I will stretch out my hand is an idiom meaning “I will use my power” (Good News Translation). And smite Egypt may be understood as smiting either the land of Egypt (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch) or the people of Egypt (New English Bible)—the same word means either Egypt or Egyptians. To smite means to “strike” or “punish.” In languages where the idea of punishment can only occur with living things, a translation such as “punish the people of Egypt” will be a more natural one. And this will be done by wonders, that is, by “miracles,” “terrifying things,” “awe-inspiring acts,” “things that will cause people to be astounded,” “great and powerful acts which will amaze people.”

This is the first reference in Exodus to the wonders that the LORD promises to do in Egypt. There are several Hebrew words that refer to these “terrifying things” (Good News Translation), each word having a slightly different meaning. The word used here, niflaʾoth, is a plural participle of the verb meaning to be extraordinary. The noun (peleʾ) is derived from the same root and denotes some event or some thing that is unusual or marvelous (15.11). Another Hebrew word, mofeth, refers primarily to an omen or portent and is usually translated in Revised Standard Version as “wonder.” For example, in 7.3 the plural of mofeth is joined with the plural of ʾoth (“sign”; see 3.12), and the two terms together are translated in Revised Standard Version as “signs and wonders.” Still another word, shefatim, is based on the word for judgment and refers to all these wonders as “acts of judgment” (6.6) or as means of punishment. Translation of these words will vary because of the different contexts in which they are used. For example, the word usually translated as “sign” (ʾoth) is translated in Good News Translation as “proof” in 3.12, but as “miracle” in 4.8. In most cases, however, these terms refer to the miraculous events related to the Israelites’ deliverance from Egypt.

Which I will do in it may be unnecessary, since the idea has already been expressed. Good News Translation simply adds the word “there” for in it. But this may also be rendered as “among them” (Revised English Bible, Translator’s Old Testament) or “in their midst,” if Egypt is understood as “people” instead of “land.” After that is after all the wonders have been done. He will let you go: in some languages it will be necessary to say “the king of Egypt will let you go.”

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• So I will use my power to punish the people of Egypt. I will do this through powerful acts that will amaze everyone. After I have done these things, the king of Egypt will let you go.

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 .