89When Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with the Lord, he would hear the voice speaking to him from above the cover that was on the ark of the covenant from between the two cherubim; thus it spoke to him.
Some key biblical terms that were directly transliterated from the Hebrew have ended up with unforeseen meanings in the lexicons of various recipient languages.
Take, for example, the English word “cherub,” from Hebrew “kĕrȗb.” Whereas the original Hebrew term meant something like “angelic being that is represented as part human, part animal” (…), the English word now means something like “a person, especially a child, with an innocent or chubby face.” Semantic shift has been conditioned in English by the Renaissance artistic tradition that portrayed cherubim in the guise of cute little Greek cupids. This development was of course impossible to foresee at the time when the first English translations borrowed this Hebrew word into the English Bible tradition, following the pattern of borrowing set by the Greek and Latin translations of the Old Testament.
In Russian, the semantic shift of this transliteration was somewhat different: the -îm ending of “kĕrūbîm,” originally signifying plurality in Hebrew, has been reanalyzed as merely the final part of the lexical item, so that the term херувим (kheruvim) in Russian is a singular count noun, not a plural one. (A similar degrammaticalization is seen in English writers who render the Hebrew plural kĕrūbîm as “cherubims.”) Apparently, this degrammaticalization of the Hebrew ending is what led the Russian Synodal translator of Genesis 3:24 to mistakenly render the Hebrew as saying that the Lord God placed a kheruvim (accusative masculine singular in Russian) to the east of the garden of Eden, instead of indicating a plural number of such beings. (Source: Vitaly Voinov in The Bible Translator 2012, p. 17ff. )
In Ngäbere the Hebrew that is translated in English as “cherub” is translated as “heavenly guard” (source: J. Loewen 1980, p. 107), in Nyamwezi as v’amalaika v’akelubi or “Cherubim-Angel” to add clarity, in Vidunda as “winged creature,” in Makonde as “winged creature from heaven” (source for this and two before: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext), and in Bura-Pabir as “good spirit with wings” (source: Andy Warren-Rothlin).
In Northern Pashto it is either translated as “heavenly creature” (Afghan Pashto Bible, publ. 2023) or “winged creature” (Holy Bible in Pakistani [Yousafzai] Pashto, publ. 2020) (source: Andy Warren-Rothlin).
The Hebrew, Greek, and Latin that is sometimes translated as “ark of the covenant” in English (other English options: “pact chest” [translation by John Goldingay, 2018] or “Coffer of the Covenant” [translation by Everett Fox, 1995]) is translated in various ways:
Mairasi: Anasi Farjora or “Covenant Place” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
In American Sign Language it is translated with a sign that combines “box” and the wings of the cherubim on top of the ark (see Exod 25:18 and following). (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)
“Ark of the covenant” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor
The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “mercy seat” or similar in English is translated by the interconfessional Chichewa translation (publ. 1999) as or “the cover of that box which was the place for forgiving sins upon” (source: Wendland 1998, p. 110) and in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) with Sühnedeckel or “atonement cover.”
The Hebrew that is translated in English as “tent of meeting” is translated in the Ancient GreekSeptuagint translation as σκηνῇ τοῦ μαρτυρίου or “tent of witness/testimony,” the same term that is also used in Acts 7:44.
American Sign Language also uses the sign depicting the horns but also has a number of alternative signs (see here).
In French Sign Language, a similar sign is used, but it is interpreted as “radiance” (see below) and it culminates in a sign for “10,” signifying the 10 commandments:
The horns that are visible in Michelangelo’s statue are based on a passage in the Latin Vulgate translation (and many Catholic Bible translations that were translated through the 1950ies with that version as the source text). Jerome, the translator, had worked from a Hebrew text without the niqquds, the diacritical marks that signify the vowels in Hebrew and had interpreted the term קרו (k-r-n) in Exodus 34:29 as קֶ֫רֶן — keren “horned,” rather than קָרַו — karan “radiance” (describing the radiance of Moses’ head as he descends from Mount Sinai).
In Swiss-German Sign Language it is translated with a sign depicting holding a staff. This refers to a number of times where Moses’s staff is used in the context of miracles, including the parting of the sea (see Exodus 14:16), striking of the rock for water (see Exodus 17:5 and following), or the battle with Amalek (see Exodus 17:9 and following).
