The name that is transliterated as “Aaron” in English is translated in Catalan Sign Language and Spanish Sign Language as “stones on chest plate” (according to Exodus 28:15-30) (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff.)
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.)
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).
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).
And Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of meeting: The conjunction And may be rendered “Then” (New Revised Standard Version) or “At that [immediate point in] time” (Chewa). It introduces the next event. The front of the tent of meeting may be translated “the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.”
And the LORD said to Moses: See 1.1.
Get away from the midst of this congregation is literally “Lift yourselves from the midst of this community.” The Hebrew verb here is plural, referring to Moses and Aaron. This verb may be rendered “Withdraw” or “Separate yourselves.” More expressive translations in English are “Stand back!” (Contemporary English Version) and “Stand well clear” (Revised English Bible). This congregation is better translated “this community” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh; see 1.2)
That I may consume them in a moment: See the comments on verse 21.
And they fell on their faces: The pronoun they refers to Moses and Aaron. Good News Translation makes this clear by saying “The two of them,” and so does New Century Version with “Moses and Aaron.” For fell on their faces, see verse 4 and 14.5.
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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