Robert Moffat (1795 - 1883) was a Missionary to South Africa, whose father-in-law was David Livingstone, and the first translator of The Bible into Setswana.

Moffat was born in Ormiston, East Lothian, but moved to Cheshire to work as a gardener. He joined the London Missionary Society and started as a farmer in the Dukinfield Plantation where he met his future wife, Mary Smith (1795–1871). After gaining his authority to preach in 1816 at Surrey Chapel in London, he was sent to Cape Town with his wife following him three ears later. In 1820 Moffat and his wife left the Cape and proceeded to Griquatown, where their daughter Mary (who was later to marry David Livingstone) was born. The family later settled at Kuruman, to the north of the Vaal River, among the Batswana people. Moffatt had ten children, though two died in infancy. His daughter Mary married David Livingstone; Robert, who died aged 36, had published a work on the Setswana language; his other son John Smith Moffat also joined the London Missionary Society and took over the running of the Kuruman Mission from his father before joining the colonial service. A grandson of the Moffat’s would become a prime minister of Sothern Rhodesia.

Location of Kuruman Mission, South Africa (1842)

His missionary work involved travelling and ministering to peoples of Kuruman but also as far north as Matabele country and many of his excursions were written up for the Royal Geographical Society. On his return to Britain between 1839 and 1843 he published his experiences in Missionary Labours and Scenes in South Africa (1842).

After learning Setswana, Moffat produced a complete translation of the Bible by 1857, and printed from his own press at the Missionary Station at Kuruman. This was the first time the Bible had been printed in its entirety anywhere in Africa, and the first time in a previously unwritten African language. Moffat translated further works into Setswana, including The Pilgrim’s Progress during his time as a missionary.

Moffat published many books in Tswana and English, some of these are:

Robert Moffat (1826) A Bechuana Catechism, with Translations of the Third Chapter of the Gospel by John, The Lord's Prayer and Other Passages of Scripture

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Robert Moffat (1830) Evangelia kotsa mahuku a molemo a kuariloeng ki Luka (Tswana)

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Robert Moffat (1831) Lihela tsa tuto le puluko tsa Yesu Kereste (Tswana)

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Robert Moffat (1838) Lihela tsa tihelo ea Morimo; tse ri kuariloeng mo puong ea Secuana (Tswana hymn book)

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Robert Moffat (1842) Missionary Labours and Scenes in Southern Africa

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Robert Moffat (1843) Lihela tsa tihélo ea Morimo (Tswana)

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Robert Moffat (1844) Scenes and Adventures in Africa (American edition of Missionary Labours)

Robert Moffat (1846) The Gospel Among the Bechuanas and Other Tribes of Southern Africa