complete verse (Exodus 29:6)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 29:6:

  • Kupsabiny: “After that dress (him) with the head cloth and tie that dedicated/sacred thing on that (head) cloth” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Then putting turban on his head put the gold plate at the front of the turban.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Have-(someone)-put- the turban -on (his) head, and have-(someone)-attach on front of the turban the gold that symbolizes that he was-separated for the LORD.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “And when it’s done then put his head’s cloth on, and then tie the small gol piece on which talk is existing so that it goes up onto his head’s cloth. That gol piece exists as a sign of his mark of ownership.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “Also, dress him turban, and clothing of forehead which they will write ‹Be holy for Yahweh.›” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “Place the turban on his head, and fasten to the turban the ornament that has the words ‘Dedicated to Yahweh’ engraved on it.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Exod 29:6

And you shall set uses the word meaning to put or place. The turban is described in 28.39. (See also the comment at 28.4.) It was a linen cloth wrapped around the top of the head. In some cultures a different word may be appropriate for putting on a turban, such as tying, winding, or fastening.

And put the holy crown upon the turban refers in some way to the “plate of pure gold” mentioned in 28.36. (See the comment there.) And put is a different verb from that used at the beginning of the verse. Here it means “attach to” (Revised English Bible, New International Version), or “tie on” (Good News Translation). The word for crown (nezer) has the basic meaning of dedication or consecration. The engraved “plate” was probably a part of this crown, or “diadem” (New Revised Standard Version). (See 39.30, which speaks of “the plate of the holy crown.”) Good News Translation speaks of it as “the sacred sign of dedication engraved ‘Dedicated to the LORD.’ ” This clearly identifies it with the “plate” in 28.36, but the words beginning with “engraved” are not in the Hebrew. Contemporary English Version has simply “its narrow strip of engraved gold.” A suggested model for this is “and then tie to the turban the gold band that has the engraved plate.”

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 .