The length of the court refers to the distance of the open area, or courtyard, from the entrance at the east end to the far end at the west. A hundred cubits makes it about “50 yards long” (Good News Translation), or “44 meters.” The breadth fifty is literally “fifty on fifty,” which means that it was to be fifty cubits at each end from the north side to the south side. This makes it about “25 yards wide” (Good News Translation) or “22 meters.” And the height five cubits means that the curtained “enclosure” surrounding the courtyard was to be “2½ yards high” (Good News Translation) or “2.2 meters.”

With hangings of fine twined linen is literally “fine linen twisted.” The words with hangings of are not in the Hebrew but are added for clarity, referring to the hangings, or “curtains,” mentioned in verse 9. In languages that do not use the passive voice, one may say “Make the curtains out of fine linen” or “Use fine linen thread to weave the curtains.”

And bases of bronze refers to the bases for the posts in verse 17. Since it is repetitive, some translations omit it. Good News Translation‘s model gives the wrong impression that the bronze bases are for the curtains. Depending on what is natural style in a receptor languages, translators may keep this phrase or omit it.

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 .