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 36:28)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 36:28:

  • Kupsabiny: “and two other (frames) for the corners.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Then they made two planks behind the two corners.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “and two frames of its corners.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “And also, he made two more pieces of wall bones for joining together the shelter’s long sides and its short side there at the back of the shelter, so that they went flush at the corners of the shelter.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “On corner of back both, they nail-together tree two on one.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “They also made two extra frames, one for each corner of the rear of the Sacred Tent, to provide extra support.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Exod 36:28 - 36:29

Verses 28-29 are almost identical with 26.23-24. In verse 28 the verb he made replaces “you shall make” in 26.23, and in verse 29 the same verb replaces “shall it be” in 26.24. In both cases he made should be changed to “they made.” (See verse 8 above.) A few other differences should make no difference in the translation.

The two words, separate and joined, present a textual problem that is identical with the problem in 26.24. (See the comment there.) Hebrew Old Testament Text Project gives the same interpretation and rating in both places.

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 .