Saying introduces what Moses said. A hand upon the banner of the LORD is not clear in the Hebrew, as the Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation footnotes indicate. The problem is a two-letter word that appears to mean “throne” rather than banner, so some translations have “throne of the LORD” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New International Version). (The word for LORD here is yah, a shortened form of YHWH, as in 15.2.) But Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation, along with many others, assume that the word for banner has been misspelled. If this reading is followed, then the meaning is probably a call to arms, as Good News Translation expresses it: “Hold high the banner of the LORD.” New Jerusalem Bible has “Lay hold of Yahweh’s banner!” But New American Bible has “The LORD takes in hand his banner.”

With a rating of {B} Hebrew Old Testament Text Project prefers reading the Hebrew as “throne” and recommends translating the clause as “for a hand has been raised against the throne of the LORD.” This suggests that Amalek’s hand had been raised in challenge against Yahweh’s throne. New International Version‘s rendering, “For hands were lifted up to the throne of the LORD,” suggests that it was Moses’ hands that were lifted up to the LORD in prayer. Despite Hebrew Old Testament Text Project‘s preference, however, it is better to follow Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation and read the word as banner, since this relates the verse more smoothly to verse 15.

New English Bible and Revised English Bible give this text a different meaning, which may be derived from either reading: “My oath upon it.” The word “it” may refer either to the “altar” (verse 15) or to the banner. Then the following words are considered to be the actual words of the oath. Translator’s Old Testament follow this interpretation by having Moses say “I swear that the LORD….” Regardless of which interpretation is followed in translation, a brief footnote is recommended explaining that the Hebrew is not clear. If translators follow this interpretation, a possible model is:

• He said, “I swear [or, strongly promise] that the LORD will continue to fight….”

The LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation is literally “war for Yahweh against Amalek from generation [to] generation.” Good News Translation is more dynamic: “The LORD will continue to fight against the Amalekites forever!”

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 .