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 .

Honorary "rare" construct denoting God (“order/command”)

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 morphemes rare (られ) or are (され) are 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, meiji-rare-ru (命じられる) or “order/command” is used.

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

Translation commentary on Leviticus 9:7

Moses: Good News Translation has the pronoun “he,” but since the LORD has been mentioned in the previous verse, there may be some confusion on the part of the reader. Consequently the noun may be preferable in many languages.

Draw near to the altar: the perspective of the speaker (Moses) is very important in the translation of this verse. The use of the Revised Standard Version expression, or the New English Bible “Come near,” will imply in some languages that the speaker is already present and is requesting the other person to join him. This, however, is clearly not the case. It was forbidden that any person who was not a priest should approach the altar (Num 18.3). So the receptor-language translation must not leave the impression that Moses is standing at the altar as he speaks. Verbs like “Go to…” or “Approach…” are preferable to “Come…” or Draw near….

Your sin offering and your burnt offering: on these two types of offerings, see 4.3-12 and 1.4. The use of the possessive pronouns at this point in some languages will clearly indicate the ones who are offering the sacrifices. However, in other languages they may be confusing, since all sacrifices belong to God (or to whatever being they are offered to). Good News Translation has simply omitted the pronouns. In certain other versions they are used but do not really make much sense. The pronouns translated your are singular in Hebrew, but the addition of and for the people indicates that there is more involved here than individual atonement. The solution to the problem may lie in the handling of the following phrase.

For the people: the Septuagint, followed by New English Bible, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, and Moffatt, has rather “for your household (or, family).” Then it is supposed that the next clause, where the words of the people appear, refers to another sacrifice for the entire community. Although HOTTP does not recommend this, it does have the advantage of giving some sense to the use of the pronouns in your sin offering and your burnt offering.

And: the conjunction introducing the final sentence of this verse will depend on how the above textual problem has been solved. If the Septuagint reading, “for your family,” is adopted, a stronger transition will be needed. The four versions mentioned above as following the Septuagint all have “then.”

Quoted with permission from Péter-Contesse, René and Ellington, John. A Handbook on Leviticus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1990. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .