The word for Now therefore should here be understood as introducing a new thought rather than “At this moment.” If you will obey my voice is literally “if hearing you will hear my voice.” The if indicates that there is an obligation for Israel to fulfill if Yahweh is to fulfill his promise. The word for “hearing” also means to obey. This is a form in Hebrew that simply emphasizes the meaning of the verb, so New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “if you will obey me faithfully,” and New Jerusalem Bible has “if you are really prepared to obey me.”

And keep my covenant uses the verb that means to watch, or guard, or observe. And covenant is the word that refers to an agreement between two parties that recognize a relationship binding them together. It includes both promise to honor and commitment to obey the terms agreed upon. (See the comment at 6.4.) The covenant with God, however, placed more emphasis upon God’s faithfulness to his promise and upon the Israelites’ obedience to the terms God had established. In many languages a literal translation of keep my covenant in this verse will simply hide the real meaning of the phrase. What is referred to here is the agreement between Yahweh and his people that is sealed in 24.3-11. They agree to obey all his commandments, and Yahweh on his part promises to look after them as his own people. So one may say “obey all my commandments” or “honor everything that you have agreed upon with me.”

You shall be my own possession is literally “and you will be to me personal property.” Good News Translation simply has “You will be my own people.” However, other translations have “my special possession” (Revised English Bible, New American Bible), “my treasured possession” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New International Version), and “my own prized possession” (Moffatt). All of these are possible renderings. Among all peoples, literally “from all the peoples,” has been expanded by New American Bible: “dearer to me than all other people.” This is implied from the word for my own possession. Translator’s Old Testament has “more precious to me than all other nations.” An alternative model, then, is the following: “you will be my own people, more precious to me than all other people.”

For all the earth is mine begins a new clause (note the semicolon in Revised Standard Version), but it is better to begin a new sentence. The problem is the English word for, which suggests that “you will be mine because all the earth is mine.” This weakens the idea of the Israelites having a special position. Translator’s Old Testament tries to catch this meaning with the word “though”: “though the whole earth belongs to me,” meaning “even though all the earth is mine.” New Revised Standard Version brings out the intended meaning more clearly by leading into the next verse: “Indeed, the whole earth is mine, but you shall be….” Good News Translation does the same thing: “The whole earth is mine, but you will be….” The idea is this: “Even though the whole earth belongs to me, you will be a special possession.”

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 .