horns

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated in English as “horns (of the altar)” is translated in the French common language editions (1997 and 2019) as angles relevés or “raised angles” and in the Parole de Vie of 2017 as coins relevés or “raised corners.”

In the Arabic TMA translation it is translated as hayth tjllyat Allah (حيث تجلّيات الله) or “where God’s manifestation are” and in the Hausa Common Language Bible as “corners (of the altar).” (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

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 27:2)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 27:2:

  • Kupsabiny: “At each of the four corners should be formed things like (animal) horns which are made to be one thing with the altar and all coated with bronze.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Make a horn at each of the four corners of it. All the horns and altar must be of the same piece of wood. Overlay the altar with bronze.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Have- something-like-horns -put-on it on the four corners, which-were already formed with the altar when it was-made/done. Have-someone -cover-over the altar with bronze.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “And above the table’s four corners, hew four things to look like bulmakao’s horns. And you (pl.) must hew the table’s four corners together with its horns from a single piece of akas wood. And you must enwrap all the sides of the table of offerings together with its horns with wide pieces of bras.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “you shall carve it [so that] it have horn four on its corner. When you will make altar will be finished, you shall apply it with metal red.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “They must make a projection that looks like a horn on each of the top corners. The projections must be carved from the same block of wood as the altar. Tell them to cover the whole altar with gold.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Exod 27:2

And you shall make horns for it is literally “And you [singular] shall make its horns.” The word for horns refers primarily to an animal’s horns, but here it means “projections” (Good News Translation) of some kind that were to be on its four corners. They may or may not have been shaped like the horns of an animal, but they were obviously vertical extensions “at the top of the four corners” (Good News Translation), even though this is not stated in the text. (See 30.10.) Other references to these horns, however, suggest that they were indeed at the upper corners.

Its horns shall be of one piece with it means that these horns were not to be made separately and then attached to the altar. Rather they were to be carved from the same piece of wood as the altar. Contemporary English Version brings out this point clearly: “and make each of the four top corners stick up like the horn of a bull.” And you shall overlay it with bronze refers to the entire altar. See the comment on overlay at 25.11, and the comment on bronze at 25.3.

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 .