The shepherds were men who took care of animals, including sheep and goats, and even cattle. The Hebrew word translated as “shepherd” comes from a verb meaning to pasture or graze animals, and these animals may be small (sheep and goats) or large (cattle). The English term shepherds (originally “sheepherders”) normally refers to people who tend or look after sheep. In Moses’ time, however, both sheep and goats were usually kept together in the same flock. If a receptor language does not have a technical word for an animal herder of this kind, it is possible to translate shepherds as “men who looked after sheep and goats” or “sheep and goat tenders.” These men did not want to wait their turn, so they drove them away. It is not clear whether the them refers to the daughters or to their father’s sheep and goats, but probably “Jethro’s daughters” are intended, as Good News Translation translates. Drove them away means that the shepherds used force to make the women leave the well. This first sentence may thus be rendered as “But some men who looked after sheep and goats drove Jethro’s daughters away from the well.”

Moses stood up suggests that Moses was sitting there watching the daughters until the shepherds interfered (see verse 15b). But the Hebrew word for “stand” or “rise” does not always mean the person has been sitting. Sometimes it simply shows that the person began the action of the verb that follows. Therefore it may also be understood along with the following verb, and helped them, in the sense, as Good News Translation expresses it, “Moses went to their rescue.” This is recommended as a model for translation.

The manner in which Moses helped them is not indicated in this verse, but it is referred to when they report to their father in verse 19. It certainly doesn’t mean “helped them escape from the shepherds.” The probable meaning is “went to their rescue” (Good News Translation). Another way to express this is “stopped the shepherds from bothering [or, harassing] them.” Moses watered their flock as an additional act of assistance. It included drawing water from the well and filling the troughs. This suggests, then, that maybe the daughters had not yet drawn the water. (See verse 16.) In many languages watered their flock will be expressed as “gave their animals water to drink.” However, in some languages it will be necessary to make all of Moses’ actions explicit; for example, “Moses drew water and filled the troughs for their animals to drink” or “Moses drew water, filled the troughs, and let their animals drink.”

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• But some men who looked after sheep and goats came and forced Jethro’s daughters to leave the well. Moses went and helped the women resist the men. He then drew water, filled the troughs, and let their animals drink.

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 .