opobalsamum (balsam; balm)

The Hebrew word bosem, which is often rendered “balm” (derived from “balsam”), can refer to any type of aromatic healing substance, but it also designates the product of a particular tree, the balsam or opobalsamum Commiphora gileadensis. Arabs call it balasam or balasham. In the Talmud it is called afarsimon. Excavations near En Gedi have uncovered an ancient processing plant for balsam oil.

The opobalsamum tree likes a desert or semi-desert climate. It grows to 2‑3 meters (7‑10 feet) tall and has small, wrinkled, three-part leaves, white flowers, and pea-sized red berries that have a fragrant yellow seed inside. The bark of younger branches is gray, turning brown with age. The resin appears by itself in green droplets from the stems and branches, but collectors also make cuts in the branches to speed the process. The droplets turn from green to brown, clump together, and fall to the ground, where they are collected.

In Bible times, balsam oil was used in holy anointing oil, as medicine, and as an ingredient of perfume.

A generic word or phrase for sweet-smelling substances is appropriate to render bosem, although where a specific name for the balsam tree is available, as in southwestern Arabia and Somalia, this could also be used. At least one hundred species of the genus Commiphora are spread throughout dry areas of the world. Translators in some areas will know the plants; others may know only the dried resin of Commiphora sold in spice markets.

Balsam tree, Photo by Nigel Hepper

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

fat, oil

The different Hebrew and Greek terms that are translated as “(olive) oil” and “(animal) fat” in English are translated in Kwere with only one term: mavuta. (Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

complete verse (Exodus 35:28)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 35:28:

  • Kupsabiny: “and they also brought sweet smelling things and olive oil for lamps and for anointing.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “They brought the spices and olive oil to light lamp, to anoint and to burn incense.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “They also brought spices and olive oil for the lights, the anointing oil, and for the spices for the incense.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “And also, they brought various kinds of things having a good smell, and oliv oil to be for the lams, and oil which was a sign of the things belonging to God, and oil for mixing together with incense for making smoke to have a good smell.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “with that which smell sweet for fat of bowl, with fat of anointing, with incense.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “They also brought spices to put in the sweet-smelling incense, and they brought olive oil for the lamps and for the oil for anointing and for putting in the sweet-smelling incense.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Exod 35:27 - 35:28

And the leaders probably refers to the tribal “chiefs” (Revised English Bible). They are called the “leaders of the congregation” in 16.22 and 34.31. Brought onyx stones, literally “they caused to enter [or, come] the stones of onyx,” refers to the two stones to be placed on the shoulder straps of the ephod (28.9-12) and on the breastpiece of the high priest (28.20). The stones to be set, literally “stones of the setting,” were the twelve different kinds of stones for the breastpiece (28.17-20). (See the comment at 28.17.)

The spices were to be used for both the anointing oil (30.23-25) and the fragrant incense (30.34-35). They were not mixed with the oil for the light. (See 25.5 and the comment there.) The oil for the light, literally “oil for the luminary,” was olive oil, to be used in the lamps for the lampstand (25.37). It was also used in the recipe for the anointing oil (30.24). Contemporary English Version simply has a short summary of the lists of objects in verses 27 and 28, probably because they have all been listed in detail earlier:

• The leaders brought different kinds of jewels to be sewn on the special clothes and the breastpiece of the high priest. They also brought olive oil for the lamps and sweet-smelling spices to be mixed with the incense and with the oil for ordaining the priests.

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 .