ark of the covenant

The Hebrew, Greek, and Latin that is sometimes translated as “ark of the covenant” in English (other English options: “pact chest” [translation by John Goldingay, 2018] or “Coffer of the Covenant” [translation by Everett Fox, 1995]) is translated in various ways:

  • Mairasi: Anasi Farjora or “Covenant Place” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • Uma: “Promise Box” (source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Covenant Chest” (source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Chest of the Agreement” (source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Chest of the Initiated-agreement” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “law box” (source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Mairasi: “Covenant Place” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • Danish Bibelen 2020: kisten med den hellige aftale or “chest with the holy agreement” (source: Ehrensvärd in HIPHIL Novum 8/2023, p. 81ff. )

Following is reverse applique stitching (“mola”) by an unknown Guna artist depicting the ark:

Source: Sacred Art Pilgrim website .

Following is an artwork by Sister Marie Claire , SMMI (1937–2018) from Bengaluru, India:

For more information about images by Sister Marie Claire and ways to purchase them as lithographs, see here . For other images of Sister Marie Claire paintings in TIPs, see here.

In American Sign Language it is translated with a sign that combines “box” and the wings of the cherubim on top of the ark (see Exod 25:18 and following). (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)


“Ark of the covenant” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor

See also covenant (tablets), cherub and tabernacle (noun).

Aaron

The name that is transliterated as “Aaron” in English means “light,” “a mountain of strength” “to be high.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )

In Catalan Sign Language and Spanish Sign Language it is translated as “stones on chest plate” (according to Exodus 28:15-30) (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. )


“Aaron” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

In Colombian Sign Language, Honduras Sign Language, and American Sign Language, the chest plate is outlined (in ASL it is outlined using the letter “A”):


“Aaron” in ASL (source )

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

See also Moses, more information on Aaron , and this lectionary in The Christian Century .

complete verse (Numbers 4:5)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Numbers 4:5:

  • Kupsabiny: “When the days for you to migrate/move have arrived, Aaron and his sons shall enter into that Tent to take/remove the curtain that closes off/conceals the Inner room and cover the Box of the Covenant with it.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “When the camp moves on to another place, Aaron and his sons, having gone into the Most Holy Place, having taken down the curtain in front of the Ark of the Covenant, must cover the Ark with it.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “When you (plur.) move-out from your (plur.) the place-where-you-camped, Aaron and his male children are-to-go-into the Tent and they will-take the curtain [that is] inside and cover the Box/Ark of the Covenant.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “When you Israelis move to another location, Aaron and his sons must enter the tent to take down the curtain that separates the Very Holy Place from the other part of the Sacred Tent. They must cover the sacred chest with that curtain.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Numbers 4:5

After the general description of the Kohathites’ task in verse 4, more detailed instructions now follow in verses 5-14 regarding the most holy objects. These are instructions for the most central members of the Kohathite clans, that is, Aaron and his sons. This transition may have been the reason for Good News Translation to include “The LORD gave Moses the following instructions.” This sentence is lacking in the Hebrew text.

When the camp is to set out means “whenever the Israelites are ready to move their camp” (similarly Contemporary English Version). This clause refers to a repetitive action; it is not just about one change of camp but about many. Some languages may have a special verb form to mark such iterative action. For camp see 1.50. The Hebrew verb rendered set out may be translated “move off” or “journey further” (see the comments on 2.9).

Aaron and his sons shall go in: Good News Translation makes it explicit that Aaron and his sons will enter “the Tent,” that is, the Tent of Meeting. Again, the verb here is to be understood as repetitive. Indeed, all of God’s instructions for the Levites in chapter 4 are not about one change of camp but about many.

And take down the veil of the screen: The veil of the screen refers to the curtain in front of the Most Holy Place in the Tabernacle (see 3.31). This phrase is better rendered “the covering curtain” or “the screening curtain” (New Revised Standard Version). Good News Translation has “the curtain in front of the Covenant Box.” This phrase is discussed in the A Handbook on Numbers at Exo 35.12. There Good News Translation has “the curtain to screen it [the Covenant Box] off.”

And cover the ark of the testimony with it: Aaron and his sons had to cover the Covenant Box with the curtain in front of it. The ark was the wooden box in which the Israelites kept the text of God’s covenant with them (see 3.31). The testimony (haʿedut in Hebrew) refers indirectly to the verbal text of the covenant, the Ten Commandments, written on the two stone tablets, which were kept in the wooden box as a testimony and solemn reminder of God’s faithfulness to his people (see 1.50). The ark of the testimony may be rendered “the sacred chest where the covenant text is kept” (similarly Bible en français courant) or “the box containing the [sacred] agreement.”

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 .