Moses spoke thus picks up the narrative again after the long speech of God which began in verse 2. Thus refers only to the quote within the quote, verses 6-8. To the people of Israel means “to the Israelites.” The entire clause is clear in Translator’s Old Testament: “Moses told the Israelites what God had said.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New American Bible, and Contemporary English Version render this as a dependent clause: “When Moses told this to the Israelites, ….” (The clause in Hebrew begins with the usual conjunction waw.) Thus, or “this,” will be rendered in many languages as “these things” or “these words.”

But they did not listen to Moses means that “the Israelites” refused to accept what Moses said. The word for listen means “to hear,” but in this case it also means “to heed,” or even “to believe” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Their refusal is suggested by “they would not listen to him” (Good News Translation).

Because of their broken spirit is literally “from shortness of spirit.” This may mean that “they had become impatient” (New English Bible), or that “they were too impatient to listen” (Translator’s Old Testament). But most translations understand this expression to mean that they were discouraged (New International Version) and possibly exhausted (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). New Jerusalem Bible has “so crushed was their spirit.” In many languages this will be expressed with figurative or idiomatic expressions; for example, “their hearts [or, livers] were very low” or “they had heavy hearts.” And their cruel bondage is literally “and from hard work.” This of course refers to “their cruel slavery” (Good News Translation), or “their harsh enslavement” (Translator’s Old Testament).

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 .