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 26:26)

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

  • Kupsabiny: “Someone prepare fifteen runners (horizontal poles) of acacia and fix five of them on the frames at the northern side,” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Make fifteen crossbars of acacia wood, five for the south wall,” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “‘[You (sing.)] should- also -have-(someone)-make crossbars of acacia — five for the north part of the Tent,” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “‘And also, you (pl.) must take akas wood and then make three fastening bands for the shelter, one above, one in the middle, and one below. Make these fastening bands so that they go up onto the two long sides of the shelter and its short side at the back. But cut the upper and lower fastening bands, right in the middle so that it becomes two.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “And you shall chop crossbeam of white-acacia which be long. you shall bind crossbeam five on side of left,” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “Tell them to make 15 crossbars from acacia wood.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

acacia

The plural form of shittah (shittim) is used sometimes as a place name (see Shittim), which is evidence of the wide distribution of this tree in Sinai and southern Palestine. The acacia referred to in the Bible was of two kinds, the Umbrella Thorn Acacia Acacia tortilis and the Common Acacia Acacia raddiana.

The Acacia tortilis is found in the hot Arabah Valley, whereas the Acacia raddiana tends to be found in cooler conditions throughout Sinai. A third variety (Acacia albida) is found in lowland Israel, the Sharon Plain, and lower Galilee. The common acacia was the only tree available to the Israelites for construction of the Tabernacle.

Both types of acacia are short, reaching 3-5 meters (10-17 feet) tall, but having a wide crown. As members of the Mimosa family, they have sharp spines, finely divided leaves, and tiny pale yellow flowers arranged in drooping bunches. The bean pod they produce is twisted and looped when dry.

Since the acacia is widespread in dry areas of Africa, Arabia, India and Australia, translators in those areas should be able to use a local word. In such languages a local species should be used, especially one that is used for building. Elsewhere, if none of these is available, the translator can transliterate from Hebrew (shittah) or from a major language, for example, sunt or talh (Arabic), akasiya (English/French/Spanish via Latin). West African translators need to beware of confusing “acacia” and “cassia,” a common tree with yellow flowers.

Acacia raddiana, photo by Ray Pritz
Acacia flowers, photo by Gloria Suesss

Source: Each According to its Kind: Plants and Trees in the Bible (UBS Helps for Translators)

Translation commentary on Exod 26:26 - 26:27

And you shall make: you is singular. Bars of acacia wood uses the word for “crossbars” (Good News Translation) used on doors and gates. Their purpose here was to hold the framework together. They were obviously long horizontal bars, much larger than the poles made for carrying the ark and the table.

Five for the frames of the one side …: this means that the north and south sides of the tabernacle (mishkan) each had five bars, and the side … at the rear westward, that is, the far side at the rear, also had five bars. The same words are used for the far end in verse 22, literally “for the thighs seaward.” (See the comment at verse 22.)

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 .