complete verse (Genesis 30:11)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 30:11:

  • Newari: “Leah said — ‘What a luck person I am.’ And she named him Gad.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Lea said, ‘How fortunate.’ So she named the child Gad.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Leah said, ‘I am truly fortunate!’ So she named him Gad, which means ‘fortunate’.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 30:11

Good fortune!: fortune refers to some unexpected or unforeseen good happening. In English this is also called “luck” or “chance.” In some languages it will be necessary to fill this expression out and say, for example, “What good fortune I have had!” or “How lucky I have been!”

So she called his name Gad: 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 .