complete verse (Joshua 23:6)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Joshua 23:6:

  • Kupsabiny: “So, see to it that you follow and do everything that God said through Moses. Do not skip even one thing!” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Be very strong. Obey carefully all the things that have been written in the book of the law of Moses. Do not turn from it to the right or the left. ” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “‘[You (plur.)] be-firm, and [you (plur.)] be- very -sure to-obey/follow all that was-written in the Book of the Law of Moises. [You] do- not ever -disobey/trespass this.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “‘e sure that you obey all the laws that are in the book that Moses wrote. Do not disobey any part of it.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

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 .

Translation commentary on Joshua 23:6

In verses 6-13 Joshua urges the people to remain faithful to the Lord by careful obedience to all the commands in the Law (verse 6), by absolute rejection of the Canaanite gods (verse 7), and by not intermarrying with the Canaanites (verse 12). He warns them of the consequences if they fail to heed his instructions (verse 13).

Be careful to obey and do is more literally “be very strong (or, courageous) to keep and do.” The use of the two verb forms “keep and do” (Revised Standard Version) represents once again the use of two synonyms to strengthen the thought. The same idea may be expressed as “obey completely.” A negative expression may also be used: “not to neglect in any way” or “never to depart in any way from.”

That is written in may be changed to an active: “that you read in.” The entire clause that is written in the book of the Law of Moses may be translated “that Moses wrote in the book of the Law.”

For the book of the Law of Moses, see 1.7.

Do not neglect any part of it translates the Hebrew idiom “not turning aside to the right or to the left.” It means complete, total obedience and may be translated positively as “obey every part of it.”

A greater effect may be achieved by breaking the sentence at the end of this verse. Otherwise, in combination with verse 7, it produces a very lengthy sentence. If a new sentence is begun at verse 7, then it may take the form of an imperative, similar to Do not neglect any part of it of this verse.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Newman, Barclay M. A Handbook on Joshua. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1983. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .