horns

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated in English as “horns (of the altar)” is translated in the French common language editions (1997 and 2019) as angles relevés or “raised angles” and in the Parole de Vie of 2017 as coins relevés or “raised corners.”

In the Arabic TMA translation it is translated as hayth tjllyat Allah (حيث تجلّيات الله) or “where God’s manifestation are” and in the Hausa Common Language Bible as “corners (of the altar).” (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

bronze

The Hebrew, Latin, Ge’ez, and Greek that is translated as “bronze” in English is translated in Newari as “bell-metal,” since bells are made of bronze in Nepal (source: Newari Back Translation).

See also bronze vessel.

complete verse (Exodus 38:2)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 38:2:

  • Kupsabiny: “At each corner were shaped four things like horns which were made to be one thing with the altar and all were coated with bronze.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “They made horns at each of the four corners of the altar and they are made from same piece, and they overlaid the altar with bronze.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “They put like-a horns in four corners, which is already formed with the altar when it was-made. They overlaid the altar with bronze.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “And above the table’s four corners, he hewed four things to look like bulmakao’s horns. And he hewed those four corners of the table with it horns from a single piece of akas wood. And he wrapped all the sides of the offering table with its horns in wide pieces of bras.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “They carve it it have horn four on its corners. When they had made altar had finished, they apply it with metal red.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “They made a projection that looked like a horn on each of the top corners. The projections were carved from the same block of wood that the altar was made of. They covered the whole altar with bronze.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Exod 38:2

This verse follows 27.2 exactly, except that the three verbs are changed to the past tense: He made, were, and he overlaid. See the comment there.

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 .