Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 16:27:
Kupsabiny: “Some people tried to collect/gather food on that seventh day, but they got/found nothing.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “some of them went out on the seventh day to search for the food, but they found nothing.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “But there-were still those who went-out on the seventh day in order to gather that-particular food, but they did- not -see any.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Bariai: “But no. On the seventh day, some people went forth to go gather that food, but they didn’t find any.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
Opo: “But, on day seventh, others went out for bread [body] gather. But There was nothing which they found.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
English: “On the seventh day, some of the people went outside their tents to gather some of that food, but there was none.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
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 )
On the seventh day is a bit surprising, for it is still the same day as the day described in verses 25-26. Many translations begin a new paragraph here, since the instructions have ended and the reaction of some of the people begins. This verse also marks a literary seam, for verses 27-30 probably come from a different tradition. (See the discussion on “Sources” in “Translating Exodus,” page 2.) Some translations use a word like “Nevertheless” (New International Version), “Still” (New American Bible), or “Yet” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), to make a smoother transition. One may even say “However, on that same day.”
Some of the people went out is literally “they went out from the people,” but it means “[some] from the people went out.” Contemporary English Version interprets this to mean “A few of the Israelites did go out….” To gather is the same word used in the previous verses. And they found none is literally “and they did not find.”
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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