tabernacle (noun)

The Hebrew, Ge’ez, and Greek that is translated as “tabernacle” in English is translated in San Blas Kuna as “house of prayer that can be carried.” (Source: Ronald Ross)

In Bandi it is translated as “holy sitting place.” The “sitting place for the Bandi is where you live.” Therefore the tabernacle is the place where God lived. (Source: Becky Grossmann in this newsletter )

In Vidunda it is translated as “God’s tent” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext) and in Tibetan as gur mchog (གུར་​མཆོག) or “perfect tent” (source: gSungrab website )

In American Sign Language it is translated with with a sign for “tent” combined with a sign referring to the outer court surrounding the tent (see Exodus 27:9 and following). (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)


“Tabernacle” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor

See also tabernacle (verb) / dwell, festival of Tabernacles and ark of the covenant.

complete verse (Exodus 26:23)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 26:23:

  • Kupsabiny: “and other two for the corners.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “And make two planks for the two corners of the back side.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “and two boards for its corners.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “And also, make two more pieces of wall bones for joining together the shelters long sides and its short side there in the back, in order for them to go and be flush at the shelter’s corners.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “On corner of back both, you shall build wood two for the one.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “Also, tell them to make two extra frames, one for each corner of the rear of the Sacred Tent, to provide extra support.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Exod 26:23 - 26:24

And you shall make uses the singular you. Two frames uses the same word for frames (see verse 15). For corners of the tabernacle in the rear refers to “the southwest and northwest corners” (Contemporary English Version) of the tent, the mishkan. This should be understood as one frame for each corner. The same word for rear is used in verse 22.

Verse 24 is difficult to understand because of the two words translated as separate and joined. The Hebrew words are close in spelling, and some ancient manuscripts indicate that the same word was originally used in both places. They shall be separate beneath is literally “they shall be double [or, twins] from down below.” It is not clear whether the idea of “double” means separate or “joined” (Good News Translation). But joined at the top is literally “and together they shall be complete [or, whole] on its head [or, top].” The conjunction but is the usual waw, which may also mean “and,” as Good News Translation has it. Scholars are divided on the actual meaning intended. Revised Standard Version and New Revised Standard Version understand the two words to have opposite meanings, so the waw is translated as but. Other scholars, however, understand them to mean the same thing, and so the waw is usually translated as “and.” Good News Translation has “joined … and connected.” New International Version has “double from the bottom all the way to the top.” Contemporary English Version has “joined from top to bottom” (similarly Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, and New American Bible).

At the first ring is literally “unto the one [or, first] ring.” It may also be understood as “a single ring,” as New International Version, Revised English Bible, and Durham have it. (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “inside one ring.”) Nothing has been mentioned so far about rings for the framework, but verse 29 mentions gold rings that are evidently to be placed along the individual frames for holding the crossbars. The first ring may therefore be the one at “the top.” Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version, for some reason, omit any reference to the ring. This may be because the function of the ring is unclear. However, if these are the “rings” for the crossbars (see verses 26 and 29), one may translate “and [or, but] joined at the top near the first gold ring for holding a crossbar.”

Thus it shall be with both of them means that both corner frames are to be “made in this way” (Good News Translation). They shall form the two corners again refers to the two frames. The final sentence is repetitive, and some translators will choose to omit it (see Good News Translation).

Alternative translation models for verses 23 and 24 are:

(following Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, and others)

• with two more [frames] at the southwest and northwest corners. Make certain that these corner frames are joined at the bottom and also at the top near to the first gold ring for holding a crossbar. This is the way that you are to make these two frames.

(following Revised Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version, and Translator’s Old Testament)

• with one additional frame at each of the corners at the rear. Place each corner frame at an angle so that it is separate from the main framework at the bottom, but joined to it at the top, where the highest ring shall be for holding the crossbar.

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 .