loved more than Lea. After that he worked for Laban for seven years again.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Jacob also married Rachel. He loved Rachel more than Leah. And he worked another seven years for Laban.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “So Jacob also laid-together with Raquel. Raquel (was) more beloved of/by him than Lea. Jacob served Laban for-yet another seven years.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Jacob had sex with Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than he loved Leah. And Jacob worked for Laban for another seven years.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 29:30

So Jacob went in to Rachel also: see verse 23.

Loved Rachel more than Leah: for loved see verse 18. Different languages have different ways of expressing the idea of more than; some examples are “He really loved Rachel, but he didn’t love Leah very much,” “Out of the two, Rachel and Leah, he greatly loved Rachel,” “He liked Rachel a lot, but he didn’t like Leah.”

And served Laban for another seven years: it may be necessary to make clear in translation that Jacob worked for Laban after he married Rachel. In that case we may say, for example, “After Jacob married Rachel, he worked for Laban another seven years.” In some translations the reason for this period of service is repeated here: “He worked seven years more for his father-in-law, in order to repay his marriage obligations” or “as a payment for his daughter Rachel.”

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 .