complete verse (Exodus 2:12)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 2:12:

  • Kupsabiny: “Moses looked around, and when he saw that no one was near, he killed that Egyptian and buried (him) in the sand.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Moses looked this way and that way. When he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid his body in the sand.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Moises looked-(around) in the surroundings (to see) if there-was-someone watching; and when he did-not see anyone, he killed the Egiptohanon and buried the corpse/dead-body in the sand.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “And so Moses looked back here and there, but didn’t see anyone else, therefore quickly he went and struck the man of Isip so that he died and then hid his body in the sand.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “He looked [eye] right and left. When it be lacking ones who he see, he went killed man of Egypt, buried him in sand.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “He/I looked around to see if anyone was watching. Seeing no one, he/I killed the Egyptian man and buried his body in the sand.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Exod 2:12

He looked this way and that (Good News Translation “looked all around”) is literally “he faced here and there,” suggesting that Moses’ violent reaction was intentional. Seeing no one is literally “there was no one,” but it is unlikely that no other people were nearby. Verse 11 clearly states that Moses went out to his “brothers” (plural). So Good News Translation interprets this to mean that “no one was watching,” and this is the recommended interpretation.

He killed the Egyptian is clearly implied from the fact that he hid him in the sand. As mentioned at 2.11, the basic meaning of the Hebrew verb is “to beat or strike.” But the context here, unlike that of verse 11, supports the meaning of “beat to death.” We may therefore assume that the Egyptian was dead before Moses “hid his body in the sand” (Good News Translation). Sand is loose, and the fact that it is mentioned suggests that Moses had to bury the body in haste, probably using his bare hands. In cultures where sand is uncommon, one may say something like “and quickly dug a hole to hide the body” or “and quickly hid the corpse in the dirt [or, ground].”

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 .