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 40:36)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 40:36:

  • Kupsabiny: “The Israelites only used to leave where they rested (camped) when the cloud had left the Tent while moving upwards” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “When the cloud lifted from the tabernacle the Israelites went ahead on their way.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “When the cloud lifted on-top of-the Tent and leave/moved, the Israelinhon also leave from their place-where-they-camped.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “Always when they saw the cloud leave the shelter and arise, then the Israel people [would] set out on the journey.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “Beginning from that hour, when cloud arises up from Dwelling Tent of God, children of Israel arise up, going.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “From that day, whenever the Israeli people wanted to move to another place, they went only when the bright cloud rose from above the Sacred Tent.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Exod 40:36 - 40:37

Throughout all their journeys comes at the end of the verse in the Hebrew. Literally it says “in all their breaking [of camp].” The word for journeys comes from the verb meaning “to pull up stakes.” (See the comment at 12.37.) Whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle is literally “in the cloud’s being taken up from upon the mishkan.” The passive form of the verb is used (“in its being taken up”), suggesting that the cloud did not rise by its own power. Most translations, however, seem to ignore this feature. Good News Translation has “only when the cloud lifted from the Tent,” and Contemporary English Version has “Whenever the cloud moved from the tent.”

The people of Israel would go onward is literally “the sons of Israel pulled up stakes.” Here the verb should be understood as frequentative, giving the idea of whenever. But if the cloud was not taken up again uses the passive form of the verb. Then they did not go onward uses the same verb, “they did not pull up stakes.” Till the day that it was taken up is literally “until the day of its being taken up.”

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 .