In Vietnamese (Hanoi) Sign Language it is translated with the sign that depicts the eye make up he would have worn as the adopted son of an Egyptian princess. (Source: The Vietnamese Sign Language translation team, VSLBT)
“Moses” in Vietnamese Sign Language, source: SooSL
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 to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. When the referent is God, the “divine” honorific prefix mi- (御 or み) can be used, as in mi-koe (御声) or “voice (of God)” in the referenced verses. This is used specifically to refer to the “voice” of God or used in a reference of God saying something. (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )
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 show different degree of politeness is through the usage of an honorific construction where the morphemes rare (られ) or are (され) are affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, kata-rare-ru (語られる) or “speak” is used.
After the consecration of the Tent of Meeting and the altar of sacrifice, the Tent of Meeting could be used. This verse describes how Moses spoke regularly with the LORD there. This dialogue no longer had to take place outside the Israelite camp, as in Exo 33.7-11, but now occurred in the Tent of Meeting in the center of the camp. This verse is no longer part of the dedication procedure itself. It is the fulfillment of the promise made to Moses in Exo 25.22, where God says, “There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are upon the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you…” (so Budd, page 85). Verse 89 makes it clear that the Tent of Meeting itself became a special place where the LORD carried on a dialogue with Moses and the people. In a translation this verse should preferably be preceded by a blank line, showing that it is not linked directly to what precedes. The break between this verse and the preceding verses may also by signaled by an appropriate discourse marker at the beginning of the verse, for example, “So it was that….”
This verse does not lead directly to the following verses either, since they have their own introductory sentence (“Now the LORD said to Moses” in 8.1).
And when Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with the LORD: The Hebrew verb rendered went is an infinitive, so it is probable that this verse describes a habit, something that Moses did regularly. Bible en français courant begins this verse well with “When Moses would enter…,” and so do Bijbel in Gewone Taal and De Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling with “Whenever Moses entered….” Some languages use a past habitual verb here. A past habitual form is recommended, certainly in languages (like Chewa) in which a choice between habitual and non-habitual verb forms has to be made. For the tent of meeting, see 1.1.
He heard the voice speaking to him …: The voice refers to the voice of the LORD. Good News Translation says “the LORD,” which is a much more direct reference to God than the voice. However, we recommend that translators keep the reference as indirect as in the source text. If the voice is awkward or unclear, “his voice” or even “the LORD’s voice” (Septuagint) is a better alternative than the one in Good News Translation.
From above the mercy seat that was upon the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim refers to the golden cover on top of the Covenant Box, with the two cherubim on top of it. The Hebrew word for mercy seat is kapporeth, which probably comes from the verb kipper, meaning “to cover over” in the sense of covering over, or atoning for, sins. Translators should use the same rendering for mercy seat as used in other books, such as Exodus. This advice also applies to the renderings for ark of the testimony and cherubim. For the ark of the testimony (“the Covenant Box” in Good News Translation), see the comments on 4.5. The cherubim were two golden statues of winged creatures that symbolized God’s majesty and were associated with his presence. The usual image of cherubim in Western art shows them as round-faced infants with wings, but this does not correspond at all to the descriptions of these creatures found in the Old Testament or to their appearance in the art of ancient Near Eastern countries. These creatures were winged beings that were depicted as part human and part animal. The descriptions of such creatures are not uniform throughout the Old Testament, but see the descriptions in Exo 25.17-22 and Ezek 10.1-22. The Hebrew word for cherubim has traditionally been transliterated (so King James Version), and many modern versions continue this approach (so New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, Bible en français courant). However, it will be more meaningful in most languages to say something like “winged creatures” (Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible) and include a more detailed explanation in a glossary. One of the primary functions of the cherubim was that of protecting divine property such as the tree of life in the Garden of Eden (Gen 3.24) and the Covenant Box (Exo 25.17-22). For this reason some translators render cherubim as “guardians of God’s things” or “protecting beings.” Their other main function was to serve as a throne for gods and/or kings.
And it spoke to him: New Revised Standard Version links this sentence more smoothly with the previous one by saying “thus it spoke to him.” Compare “Thus the LORD spoke to him” (De Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling) and “thus He spoke to him” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). De Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling and many other translations make “the LORD” the explicit subject here. However, we recommend that translators keep the reference to the LORD as indirect as in the source text. If it spoke to him is unnatural in translation, it may be possible to say “the voice spoke to him” (Revised English Bible) or “the LORD’s voice spoke to him.” Also, given the probable habitual time reference for this transitional verse (see the discussion above), a rendering such as “thus it would speak to him” may be more accurate. Good News Translation omits this sentence, which we do not recommend since it emphasizes the LORD’s direct communication with Moses.
Quoted with permission from de Regt, Lénart J. and Wendland, Ernst R. A Handbook on Numbers. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.