complete verse (Exodus 2:13)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 2:13:

  • Kupsabiny: “And/But on the next day, Moses found/met some two Israelites fighting. He asked of the one who started the quarrel that, ‘Why are you hitting one another and yet you are both Hebrews?’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The next day again while going there he saw two Hebrews fighting with each other. Then he asked the Hebrew in the wrong, ‘Why are you hitting your own Hebrew kinsman?’” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The next/following day, he walked-out/went-out again and he saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one who was in-the-wrong, ‘Why are- you (sing.) -beating your (sing.) fellow Hebrew?’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “But on the next day, he went out again and then saw two Ibru people fighting. He arose and then asked the man who did badly to his companion and so said, ‘What are you (sing.) doing hitting this Ibru companion of yours?’” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “On the morrow, when he went out, he saw Hebrew two hitting each other. And he went asked one who erred «What is it that you hit for it your brother?»” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “The next day he/I returned to the same place. He/I was surprised to see two Hebrew men who were fighting each other. He/I said to the man who started the fight, ‘Why are you you should not be striking your fellow Hebrew.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Exod 2:13

He went out the next day: in this context it is possible to say “The next day he returned to the same place.” For he went out see the comment at verse 11. Behold translates the same word discussed at 1.9. Although most English translations seem to omit it, the element of surprise is often indicated by word order or punctuation. New American Bible, for example, has “and now two Hebrews were fighting!” (Note the “now” and the “!”) One commentary suggests translating “to his surprise.” This will be a good place to employ an ideophone as described at 2.6.

The word for struggling together or “fighting” means “to quarrel.” The idea of “fighting” is indicated by Moses’ question, Why do you strike your fellow? This is the same word discussed above in verses 11 and 12. The word for fellow sometimes means “friend” or “companion.” It is clear that the two men were both Hebrews, but it is possible that the man that did the wrong was a Hebrew foreman who was beating a Hebrew laborer. It is not certain whether this man was beating him with a rod or stick, or simply punching him. Either interpretation is possible. Other ways to express this clause are “the man who was hitting [with a rod or stick] the other one” or “the man who was punching the other one.” (For the distinction between Hebrew foremen and Egyptian taskmasters, see 5.13-14 and the comment at 1.11a.) But “fellow Hebrew” or “kinsman” (New Jerusalem Bible) is the intended meaning in Moses’ question.

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 .