And you shall overlay it with pure gold is identical with 25.11. Its top refers to the flat surface for the top side of the altar. The Hebrew word is used for the flat roof of a building. (Fox even translates “roof” here.) The altar for the animal sacrifice evidently did not have this kind of top but had a grating instead. And its sides round about may be understood as “all four sides” (Good News Translation). The horns are discussed at verse 2.

And you shall make for it still uses the singular you. A molding of gold is the same term used for the Covenant Box (25.11) and the Table (25.24). It was evidently a decorative “gold border” (Good News Translation) close to the top and extending around the sides of the altar. Round about is the same word used in 25.11.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• Use pure gold and cover its top, all four sides, and the projections sticking up at the corners that look like bull’s horns. Also put a gold edging around it.

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 .