The Hebrew in Exodus 3:9 that is translated as “I have indeed heard (the cry of my people)” or “(the cry of the people) has come to me” in some English translations is translated into Thai (Thai Common Language Version, 1985) as “take heart and put into” meaning “take a deep interest in.”
Translation commentary on Exod 17:7
And he called the name of the place is the literal way of saying “He named the place” (Revised English Bible). Good News Translation and others use the passive voice (“The place was named”), but the text clearly identifies Moses as the one who gave the names. So one may say “Moses named that place….” Massah and Meribah are two different names for the same place, probably coming from two different traditions. (See the comments on these names at verse 2.) Since Massah means “proof” (Revised Standard Version) or “testing” (Good News Translation), and Meribah means “contention” (Revised Standard Version) or “complaining” (Good News Translation), it may be more natural to interchange the two names Meribah and Massah in order to relate them in the same sequence to only one “because” clause, and say “because the Israelites complained and put the LORD to the test.”
Because of the faultfinding brings out the meaning of Meribah, and because they put the LORD to the proof brings out the meaning of Massah. It is possible to connect each clause to the name of the place as follows: “He named the place Meribah because the Israelites quarreled. He also named it Massah because they put Yahweh to the test by saying….”
Is the LORD among us or not uses two words that mean “existence” (“is”) and “nonexistence” (“is not”). The LORD, of course, is the sacred name YHWH, which suggests the meaning “He who is” (see the comment at 3.2a), but this cannot easily be brought out in translation. Among us is literally “in our midst” (Revised English Bible). So one may say “Is Yahweh existent in our midst or is he nonexistent?” This, of course, is a question that challenges Yahweh to prove that he is with them.
It is possible to reorder the clauses in this verse as Contemporary English Version has done:
• The people had complained and tested the LORD by asking, “Is the LORD really with us?” So Moses named that place Massah, which means “testing” and Meribah, which means “complaining.”
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 .
Translation commentary on Exodus 14:26
Then the LORD said to Moses is identical with verse 15. Stretch out your hand over the sea is identical with the same phrase in verse 16. That the water may come back is literally “and the waters will return.” Upon the Egyptians uses the preposition that means “on” or “over,” suggesting covering them. So Contemporary English Version translates “the water will cover the Egyptians.” The same preposition is used for their chariots and their horsemen. (See the discussion at Exod. 14.9.)
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 .
Translation commentary on Exodus 16:13
In the evening, or “that evening” (Revised English Bible), uses the usual term for evening, meaning after sunset. Quails were the same small plump birds known today. They are light brown in color, with black and pale streaks. In cultures where quails are unknown, translators may transliterate the term; for example, “birds named ‘quail.’ ” Another option is to use the name of a medium-sized wild bird resembling the quail, one that is edible and locally known. An explanatory note in the Glossary should also be provided. (See FFB, pages \jmp 66-67|fig:ffb_quail.htm\jmp*, for further information.) Came up, literally “it [the quail] ascended,” describes the sudden arrival of the quails (the singular noun is used in a collective sense). They probably “flew up” (Durham) with the help of the wind. (See Num 11.31.) Today’s English Version says “flew in,” meaning into the camp. Contemporary English Version has “came and landed.” And covered the camp means that “they settled in the camp in large numbers” (Translator’s Old Testament), or they “settled over the whole camp” (Revised English Bible). Contemporary English Version translates the first sentence as “That evening a lot of quails came and landed everywhere in the camp.”
And in the morning means “the next morning” (New Jerusalem Bible), or “when the sun rose again.” Dew lay round the camp is literally “there was a layer of dew around the camp.” Dew is the moisture from the air that condenses on the cool ground during the night, forming droplets of water. The word sometimes means a light rain. In at least one language this is called “water that clings [or, remains]” (Thai).
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 .
Translation commentary on Exod 32:5
When Aaron saw this is literally “And Aaron saw.” It is not clear what this refers to. New English Bible follows a different text, “Then Aaron was afraid,” but Revised English Bible has changed it to “Seeing this.” What it was that Aaron saw could be the bull-calf, or possibly what the people did. It seems strange to say that he saw the bull-calf, since he had just made it. Durham offers a possible solution, “When Aaron saw their reaction,” and Contemporary English Version has “When Aaron saw what was happening.” But Good News Translation omits the word saw as unnecessary and connects Aaron directly to the next verb, “Then Aaron built.”
He built an altar before it is literally “and he built an altar to its face.” This means, as Good News Translation puts it, that he “built an altar in front of the gold bull-calf.” (See the comment on altar at 17.15.) And Aaron made proclamation and said is literally “And Aaron called out and he said.” This means that he made a public announcement, so Good News Translation has “and announced.” The words and said are not necessary in translation if the word for made proclamation implies the same thing.
Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD is literally “a festival to Yahweh tomorrow.” The word for feast may suggest more than just eating; it implies a “procession,” or even “dancing.” So Good News Translation and New Revised Standard Version have “festival.” Contemporary English Version has “Tomorrow we will celebrate in honor of the LORD.” The same word is used in Moses’ demand to the Pharaoh (5.1) and again in reference to the Passover (12.14). (See the comment at 10.9.)
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 .
Translation commentary on Exod 32:11
This verse begins Moses’ intercessory prayer for the Israelites. But Moses besought the LORD his God is literally “And Moses made sweet the face of Yahweh his God.” Fox has “Moshe soothed the face of YHWH his God.” This means that he “tried to pacify Yahweh his God” (New Jerusalem Bible), or “attempted to calm Yahweh his God” (Durham). Others have “implored” (New Revised Standard Version) or “pleaded with the LORD his God” (Today’s English Version). In some languages his God will be translated more naturally as “the God whom he served [or, worshiped].” And said, literally “and he said,” simply introduces Moses’ prayer to Yahweh. An alternative model for this sentence is “Moses tried to get the LORD his God to change his mind.”
O LORD, why is literally “Why, Yahweh,” using the personal name of God. Why does thy wrath burn hot against thy people is literally “why does your [singular] nose become hot against your people?” This is the same expression used in verse 10. It means “why should you be so angry with your people” (Today’s English Version). Note that Moses emphasizes that they are Yahweh’s people, in contrast with verse 7. Whom thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt is similar to verse 7, but a different word for brought forth is used, meaning “to cause to go out.”
With great power and with a mighty hand is literally “by great strength and by a strong hand.” This refers, of course, to the hand of Yahweh, which is another figure of speech that means “with great might and power” (Today’s English Version). (The same expression is used at 3.19; 13.3, 9, 16.) Contemporary English Version rearranges the clauses of the verse in a way that will be helpful for many translators: “you used your mighty power to bring these people out of Egypt. Now don’t become angry and destroy them.”
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 .
inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Exo. 8:27)
Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)
The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).
For this verse (“our God” in English translations), translators typically select the exclusive form (excluding the addressee). This is what the Jarai translators did.
inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Exo. 10:25)
Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)
The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).
For both parts of this verse with a 1st person plural pronoun, the Jarai translation and the Adamawa Fulfulde translation use the exclusive pronoun, “since it excludes the king.”