Whenever Moses held up his hand may be understood as “As long as Moses held up his arms” (Good News Translation). The word for hand may also mean “forearm,” but probably Moses raised his entire “arms” (Good News Translation) in order to be seen by the Israelites in the valley below. Hand, however, is singular in the Hebrew, but the following verse uses the plural. Most translations now use the plural here as well.

Israel prevailed means that “the Israelites won” (Good News Translation), or better, “were winning” (New International Version). The word means to excel or to accomplish something. Revised English Bible has “Israel had the advantage,” and Contemporary English Version has “The Israelites out-fought the Amalekites as long as Moses held up his arms.” Whenever he lowered his hand uses a verb that means to settle or take a rest. Amalek prevailed means that “the Amalekites started winning” (Good News Translation), or “were winning” (New International Version). Here again, Revised English Bible has “the advantage passed to Amalek.”

It should be noted that Moses’ upraised arms do not indicate an attitude of prayer, as suggested by later Jewish and Christian interpreters. Rather, the upraised hand indicated power, so this posture was a sign of Yahweh’s power being channeled through Moses to the Israelites as they fought. The translation should therefore not suggest that Moses was praying.

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 .