The chapter division at this point should be printed in a way that will not interrupt the flow of the conversation between the LORD and Moses. Note how Revised Standard Version makes verse 1 part of the same continuous paragraph with the previous verse. Good News Translation has a new paragraph because of a change in speaker, but it is printed in a way that shows clearly that all of this is part of one section. The context shows that this is the LORD’s reply to Moses’ question in 6.30.

It may be more natural to translate “The LORD answered him” (New American Bible), without repeating Moses, or simply “The LORD said” (Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version).

See is used here as an interjection, in the same way as “Behold,” so Good News Translation omits it as unnatural in English (so also at 1.9). But in some languages it may be more natural to translate it as “Look” (New Jerusalem Bible), or “See now” (New English Bible), or just “See” (New International Version).

I make you as God to Pharaoh repeats almost the same idea of 4.16, where God says that Moses will be like God to Aaron. (See there for similar translation expressions.) But here the emphasis is on I make you, which means the LORD is the one creating this special relationship between Moses and the Pharaoh. The word as, or “like” (Good News Translation), indicates that this is only a figure of speech. Moses should think of himself as though he were the Pharaoh’s god who had a special message for him. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh brings out this meaning clearly: “I place you in the role of God to Pharaoh.” Since the tense is not clearly indicated, it may also be translated in the past, as in New English Bible (“I have made you like a god for Pharaoh”), or in the future (“I am going to make you like a god to the king”). God need not be capitalized here.

And Aaron … your prophet also repeats the same idea. In the same way that a prophet was the spokesperson for his god, Aaron would be the spokesperson for Moses, speaking to the Pharaoh as Moses would instruct him. Brother in this case is an elder brother. (See verse 7 below.)

Contemporary English Version‘s restructuring of this verse should be noted:

• The LORD said:
I am going to let your brother Aaron speak for you. He will tell your message to the king, just as a prophet speaks my message to the people.

This will be a helpful model for many translators, even though the reference to God has been replaced by the words “my message.” The final clause will be more accurately translated as “just as a prophet speaks the message of his god to the people.”

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 .