Language-specific Insights

complete verse (Exodus 4:20)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 4:20:

  • Kupsabiny: “When Moses was going with his wife and children, they went with the donkey. Moses set course towards Egypt with that staff/stick whom God had told him to carry/take.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Therefore Moses took his wife and sons and put them on donkeys and taking the staff that God had given him and went back to Egypt.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “So Moises took his wife and his male children and had- (them) -ride on a donkey and went-back/returned to Egipto. He also brought the walking-stick/staff which God ordered him to bring.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “Therefore Moses took his spouse together with his two male children and then put them onto the backs of donkis, and so they set out on the journey to Isip. And Moses was holding the walking stick of God.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “Therefore, Moses took his wife with his children, put them on back of donkey, they returned country Egypt. And Moses took cane of God in hand.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “So Moses/I took his/my wife and sons and put them on donkeys, and they/we returned to Egypt. And Moses/I took in his/my hand the stick that God told him/me to take along.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Exodus 4:21)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 4:21:

  • Kupsabiny: “God told Moses while on the journey that, ‘When you reach Egypt, do the things I have shown you before the ruler/king. But I will make the head of the ruler/king to be hard/dry (unresponsive) so that he may not release the people of Israel to go.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “God said to Moses," Having gone back to Egypt, by means of the power that I have given you perform before Pharaoh showing all the miracles. But I will harden his heart; he will refuse to let the people go.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The LORD said to Moises, ‘When- you (sing.) -arrive in Egipto, perform/do before/[lit. in front-of] the king all the miracles that I have-shown to you (sing.). I have-given you (sing.) power to do those. But I will-harden/[lit. make-hard] the heart of the king so-that he will- not -allow the Israelinhon to leave.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “And then the Chief spoke to Moses like this, ‘When you arrive in Isip, you must cause those miracles to come about in the sight of the great chief. Those miracles, I empowered you to do them. But I will make so that the great chief is unwavering (lit. has a hard interior) and refuses to listen (lit. shuts his ears), and so he certainly won’t allow my people to go.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “And The Lord said to Moses «When you will return Egypt, sign which I gave you power that you might do, you do it in front of king of Egypt. But, I will make his heart that it might be hard, in order that he might not people release.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “Yahweh said to Moses/me, ‘When you return to Egypt, be sure to perform all the miracles that I have given you power to do, while the king is watching. But I will make him stubborn , with the result that he will not let the Israeli people leave Egypt.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Exodus 4:22)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 4:22:

  • Kupsabiny: “Then you will tell him that I am saying that, ‘Israel is my firstborn son,” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “You say to Pharaoh, ‘God says – Israel is my firstborn son.’” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Then [you (sing.)] say to him, ‘This is what the LORD says: I consider Israel as my first-born/[lit. oldest] male child,” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “And you will speak to the great chief of Isip like this, ‘Chief God’s talk is like this: Israel is my firstborn child.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “Afterwards, you will say king of Egypt ‹Yahweh says to you «Israel, he be my firstborn,” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “Then say to him, ‘This is what Yahweh says: ‘The Israeli people are as dear to me as firstborn sons.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Exodus 4:23)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 4:23:

  • Kupsabiny: “therefore, release my son to come and worship me. But you refused them to go. So I will kill your firstborn son.’ ’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “I have said to you — "let my son go so that he may bring offerings to me." But you did not let him go. Therefore, I will kill your firstborn son."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “so I commanded you (sing.) that you (sing.) let- him -go so-that he can-worship me, but you (sing.) did- not -agree. So I will-kill your (sing.) first-born/[lit. oldest] male children!’ ’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “And I say for you to allow this son of mine to come and then lift up my name. But yo, if you don’t allow him to come, then I will strike your firstborn child so that he dies.’ ’” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “therefore I say to you you let go my son that he might come do for me thing. When you will reject his release, Look!, I will kill your firstborn!» › »” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “I told you to let my people leave Egypt, in order that they may worship me in the desert. If you refuse to let them go, I warn you, I will kill your firstborn son!’’’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Exodus 4:24)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 4:24:

  • Kupsabiny: “And/But at night God appeared to Moses at the place where he had slept wanting to kill him.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “While Moses was staying at an overnighting place on the way God met with him. He tried to kill him.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “While Moises and his family were-traveling, they rested in a resting-place. The LORD went to Moises and was-about-to/wished to kill (him).” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “But at a camp in the midst of the way, the Chief appeared to Moses and so was about to strike him dead.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “At the place where they went laying there on the road, The Lord went to Moses, seeking that he might kill him.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “One night, as they were camping on the way to Egypt, Yahweh appeared to Moses/me. He wanted/threatened to kill Moses/me for disobeying his command that boys/sons be circumcised.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Exodus 4:25)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 4:25:

