Joshua

The Hebrew, Latin, and Greek that is transliterated as “Joshua” is translated in Swiss-German Sign Language with a sign that depicts a trumpet of rams’ horn, referring to Joshua 6:4 and following.


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

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: Joshua .

complete verse (Joshua 8:32)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Joshua 8:32:

  • Kupsabiny: “Then Joshua wrote on the stones the words of the law of Moses while the people of Israel were watching.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “On the stones, in the presence of the Israelites [lit.: before] Joshua wrote a copy of the law that Moses had written.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Before/[lit. in front-of] the Israelinhon, Josue copied on the stones the law which was-written by Moises.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “As the Israelis watched, Joshua wrote on stones the laws that Yahweh had given to Moses previously.” (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 8:32

With the Israelites looking on is literally “in the presence of the people of Israel” (Revised Standard Version); many languages will have idiomatic formulas for “in the presence of,” as, for example, “before all eyes.”

It is not certain whether the text means that Joshua inscribed a copy of the Law on the stones of the altar or on some other stones (see Good News Translation text and footnote; see New English Bible text and footnote). The instructions in Deuteronomy 27.1-8 distinguish between the altar (made of undressed stones) and the stones, covered with plaster, on which the Law was to be written. It is not to be thought that the area of the stones would be large enough to allow all the instructions and laws to be written; either the Ten Commandments or some other short section of the Law would be inscribed.

The Law which Moses had written is literally “the law of Moses” (Revised Standard Version); for English readers the “of” phrase may imply ownership rather than authorship.

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 .