And you shall be to me, literally “and you [plural], you will be to me,” may be more correctly translated as “but you shall be for me” (New Revised Standard Version). (The same emphatic form is used in verse 4.) The conjunction waw can mean either “and” or “but,” as well as other things, depending on the context. In this case the meaning of “but” seems more logical. To me may indicate possession—“my kingdom of priests” (New English Bible)—or it may indicate service—“For me you shall be a kingdom of priests” (New Jerusalem Bible).
A kingdom of priests is difficult to translate; this is partly due to the fact that the phrase does not occur elsewhere in the Old Testament. The idea of God’s people being priests, however, does appear several times in the New Testament. (See 1Pet 2.5,9; Rev 1.6; 5.10; and 20.6.) There are different interpretations of what it means. Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version interpret it to mean “serve me as priests.” This says nothing about a kingdom, but it is probably correct in suggesting that Israel is to serve Yahweh by fulfilling a priestly mission in the world. Translator’s Old Testament has “You shall belong to me as a priestly kingdom.” But the concept of kingdom will be difficult to express in many languages. In such cases the word for “people” or “nation” will do.
If possible it is better to translate this phrase literally in order to allow for various possible interpretations. However, this will not be possible in languages where both priests and kingdom will be verbal phrases. The probable meaning is that Yahweh’s chosen or holy people will be a nation that serves him as an intermediary (or “go-between”), revealing his power and his will to “all peoples” (verse 5). A possible model therefore is “and you [plural] will serve me as my intermediary [or, go-between] to all the nations.” (For further discussion on priests, see 2.16.)
And a holy nation means a nation that is set apart from other nations because of a special covenant relation with Yahweh. So Good News Translation has “a people dedicated to me alone.” These are the words you shall speak refers to what has just been said beginning with verse 4. This sentence therefore marks the close of the embedded quotation. To the children of Israel is identical with “the people of Israel” in verse 3. Good News Translation has omitted this entire sentence, since it repeats what is said there. Contemporary English Version starts a new paragraph with this sentence, showing that Yahweh is addressing these words to Moses, “Moses, that is what you must tell the Israelites.”
Alternative translation models for this verse are:
• You [plural] will be a nation dedicated to me and will serve me as priests do. Moses, that is what you [singular] must tell the Israelites.”
• You [plural] will be a nation dedicated to me, a nation that will serve me as my intermediary [or, go-between] to all other nations. These words, Moses, are what you [singular] are to say to the Israelites.”
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 .