¹ tn Heb “to Moses”; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

² tn Heb “Moses.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

¹ tn Heb “and why….” The conjunction seems to be recording another thing that the people said in their complaint against Moses.

¹ sn It is Moses and Aaron who prostrate themselves; they have the good of the people at heart.

² tn The use of both רַק and אַךְ (raq and ʾakh) underscore the point that the issue is Moses’ uniqueness.

³ sn The questions are rhetorical. They are affirming that God does not only speak through Moses, but also speaks through them. They see themselves as equal with Moses. The question that was asked of the earlier presumptuous Moses—“Who made you a ruler over us?”—could also be asked of them. God had not placed them as equals with Moses. The passage is relevant for today when so many clamor for equal authority and leadership with those whom God has legitimately called.

¹ tn Now the perfect tense with vav consecutive is subordinated to the next clause, “Moses returned the veil….”

³ tn Throughout this section the actions of Moses and the people are frequentative. The text tells what happened regularly.

¹ tn These too are adverbial in relation to the main clause, telling how long Moses was with Yahweh on the mountain.

³ tn The infinitive construct with the preposition ל (lamed) is used here epexegetically, explaining the delay of Moses.

² tn Heb “he”; the referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity (also in the following verse).

¹ tn Literally “now the hands of Moses,” the disjunctive vav (ו) introduces a circumstantial clause here—of time.

¹ tn Heb “Yah.” Moses’ poem here uses a short form of the name Yahweh, traditionally rendered in English by “the LORD.”

³ tn Heb “to Moses.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

¹ tn The form with the vav consecutive is here subordinated to the main idea that Pharaoh sought to punish Moses.

⁴ tn Heb “the Egyptian.” Here the Hebrew article functions in an anaphoric sense, referring back to the individual Moses killed.

² tn Heb “according to all which the Lord said to Moses.” The translation assumes this refers to the promise of the land (see 1:3). Another possibility is that it refers to the Lord’s instructions, in which case the phrase could be translated, “just as the Lord had instructed Moses” (so NLT; cf. also NIV “had directed Moses”).

¹ tn “Face-to-face” is circumstantial to the action of the verb, explaining how they spoke (see GKC 489-90 §156.c). The point of this note of friendly relationship with Moses is that Moses was “at home” in this tent speaking with God. Moses would derive courage from this when he interceded for the people (B. Jacob, Exodus, 966).

² sn This is a simple summary of the function of Moses on this particular day. He did not necessarily do this every day, but it was time now to do it. The people would come to solve their difficulties or to hear instruction from Moses on decisions to be made. The tradition of “sitting in Moses’ seat” is drawn from this passage.

² sn The presence of this clause about Moses, which is parenthetical in nature, further indicates why the Egyptians gave rather willingly to the Israelites. They were impressed by Moses’ miracles and his power with Pharaoh. Moses was great in stature—powerful and influential.