complete verse (Exodus 25:11)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 25:11:

  • Kupsabiny: “Inside and outside (it) should be coated with pure gold and a rim of gold should be attached to surround/encircle (it).” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “You overlap pure gold inside and outside. And gold molding around it.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Cover/(Overlay) this with pure gold inside and outside, and have- a gold strip/(molding of gold) -put-on the sides of-it.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “And you (pl.) must take good gol and then cook it with fire so that it becomes soft, and then blow away all its rubbish. And when it’s done then take a wide piece of that gol, and then affix it onto the box’s interior and wrap it on its exterior outside also. And also, you must affix a long piece of gol to be for the box’s fastening strap which goes around it.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “you apply it with gold red, its back with its belly, you add gold red on its edge.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “Cover it with pure gold inside and outside, and put a gold border around the top of it.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Exod 25:11

And you shall overlay it with pure gold is literally “you [singular] shall lay pure gold over it.” Translator’s Old Testament has “You shall plate it,” but Good News Translation simply has “Cover it.” In certain languages this will be expressed as “You shall take gold and stick it to the surface of the box, both inside and out.” The thickness of the gold is not indicated, but it was probably more than simply gold leaf. Within and without means “inside and out.”

And you shall make upon it a molding of gold refers to a “gold border” (Good News Translation), or “band,” that was to be added to the outside of the box. It was evidently a decorative “rim” (Fox) around the sides of the box. The lid or cover with two cherubs on it was to be made separately (see verse 17). Round about means “all around it,” as Good News Translation renders it, since the Hebrew word has the basic meaning of encircling. New American Bible has “around the top of it,” but it may have been placed somewhat lower than at the top edge. Contemporary English Version‘s “put a gold edging around the lid” seems to miss the point, since the edging was around the chest itself.

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 .