hollow

In Gbaya, the notion of a hollow place is emphasized with ɓúɗúk, an ideophone refers to a small opening.

Ideophones are a class of sound symbolic words expressing human sensation that are used as literary devices in many African languages. (Source: Philip Noss)

complete verse (Exodus 27:8)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 27:8:

  • Kupsabiny: “The altar should be made from boards and left open according to these laws I have given you (plur.) in the mountain.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Make the altar of planks making vacuum at the center. Make the altar of burnt offering as I showed you the module on the mountain.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The altar that you (sing.) should-have-(someone)-make should be (made out of) board and hollow inside. Make this according to the plan that I told you (sing.) here on the mountain.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “You (pl.) will enclose this platform with good pieces of wood, but leave its openings below and above to remain uncovered. Make it so that it turns out the same as the image which I showed to you (sing.) on the mountain.’” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “Thus, that altar [which] you will make , it will have hole as box. you shall make it as I showed you it on top of this mountain.»” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “The altar will be like a box, made from boards of acacia wood. They must make it according to these instructions that I am giving you here on this mountain.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Exod 27:8

You shall make it hollow, with boards is literally “Hollow of boards [or, planks] you [singular] shall make it.” This may be stated in different ways: “Make the altar out of boards, and leave it hollow” (Good News Translation); “The altar shall be a hollow wooden box” (Translator’s Old Testament); or “Construct the altar in the shape of an open box” (Contemporary English Version).

As it has been shown you on the mountain is literally “like what he [or, one] has shown you on the mountain.” (See also 25.40 and 26.30.) This is usually translated in the passive voice (“you were shown”), but Good News Translation adds “according to the plan” and changes the “he” to first person, “that I showed you.” One may also say “that I have now shown you on the mountain.”

So shall it be made is literally “thus they will make [it].” Durham is correct in translating “so they are to make it” (similarly King James Version, American Standard Version, and New American Standard Bible). The shift in the pronoun is a bit surprising, but it probably refers to the craftsmen who were actually to do the work. In many languages this will be a natural translation.

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 .