complete verse (Exodus 36:7)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 36:7:

  • Kupsabiny: “because the things that had been collected had surpassed the things that were needed for all the work.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “They have had enough materials that are needed to do all the work.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “because they had-given more-than-enough for all the things-to-be-done to the Tent.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “because the things which they gathered, it amounted to very much and was sufficient for doing all the work. And they saw that part of the things would be left over.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “because that which they took gave, it be sufficient [for] work remain down.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “What they had already brought was enough to do all the work. In fact, it was more than was needed!” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Exod 36:6 - 36:7

So Moses gave command is literally “and Moses commanded.” And word was proclaimed throughout the camp is literally “and they caused a sound to pass through the camp.” The pronoun “they” is indefinite, so Revised Standard Version and others use the passive form, was proclaimed. The two clauses together introduce the words of the command, so they may be understood as “Moses sent a command throughout the camp” (Good News Translation), or as “Moses issued this order throughout the camp” (Translator’s Old Testament). The exact words of the “command” are marked with the Hebrew word “saying.” Good News Translation changes the direct quote to indirect. However, in some languages one will need to use the direct quote; for example, “So Moses told them to tell all the people, ‘None of you have to give any more things for the sacred tent.’ ”

Let neither man nor woman do anything more is literally “A man and a woman shall not make still a task.” This is like a third person imperative, which New Revised Standard Version changes to “No man or woman is to make anything else.” The Hebrew specifies both man and woman, but Good News Translation considers this to be understood with “no one.” New Jerusalem Bible has “No one, whether man or woman.” For the offering of the sanctuary is literally “for the contribution for the holy [place].” The word for offering is the same word used in the first part of verse 3. (See the comment at 25.2.)

So the people were restrained from bringing is literally “and the people were kept back from bringing [or, causing to enter].” There is no object for bringing, so it may be added from the context: “bringing gifts” (Revised English Bible), or “bringing more” (New International Version). Good News Translation has “So the people did not bring any more,” but the verb for were restrained carries the idea of being prevented. New Jerusalem Bible is better: “So the people were prevented from bringing any more.” In languages that do not use the passive voice, one may say, for example “so they [unknown agents] stopped the people from bringing any more.”

For the stuff they had was sufficient is literally “and the task [or, work] was their sufficiency.” The pronoun they may refer either to the people who had brought the materials or to the workers who now had these materials to work with. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh takes the former view, “their efforts had been more than enough,” and New International Version takes the latter view, “what they already had was more than enough.” Good News Translation avoids taking one or the other view, by changing to the passive voice: “What had already been brought was more than enough,” and Contemporary English Version has “But there was already more than enough to do what needed to be done.” Translators are urged to follow Good News Translation or Contemporary English Version. To do all the work, and more is literally “to do [or, make] and to have remaining.”

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 .