Then they shall put on it a covering of goatskin: After Aaron and his sons covered the sacred chest with the curtain in front of it, they also had to cover it with goatskin, which is literally “skin of a tachash,” referring to a type of leather. The meaning of the Hebrew word tachash is uncertain, but it probably does not mean goat. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, La Nouvelle Bible Segond, and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible take it to mean “dolphin,” which is the meaning of the similar Arabic word tuchas. New International Version and De Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling say “sea cow,” which is also called “dugong.” Some local Bedouin tribes that live near the sea have for centuries made sandals and other articles from the skins of dugongs. But tachash can also be related to the Egyptian word th ch s, which means “stretched leather.” New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, and Contemporary English Version render goatskin as “fine leather.” We advise translators to use this expression or an equivalent, such as “fine tanned animal skin.”

And spread over that a cloth all of blue: On top of the fine leather they had to put a cloth all of blue (“a cloth of pure blue” in New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). The Hebrew word for blue (tekeleth) refers to a bluish purple, dark blue (or violet, according to French translations. When the Israelites were on the move, the sacred chest was distinguished from everything else by its blue outer cover (so Wenham, page 73). What kind of material was involved is not quite clear. The Hebrew word for blue also refers to wool that is dyed a purple color.

And shall put in its poles: After they covered the sacred chest, they had to put its poles in the rings along its sides. Good News Translation renders poles as “carrying poles” to express more clearly that they were used to carry the chest (see Exo 25.13-15; 37.4-5). Bible en français courant says “poles serving to carry the chest.” Some languages may have a term referring to poles that are used for a very similar purpose.

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 .