Pharaoh

The term that is used for monarchs in ancient Egypt and is transliterated as “Pharaoh” in English is translated in Finnish Sign Language with the sign signifying the “fake metal beard (postiche)” that was word by Pharaohs during official functions. (Source: Tarja Sandholm)


“Pharaoh” in Finnish Sign Language (source )

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).

Even at the time of his translation, Jerome likely was not the only one making that decision as this recent article alludes to.

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

See also Moses and Elijah during the Transfiguration.

Translation commentary on Exod 8:31

And the LORD did as Moses asked is a “preview” statement that summarizes what follows. (See the brief discussion on “preview” and “superscription” at 3.2a.) As Moses asked is literally “as Moses said,” so New Revised Standard Version adds a colon to show what it was that Moses had said in his prayer: “And the LORD did as Moses asked: he removed….” It is also possible to say “and the LORD answered his people” (similarly New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh and New International Version). It should be remembered, however, that punctuation marks are not read aloud. Therefore it may be possible to show this in other ways. The following clause should not suggest that Yahweh did something else in addition to what Moses asked.

And removed the swarms of flies may also be read as “The flies left” (Good News Translation, New International Version; similarly Jerusalem Bible, New Jerusalem Bible). However, since this clause explains what the first clause summarizes, it may be better to retain the LORD as the subject of the verb removed in its causative form, which is literally “he caused to go away the swarms of flies” (so New English Bible, New American Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, and others). This avoids the possible misunderstanding that “the flies left” of their own free will. So one may translate the first part of this verse as “and the LORD answered his prayer, and caused the flies to leave the king….”

From Pharaoh, … people only repeats the same words used in verse 29. Not one remained should be understood as “not one fly remained” (Good News Translation), rather than “not one swarm remained.” The removal of the plague was complete.

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 .