And Moses said to Joshua shows Moses’ reaction to the attack, so New American Bible has “Moses, therefore, said to Joshua.” One may also say “So Moses told Joshua” (Contemporary English Version). This is the first mention of Joshua, who was evidently the military leader under Moses’ command. Choose for us men is literally “You [singular] select for us men.” Us of course includes Moses, Joshua, and all the Israelites, and is therefore inclusive. Jerusalem Bible has “Pick out men for yourself,” following the Septuagint rather than the Hebrew text, but Hebrew Old Testament Text Project favors the Hebrew reading with an {A} rating. The idea is that they will “fight for us” (New English Bible). New Jerusalem Bible omits for us altogether (so also Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version and New American Bible).

And go out is “you [singular] go out.” In some languages “go out” will be natural style. However, in many other languages the equivalent of “go” will be sufficient. Fight with Amalek uses the same verb as verse 8. Amalek really means “the Amalekites” (Good News Translation) or “the people of Amalek.” Tomorrow can refer either to the clause that precedes or the clause that follows, and Good News Translation has chosen the former: “fight the Amalekites tomorrow” (so also Contemporary English Version, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, and Revised English Bible). This allows Joshua some time to select his men. But the punctuation in the Hebrew favors the other interpretation: tomorrow I will stand (so also New Revised Standard Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, and New International Version). This may suggest that Joshua was to start fighting immediately, and Moses would wait until the next day to go out. However, given the order of events in verse 10, it seems that Joshua and his men attacked the Amalekites while Moses, Aaron, and Hur were ascending the hill on the following day (see verse 10 and the discussion). It is probably best to follow Good News Translation, with the understanding that Moses is saying “Pick out some men” now, and then “go and fight” tomorrow.

I will stand on top of the hill uses the emphatic I, so New Jerusalem Bible has “I, for my part, shall take my stand on the hilltop.” I will stand may also mean “I will station myself” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). (See 2.4 for the same verb.) The hill, with the definite article, suggests a definite hill overlooking the valley where the fighting would take place. With the rod of God in my hand uses the same expression as 4.20. Good News Translation expresses it as “the stick that God told me to carry.” Contemporary English Version chooses another option and says “holding this walking stick that has the power of God.” (See the comment on the problem of the rod of God at 4.20.)

Alternative translation models for this verse are:

• So Moses ordered Joshua, “Pick out some men for us [inclusive] to attack the people of Amalek tomorrow. I will stand on top of the hill, holding in my hand the stick that God told me to carry.”

• So Moses told Joshua, “Pick some men to go out and attack the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill, holding the stick that has the power of God.”

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 .