So Moses rose with his servant Joshua is literally “And Moses rose and Joshua his server.” (The word for “server” is discussed at 33.11.) The singular form of the verb rose is used, but the implication is that Joshua also stood up. It is not clear, however, whether Joshua did anything more than that. New Revised Standard Version interprets this to mean that “Moses set out with his assistant Joshua” (similarly New International Version and New American Bible), and Good News Translation has “Moses and his helper Joshua got ready” (similarly Contemporary English Version). This latter interpretation is more likely the intended meaning, in light of the following clause.

And Moses went up into the mountain of God has the singular form of the verb went up, but the Septuagint has the plural form and omits Moses. This reading is followed by New Jerusalem Bible and Revised English Bible, but the Hebrew specifies that it was only Moses who “ascended,” or “climbed up higher” (Durham). (See the Good News Translation footnote here.) Good News Translation‘s “began to go up” is based on the following verse, where it is clear that Moses gave instructions to the elders before he actually went up. Into the mountain of God, literally “unto,” is identical with 3.1, where Good News Translation also has “the holy mountain.” Since “holy” here means that this is the mountain where God stays or resides, in many languages it will be helpful to express this as “Then Moses began to go up the mountain to meet God” (similarly Contemporary English Version).

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .