Moses

The name that is transliterated as “Moses” in English is signed in Spanish Sign Language and Polish Sign Language in accordance with the depiction of Moses in the famous statue by Michelangelo (see here ). (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. )


“Moses” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

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:


“Moses” in French Sign Language (source )

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).


“Moses” in Swiss-German Sign Language, source: DSGS-Lexikon biblischer Begriffe , © CGG Schweiz

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

In Estonian Sign Language Moses is depicted with a big beard. (Source: Liina Paales in Folklore 47, 2011, p. 43ff. )


“Moses” in Estonian Sign Language, source: Glossary of the EKNK Toompea kogudus

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Moses .

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”.

Honorary "rare" construct denoting God (“say”)

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 usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme rare (られ) is 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, ōse-rare-ru (仰せられる) or “say” is used.

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

Translation commentary on Exod 3:6

And he said is sometimes left untranslated, for it only marks the continuation of God’s speech to Moses. Good News Translation continues the quotation without interruption. Other translations retain this phrase to show a brief time for Moses to remove his sandals. (Compare New English Bible and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, “Then he said.”)

The God of your father probably refers to the God of Amram, the father of Moses (see 6.20). The Masoretic text (Masoretic Text) has the singular, father, but Good News Translation (“the God of your ancestors”) follows the src Samaritan Pentateuchsrc*, which has the plural, “fathers.” (Compare New English Bible, “the God of your forefathers.”) This formula appears frequently in Masoretic Text with the plural, but most scholars accept the singular here as the preferred reading, and translators are urged to use the singular. In some languages a literal translation of God of your father would indicate that Moses’ father owned God. In such a case one should translate as “I am the God whom your father worshiped.”

The God of … the God of … the God of … emphasizes the individual relationship God had with each of the patriarchs (a similar expression is in 2.24); however, this may seem too wordy in some translations. In this case nothing except emphasis seems to be lost by condensing the formula as in Good News Translation (“the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob”), but it may place the three patriarchs in apposition with “ancestors,” thereby forcing the reading of “fathers” instead of “father.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch avoids this by first clarifying the singular father: “I am the God whom your father worshiped, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” One may also say “I am the God of your father and of your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Other ways of expressing “ancestors” are “those who lived long ago,” “great fathers of long ago,” “grandfathers in ancient times,” “big grandfathers,” and so on.

And Moses hid his face should be understood as “covered his face” (Good News Translation), but there is no indication whether he used his hands or his robe. However, it is entirely possible that he held up his arm in such a way that his robe, with full sleeves, was protecting his face. In some languages translators will need to make this information explicit. In such a case one may choose between “arm” or “robe.” (See the translation model below.) Good News Translation begins more naturally with “So,” because he was afraid to look at God. He was terrified because of the belief that no one could see God and live.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• “I am the God whom your father worshiped. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob also worshiped me.” Moses was afraid to look at God, so he covered his face [with his arm (or, robe)].

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 .