Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Numbers 14:5:
Kupsabiny: “Then Moses and Aaron knelt down before the people until their faces reached the ground.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Moses and Aaron fell face down before the whole community of Israel.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “The Moises and Aaron knelt-down before/[lit. in front-of] the whole community of Israel who have-gathered there.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “Then Aaron and Moses/I bowed down to pray in front of all the Israeli people who had gathered there.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
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:
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).
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
Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces …: After the people’s rebellion Moses and Aaron’s reaction was immediate and emotional. Fell on their faces translates the Hebrew literally. Revised English Bible says “flung themselves on the ground,” which is an accurate rendering. Good News Translation has “bowed to the ground,” which is not only less accurate, but does not express their reaction adequately. This action showed awe-filled submission and self-abasement before the LORD and aimed to turn his anger away from the rebellious act of the people (also 16.4, 22, 45; 20.6; compare Josh 7.6). In some translations it may be necessary to clarify the symbolic meaning of this action by saying “threw themselves on the ground in alarm.” Contemporary English Version says “bowed down to pray,” which is premature since Moses does not begin his prayer until verse 13.
Before all the assembly of the congregation of the people of Israel: Although the context indicates otherwise, this verse can be misunderstood as if Moses and Aaron fell on their faces as a sign of respect for the Israelites. To avoid this misunderstanding, translators may render before as “in the sight/presence of” (Bijbel: Vertaling in opdracht van het Nederlandsch Bijbelgenootschap) or “before the LORD in front of.” The Hebrew phrase rendered all the assembly of the congregation occurs only here and in Exo 12.6. NET Bible renders it well with “the whole assembled community.” For the distinction between the Hebrew words for assembly (qahal) and congregation (ʿedah), see the comments on 10.7.
Quoted with permission from de Regt, Lénart J. and Wendland, Ernst R. A Handbook on Numbers. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
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