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 40:28)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 40:28:

  • Kupsabiny: “After that he hung the curtain at the entrance of the Tent in order to conceal the inside part of the house” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Then he hanged the curtain at the entrance of the tabernacle.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “He also hung/put-up/attached the curtain at-the entrance of-the Tent.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “And when it was done, then they hung the cloth for the shelter’s opening.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “And he hang cloth of door of tent.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “He/I hung the curtain at the entrance to the Sacred Tent.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Exod 40:28

And he put in place is simply “And he placed,” but since this is the screen, which was really a “curtain,” it may be more natural to use the term “he hung” (Good News Translation). The screen for the door of the tabernacle is literally “the screen of the opening to the mishkan.” The word for screen is the same word used in 26.36. It was the curtain that closed off the Holy Place from the outside.

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 .