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 Numbers 31:42 - 31:46

From the people of Israel’s half refers to the half-share of war booty that was received by the Israelites who did not take part in the battle with the Midianites.

Which Moses separated from that of the men who had gone to war: The Israelite community at large received the same amount of booty as the soldiers did. The Hebrew verb rendered separated is the same one translated “divide … into two parts” in verse 27 (see the comments there). The Hebrew verb for gone to war (tsavaʾ) is the same one rendered “warred” in verse 7. It comes from the same root as the word for “war” in verses 3-5.

Now the congregation’s half was …: As discussed at 1.2, the Hebrew word for congregation (ʿedah) is better rendered “community” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). The congregation’s half refers to the same half-share of booty as the people of Israel’s half, so Good News Translation combines these two phrases, saying “The share of the community.” Good News Translation begins verses 42-46 with “The share of the community was the same as that for the soldiers,” with other languages may find helpful. This model reminds the reader that the share of the booty for the community was exactly the same as for the men who fought the Midianites (verse 27).

Three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep, thirty-six thousand cattle, and thirty thousand five hundred asses, and sixteen thousand persons: The amount of domestic animals and virgins listed here is same as in verses 36-40 (see the comments there), since the soldiers and the rest of Israelites received the same amount of booty.

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 .