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 39:40)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 39:40:

  • Kupsabiny: “(They) also brought curtains for the courtyard of the Tent, its pillars/posts and the things those posts stand on, the curtains for the gate to the courtyard, ropes, pegs and all other things for that Tent.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “the ropes, and pegs and curtain to erect courtyard, pillars and bases and entrance curtain of courtyard. In this way they brought all the materials of the Tent of Meeting to Moses-” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “the curtain of-the yard/courtyard and its posts and bases; the curtain of-the entrance of-the yard/courtyard; the ropes and pegs for the curtain of-the yard/courtyard; all the things-that-are-use of-the Tent Meeting-Place;” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “and the fence’s cloth together with its posts and the post-bases, and the big cloth which blocks the opening of the fence, and the fence’s ropes together with the small holders for holding the ropes. Therefore they brought all the things for God’s shelter to Moses. In that shelter, God was meeting together with his people.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “with cloth of fence, with its hanging poles, and its planting-hole, and cloth of door of fence, and its rope, and its nail, and many things other which they make for Dwelling-Tent-of-God which be Tent of Meeting with God,” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “the curtains that surrounded the courtyard, the posts and bases that supported them, the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard and its ropes, the tent pegs, and all the other things that would be used in the Sacred Tent,” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Exod 39:40

From the hangings of the court to the gate of the court, the text is almost identical with 35.17. (See the comment there.) Its cords, and its pegs refers to the “ropes” and the “Tent pegs” (Good News Translation). The pronoun its refers specifically to the court, or “enclosure” (Good News Translation), but it should be understood to include those for the tabernacle as well. (See 35.18 and 38.20.)

All the utensils for the service of the tabernacle has no parallel in 35.11-19. The word for utensils is a general term that may be translated in various ways, depending on the context. Translator’s Old Testament here takes it to mean “all the tools used in erecting the Shrine.” This is a possible interpretation, since the service of the tabernacle is the same expression translated as “the work of the tabernacle” in verse 32 above. (See the comment there.) However, it probably refers in summary to “all the equipment to be used in the Tent” (Good News Translation), that is, in carrying out the ceremonies and rituals of worship in the tabernacle.

For the tent of meeting is another example of the two terms, representing two separate traditions, brought together in the editing process to refer to the same thing. New International Version makes this clearer with a slight adjustment: “all the furnishings for the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting.” As in verse 32, this may be expressed as “all the furnishings for the sacred tent, where the people will meet with Yahweh.”

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 .