tabernacle (noun)

The Hebrew, Ge’ez, and Greek that is translated as “tabernacle” in English is translated in San Blas Kuna as “house of prayer that can be carried.” (Source: Ronald Ross)

In Bandi it is translated as “holy sitting place.” The “sitting place for the Bandi is where you live.” Therefore the tabernacle is the place where God lived. (Source: Becky Grossmann in this newsletter )

In Vidunda it is translated as “God’s tent” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext) and in Tibetan as gur mchog (གུར་​མཆོག) or “perfect tent” (source: gSungrab website )

In American Sign Language it is translated with with a sign for “tent” combined with a sign referring to the outer court surrounding the tent (see Exodus 27:9 and following). (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)


“Tabernacle” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor

See also tabernacle (verb) / dwell, festival of Tabernacles and ark of the covenant.

complete verse (Exodus 36:14)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 36:14:

  • Kupsabiny: “(He/They) wove/plaited hairs of goat to become eleven curtains for covering the Tent.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “And then they made eleven clothes of goat’s hair to cover the top of the clothes.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Then they made a cover to this Tent. They used 11 sheets of clothing-material which is made from the hair of the goat.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “And also, he made eleven cloths from memes’ hair to be for the covering of God’s shelter.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “And they also made clothes which be 11 with hair of sheep/goats ceiling of tent.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “They made a cover for the Sacred Tent from eleven pieces of cloth made from goats’ hair.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Exod 36:14

This verse is identical with 26.7 except for the verb He … made, which should be rendered as “they made” (Good News Translation) on the basis of verse 8 above.

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 .