complete verse (Exodus 26:28)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 26:28:

  • Kupsabiny: “The middle runner should be fixed on the middle part of the frame so that it will lie across from this side to the other side.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The center crossbar must be extended from one corner to another corner.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The crossbar in the middle of the framework will-begin-from the (one) end of the Tent to the other-side end.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “But you (pl.) must make the middle fastening band to be one long [piece of] wood, so that it follows the length of the shelter on those three sides of the shelter.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “And crossbeam which be present in middle of, its length, let it be the same with width of tent.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “Tell them to fasten the crossbars on the north, south, and west sides of the Sacred Tent to the middle of the frames. The two long ones must extend from one end of the Sacred Tent to the other, and the crossbar on the west side must extend from one side of the Sacred Tent to the other.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Exod 26:28

The middle bar, or “center crossbar” (Contemporary English Version), refers to the third of five crossbars at each of the three sides. Halfway up the frames is literally “in the midst of the frames.” Shall pass through from end to end is literally “sliding from the end unto the end.” It was evidently one long bar that extended the full length of each side. That means that the north and south sides each had a middle bar thirty cubits long, and the west end had a middle bar ten cubits long. The length of the other four crossbars for each side is not indicated.

Shall pass through means that this middle bar is to be inserted through the gold rings mentioned in the next verse. It may be necessary in some languages to advance this information from verse 29 and say “shall pass through the rings of the frames from one end to the other.” Good News Translation avoids this by saying that the “crossbar … is to extend from one end of the Tent to the other.” Contemporary English Version has “with the center crossbar running the full length of the wall.”

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 .