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 .
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.”
inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Exo. 12:27)
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, translators typically select the inclusive form. (“These words were to be used in all future observances of the Passover, so that all Israelites might experience the LORD’s deliverance — They are still a part of the Jewish liturgy. Therefore the pronoun our should be understood as inclusive rather than exclusive.”)
Both the Jarai translation and the Adamawa Fulfulde translation use the inclusive pronoun.
inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Exo. 13:14)
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, translators typically select the inclusive form. (“These words were to be spoken for generations to come, so that through this ritual all Israelites will be able to feel themselves included in the deliverance from Egypt and come to understand Yahweh’s deliverance anew.”)
The Adamawa Fulfulde translation uses the inclusive pronoun.
inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Exo. 13:15)
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, translators typically select the inclusive form. (“These words were to be spoken for generations to come, so that through this ritual all Israelites will be able to feel themselves included in the deliverance from Egypt and come to understand Yahweh’s deliverance anew.”)
Both the Jarai translation and the Adamawa Fulfulde translation use the inclusive pronoun.