bronze

The Hebrew, Latin, Ge’ez, and Greek that is translated as “bronze” in English is translated in Newari as “bell-metal,” since bells are made of bronze in Nepal (source: Newari Back Translation).

See also bronze vessel.

complete verse (Exodus 27:17)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 27:17:

  • Kupsabiny: “All those pillars for that compound should be joined by runners and clips/hooks of silver, and stand on things of bronze.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The pillars on all four sides of courtyards are joined with silver hooks and with silver ropes. Its bases must be of bronze.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “All the posts around the courtyard/yard must have hooks and silver rods, and have bronze bases.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “You (pl.) must make all the posts of the fence together with their silva cross-pieces and silva hooks and bras post bases.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “Therefore, wood fence all, its beams and that which they pound be crooked head, let it be gold white, and its planting-hole let it be metal red.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “All the posts around the courtyard must be connected with metal rods covered with silver. The clasps/fasteners must be made of silver, and the bases must be made of bronze.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Exod 27:17

All the pillars around the court refers to the sixty pillars mentioned in verses 9-16 that support the curtained wall, or the “enclosure” around the open courtyard. Shall be filleted with silver is literally “banded [of] silver.” This is the verb form of the noun used in verse 10, and it can mean either “banded” or “connected” (Good News Translation). If the idea of “banded” (New Revised Standard Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) is followed, one may say “All the posts around the courtyard shall have silver bands at the top.” But if the idea of “rods” is followed, one may say “All the posts around the courtyard shall be connected with silver rods.” (See the comment on “fillets” at verse 10.)

If the interpretation of Good News Translation (and New Jerusalem Bible) is followed, then the connecting “rods” would give support to the “posts,” and the curtains could have been hung from these “rods.” The veil and the screen of the tabernacle, however, were evidently hung from the posts, which had their own hooks. (See 26.32 and 37.) Most translations therefore follow the other interpretation and consider these “fillets” to be “silver bands” (New International Version, Translator’s Old Testament) at the top of each of the pillars.

Their hooks shall be made of silver is literally “and their hooks silver.” The word for hooks is the same as in 26.32, and the word for bases is the same as in 26.19. (See the comments there.) For bronze see the comment at 25.3.

Alternative translation models for this verse are:

• You must put silver bands at the top of all the posts around the courtyard. Make the hooks on the posts for holding the curtains out of silver, and the bases for the posts out of bronze.

• You must connect all the posts around the courtyard with silver rods. Also make the hooks for holding the curtains….

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 .