family / clan / house

The Hebrew terms that are translated as “family” or “clan” or “house” or similar in English are all translated in Kwere as ng’holo or “clan.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

In the English translation by Goldingay (2018) it is translated as “kin-group.”

See also tribe.

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 (Numbers 10:17)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Numbers 10:17:

  • Kupsabiny: “After that, the Tent of God was folded and the clan of Gershon and that of Merari began to carry the things of that Tent and followed.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Then the Gershonites and Merarites took down the holy tabernacle and carried it.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “After the Tent Worship-Place was-dismantled/was-taken-down, the descendants of Gershon and the descendants of Merari carried/brought this, and they followed to travel/[lit. walked].” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Then they dismantled the Sacred Tent, and the descendants of Gershon and Merari carried it, and they went next.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Numbers 10:17

According to 2.17, the camp of the Levites was in a central position for marching. The Levites formed a protective barrier around the Tabernacle, thus separating it from the lay tribes both for camping and for marching (see also 1.53; 3.23, 29, 35, 38). In chapter 2 no distinction was made between the marching positions of the different Levite clans. But that is changed here in chapter 10. During a march the Gershonite and Merarite clans, who carried the Tabernacle, were not positioned in the middle between the second camp of Reuben and third camp of Ephraim, but already between the first camp of Judah (verses 14-16) and the second camp of Reuben (verses 18-20). In this way these Levite clans were already in a position to set up the Tabernacle at the next camping site in time before the holy objects themselves would arrive, carried by the Kohathites (verse 21). The place for most of these objects was inside the Tabernacle. So chapter 10 is more specific about the position of the Levites clans than chapter 2, probably because the text is now more concerned with the details of marching from site to site (so Budd, page 110).

And when the tabernacle was taken down, the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who carried the tabernacle, set out: The Gershonites and Merarites were responsible for dismantling and carrying the Tabernacle when the Israelites moved from site to site (see 3.25-26, 36-37; 4.25-26, 31-32). Instead of And when, New Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation use the conjunction “Then,” since it is clear in the Hebrew text that they dismantled the Tabernacle after the camp of Judah began to march. For tabernacle, which renders the Hebrew word mishkan (literally “dwelling-place”), see 1.50. The verbs was taken down and set out refer to repetitive actions, so Good News Translation says “would be taken down” and “would start out.” In languages that do not use passive verbs, this verse may be rendered as follows:

• Then the Gershonites and Merarites, who carried the Tabernacle, would take it down and start out.

Quoted with permission from de Regt, Lénart J. and Wendland, Ernst R. A Handbook on Numbers. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .