complete verse (Exodus 3:12)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 3:12:

  • Kupsabiny: “God replied that, ‘We shall be together with you. The thing that you will know that we shall be together is, that when you have migrated those people out of Egypt, you (plur.) will come to worship me in this mountain.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The God said,’ I will be with you. And this will be the sign to know that I am the only one to send you. When you will have the people brought from Egypt, you will worship the Lord on this mountain.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “God said, ‘I will-be-with/accompany you (sing.), and this is the sign that I am-the-one-who has-sent you (sing.): When you (sing.) now indeed have-caused/helped- the Israelinhon -to-come-out from Egipto, you (plur.) will-worship me on this mountain/hill.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “And then God said, ‘I will be present with you. And I will do a sign for showing that I truly sent you. The sign is as follows: When you bring the Israel people so that they leave Isip and come, then you (pl.) together will lift up my name on this very mountain.’” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “And God said to him «I will be present with you together. This, It will show you it that, It is me that sent you. When you will take away people out from Egypt finally, you will entreat me on this mountaintop.»” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “God replied, ‘I will be with you. And when you bring my people out of Egypt, all of you will worship me right here on this mountain. That will prove that I am the one who sent you to them.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

1st person pronoun referring to God (Japanese)

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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a first person singular and plural pronoun (“I” and “we” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used watashi/watakushi (私) is typically used when the speaker is humble and asking for help. In these verses, where God / Jesus is referring to himself, watashi is also used but instead of the kanji writing system (私) the syllabary hiragana (わたし) is used to distinguish God from others.

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also pronoun for “God”.

formal 2nd person plural pronoun (Japanese)

Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.

Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a formal plural suffix to the second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, anata-gata (あなたがた) is used, combining the second person pronoun anata and the plural suffix -gata to create a formal plural pronoun (“you” [plural] in English).

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on Exod 3:12

He said of course means “God answered.” But I will be with you is based on the verb “to be,” which is crucial to understanding verse 14. (See the comment there.) The tense is indicated only in context, so New English Bible‘s “I am with you” is possible. But this is certainly a promise to Moses as he undertakes his mission in Egypt. I will be with you may also be expressed as “I will be by your side,” meaning “I will go along with you and protect you.” (The “you” is singular.)

This shall be the sign for you is ambiguous. The word this may point back to the promise, “I will be with you,” or forward to the prediction, you shall serve God upon this mountain. Some scholars believe that this refers to the burning bush, in keeping with the normal understanding of sign as a supernatural phenomenon that confirms the truth of a divine revelation or promise. (But see the comment on “wonders” at 3.20.) Others suggest that part of the text is missing, possibly only a few words following the colon (), that described some supernatural sign.

Most translations try to preserve the ambiguity of the sign, or “proof,” but the use of the colon in Revised Standard Version and others definitely points to the prediction. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh clearly points back to the promise by placing a period instead of a colon. Jerusalem Bible points to the missing words by using three ellipsis points. Good News Translation rearranges the clauses and changes this to “that,” thus allowing for either the promise or the prediction, or both, to be interpreted as the sign. This rearrangement will be a good model for translators. Other ways to express this shall be the sign are “that will be the proof,” “this [or, that] will show you that…,” or “this will be the evidence that I….”

That I have sent you (singular) is the fact to which the sign must point as proof of Moses’ divine commission. The use of the emphatic I may also be expressed as New English Bible and others have done: “This shall be the proof that it is I who have sent you.” Since the sign, or “proof,” is for Moses’ benefit, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “this is the sign by which you shall know that I was the one who sent you,” or one may say “this will show for certain that I was the one who sent you.”

When you have brought forth the people out of Egypt is addressed to Moses in the singular. The people, of course, are the Israelites. Brought forth is the same word as in verses 10 and 11.

You shall serve God upon this mountain refers to Moses plus the Israelites, for the “you” is plural. (New English Bible has “you … all.”) To serve God means to “worship” God, but it implies some ritual act of worship. Since it is God who is speaking, Good News Translation more naturally has “worship me,” but there may be value in retaining God if “me” sounds too personal. Furthermore, this mountain was considered a holy place. It was Mount Sinai, the very place where Moses and YHWH were conversing.

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 .