complete verse (Exodus 28:26)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 28:26:

  • Kupsabiny: “After that someone prepare/make some/other two golden rings and tighten the other two ends of the pocket worn on the chest on the inside part facing each other with the ceremonial cloth/ephod.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Make another two gold rings and sew them to the sash of ephod at the back of the breastplate.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “[You (sing.)] also have-(someone)-make two gold things-like-rings, and fasten/attach them to the lower corners of-the like-pocket(s) which is on the chest which is on-top of the special clothing/garment.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “And also, make two more gol ring-handles and then sew them onto those two corners of his chest’s small cloth there toward the bottom, close to his trunk’s cloth.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “And they must pound gold red two [so that] it be bored hole, sew it on corner of cloth of chest below.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “Then he must make two more gold rings, and attach them to the lower corners of the sacred pouch, on the inside edges, next to the sacred apron.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Exod 28:26 - 28:27

And you shall make two rings of gold is identical with verse 23. And put them at the two ends of the breastpiece is similar to verse 23, but the word for put is the same word translated as “set” in verse 12. Here, as there, it means to “attach” (Good News Translation), or “fasten” (Translator’s Old Testament). The same word for ends is used as in verse 7, where Revised Standard Version translates “edges.” In verse 23 it evidently refers to the “upper corners of the breastpiece” (Good News Translation), so here it obviously refers to “the lower corners … on the inside edge” (Good News Translation).

On its inside edge next to the ephod is literally “upon its lip which [is] unto the side of the ephod interior.” The word for edge (“lip”) was used for the edge of the tabernacle fabric in 26.4. The word for “side” means one of two sides, so here it means the inside edge. Contemporary English Version has “lower inside corners next to the vest.”

And you shall make two rings of gold is identical with verse 26, but since these are two additional rings, Good News Translation has “Make two more gold rings.” And attach them in front is literally “and you [singular] shall give them from beneath.” The same word for attach is explained at verse 14. To the lower part, literally “from the front of its face,” refers to the two shoulder-pieces of the ephod. When we put this all together, it means “attach them to the lower part of the front of the two shoulder straps of the ephod” (Good News Translation), or “near the bottom of the shoulder straps” (Contemporary English Version).

At its joining, literally “close to its joining,” is not clear. It may refer to “the seam” (Good News Translation) of the ephod, but more likely it refers to where the “shoulder straps” were to be joined to the ephod. New American Bible has “next to where they join the ephod” (similarly Translator’s Old Testament). This was probably where the ephod had a “seam” (Good News Translation). Above the skilfully woven band of the ephod therefore means that these two rings were to be fastened to the “shoulder straps” at a point just above “the finely woven belt” (verse 8), which is at the upper edge, or “seam,” of the ephod, where the straps were to be fastened to it.

An alternative translation model combining verses 26 and 27 is:

• Have them make four more gold rings and attach two of them to the lower inside corners of the breastpiece next to the ephod. Then attach the other two near the bottom of the shoulder straps near the place where the ephod is joined to the skillfully woven sash.

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 .