  • Kupsabiny: “But Zipporah took a sharp stone like a knife and cut the foreskin of her son and attached it on the feet of Moses and told him that, ‘Truly you are my husband of blood.’ Zipporah said like that to show the circumcision. So, God did not kill Moses.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Zipporah however took a sharp stone and having cut off the skin on her son’s penis touched Moses’s leg with it. Then she said. ”You have truly become a bridegroom of blood to me."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “But Zipora took a sharp stone and circumcised her child, and (with) the skin that she took-(off) she touched the genitals/sexual-organ of Moises. Then Zipora said, ‘You (sing.) (are) a bloody husband to me.’ (Zipora said this in connection with the circumcision.) So the LORD did- not -kill Moises.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “But Sipora, Moses’ spouse, took a sharp [piece of] obsidian and did ritual skin-cutting on her son’s body skin. Afterward she put that [severed] body skin of her son’s onto Moses’ leg/foot and said, ‘Our (incl.) son’s blood is on you, and so today you are truly my spouse.’” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “Therefore, his wife namely Zipporah took knife, cut off son phallus, put Moses its foreskin at foot, said to him «Truly, you my husband, you make blood run down!»” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • Hausa Common Language Bible (4:25-26): “But Ziffora his-wife she took stone-of cutting owner-of eat, she cut skin-of penis-of her-son with it, she touched front-of [i.e. genitals-of] Musa with foreskin she say, ‘Certainly, because-of this pouring with blood, they-have confirmed with our relationship’. Yahweh then ignored him. And she said, ‘You are a bridegroom that has been confirmed with his relationship through circumcision.‘” (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
  • English: “Then his/my wife Zipporah took a flint knife and circumcised her son. Then she touched the boy’s feet (OR, genitals) with the piece of skin she had cut off, and she said, ‘The blood which flowed when I circumcised you will protect you from being harmed by Yahweh.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Exodus 4:26)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 4:26:

  • Kupsabiny: “But Zipporah took a sharp stone like a knife and cut the foreskin of her son and attached it on the feet of Moses and told him that, ‘Truly you are my husband of blood.’ Zipporah said like that to show the circumcision. So, God did not kill Moses.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “From then on, the Lord without killing him left him alone. (At that time Zipporah said, ‘you are the-linked-to-me-husband’ In that way she referred to the circumcision [lit. body (loc.) sign putting].” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “But Zipora took a sharp stone and circumcised her child, and (with) the skin that she took-(off) she touched the genitals/sexual-organ of Moises. Then Zipora said, ‘You (sing.) (are) a bloody husband to me.’ (Zipora said this in connection with the circumcision.) So the LORD did- not -kill Moises.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “Moses’ spouse spoke like that because she was thinking about the event of her son’s ritual skin-cutting. And so God didn’t destroy Moses.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “Therefore, God released him. Be reason of phallus cut off that she say for it him «you my husband, you make blood run down!»” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • Hausa Common Language Bible (4:25-26): “But Ziffora his-wife she took stone-of cutting owner-of eat, she cut skin-of penis-of her-son with it, she touched front-of [i.e. genitals-of] Musa with foreskin she say, ‘Certainly, because-of this pouring with blood, they-have confirmed with our relationship’. Yahweh then ignored him. And she said, ‘You are a bridegroom that has been confirmed with his relationship through circumcision.‘” (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
  • English: “She said to him, ‘You are safe now because you have been circumcised.’ So Yahweh did not harm her son.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Exodus 4:27)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 4:27:

  • Kupsabiny: “God had told Aaron that, ‘Go and meet Moses in the wilderness.’ Aaron went and met with Moses at the hill/mountain of God, and they embraced (kissed) each other.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The Lord had said to Aaron, "God into the desert to meet Moses." Then he went up the mountain of God and meeting him they embraced each other.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Now, the LORD said to Aaron, ‘Go and meet Moises in the remote-place.’ So he met Moises on the Mountain of God and kissed-(him) as a sign of greeting.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “And the Chief spoke to Aron like this, ‘You go to the desolate area and then meet up with Moses.’ Therefore he went and met Moses at the mountain of God. He saw him and them kissed his cheek.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “And The Lord said to Aaron «go wilderness, that you might go meet with Moses.» Therefore, they went met with Moses on mountain which be different for God, greeted him kissed him mouth.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “Yahweh said to Aaron, ‘Go into the desert to meet/see Moses!’ So he went there from Egypt and met him/me at Sinai, the mountain dedicated to God, and greeted him/me by kissing him/me on the cheek.” (Source: Translation for Translators)