1The whole congregation of the Israelites set out from Elim and came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt.
Low German translation by Johannes Jessen, publ. 1933, republ. 2006: “steppe”
Yakan: “the lonely place” (source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “a land where no people lived” (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “the place with no inhabitants” (source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Matumbi uses various term: lubele (desert, sandy place without water) — used in John 11:54, lupu’ngu’ti (a place where no people live, can be a scrub land, a forest, or a savanna) — used in Mark 1:3 et al.), and mwitu (a forest, a place where wild animals live) — used in Mark 1:13 et al.) (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)
Chichewa Contemporary translation (2002/2016): chipululu: a place uninhabited by people with thick forest and bush (source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
Note that in Luke 15:4, usually a term is used that denotes pastoral land, such as “eating/grazing-place,” in Tagbanwa (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation).
Image taken from the Wiedmann Bible. For more information about the images and ways to adopt them, see here . For other images of Willy Wiedmann paintings in TIPs, see here.
Following is an artwork by Sister Marie Claire , SMMI (1937–2018) from Bengaluru, India:
For more information about images by Sister Marie Claire and ways to purchase them as lithographs, see here . For other images of Sister Marie Claire paintings in TIPs, see here.
The following is a stained glass window from the Three choir windows in the Marienkirche, Frankfurt (Oder), Germany, of the 14th century, depicting the feeding with manna:
Source: Der gläserne Schatz: Die Bilderbibel der St. Marienkirche in Frankfurt (Oder), Neuer Berlin Verlag, 2005, copyright for this image: Brandenburgisches Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologisches Landesmuseum
Stained glass is not just highly decorative, it’s a medium which has been used to express important religious messages for centuries. Literacy was not widespread in the medieval and Renaissance periods and the Church used stained glass and other artworks to teach the central beliefs of Christianity. In Gothic churches, the windows were filled with extensive narrative scenes in stained glass — like huge and colorful picture storybooks — in which worshipers could ‘read’ the stories of Christ and the saints and learn what was required for their religious salvation. (Source: Victoria and Albert Museum )
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 16:1:
Kupsabiny: “All the Israelites left Elim and went to the wilderness of Sin when it was (the) fifteenth day in the month of two/second month. They had completed one month since they migrated from/left Egypt. Sin was between Elim and Sinai.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “All the Israelites walked from Elim and came to the desert of sin which is between Elim and Sinai on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had come out of Egypt.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “From Elim, the entire community of Israel continued to travel until they arrived/reached the desolate-place of Sin, which is there between Elim and Sinai. They arrived there on the 15th day of the second month after they had-come-out of Egipto.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Bariai: “Two months after the Israel people left Isip, on that month’s fifteenth day, all the Israel people left the area of Elim and then walked and went to the desolate area named Sen. That area was located between the Elim area and Sainai mountain.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
Opo: “When they arose up from Elim, they went arrived wilderness which is named Sin, which be present in middle of Elim and Mountain of Sinai. Day which they arrived there, it was day 15 for month two after leaving their from Egypt.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
English: “They/We left Elim, and all the Israeli people came to the desert named Sin. That is between Elim and Sinai Mountain. That was on the fifteenth day of the second month after they/we left Egypt.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
They set out from Elim is literally “And they pulled up stakes from Elim.” (See the comment on “journeyed” at 12.37.) All the congregation of the people of Israel simply refers to “The whole Israelite community” (Good News Translation). This expression is repeated in verses 2, 9, and 10. The word for congregation (ʿedah) means an assembly or gathering. (See 12.3, 6 and comments.) People of Israel, as usual, is literally “sons of Israel.” This may also be expressed as “the Israelites” or “all the Israelites.”
Came to the wilderness of Sin is literally “and they entered….” This seems to trace the route of the Israelites southward. The wilderness of Sin was another large area probably along the west coast of the Sinai peninsula. The meaning of wilderness (Good News Translation “desert”) is discussed at 3.1. (See also 15.22.) Sin has no relation to the English word “sin.” It is simply the name of a place and possibly has some connection with the word “Sinai.” Wilderness of Sin may also be expressed as “the wilderness named Sin” or “the Sin Wilderness.” Which is between Elim and Sinai indicates that they were moving toward Sinai; however, the exact location of the ancient Mount Sinai is uncertain today. (See the comment on “Horeb” at 3.1.)
On the fifteenth day of the second month should be translated as it is. This means that it was a little over one month from the time they left Egypt, which had been on the tenth day of the first month (12.2-3). After they had departed from the land of Egypt may be shortened to “after they had left Egypt” (Good News Translation).
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 .
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