complete verse (Exodus 36:34)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 36:34:

  • Kupsabiny: “(They) coated those frames with gold and made for them rings of gold which should squeeze/hold tight the runners/poles. Those runners were also coated with gold.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Then they overlaid the planks with gold. They also overlaid the holding rings of crossbars with gold. They overlaid the crossbars with gold too.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “They cover-over with gold the frames and put golden seemingly-rings that will-be the -thing-to-put-though the crossbars. They also cover-over the with gold.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “And he wrapped all the wall bones with wide pieces of gol. And on each of the pieces of wall bones toward the outside, he made gol ring-handles to be for the insertion of the fastening bands. And he wrapped the fastening bands also with wide pieces of gol.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “That building-wood with it crossbeams, they applied it with gold red all. And they pound gold red it might be bored hole, built it from building-wood, reach out crossbeam within it.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “The workmen covered the frames with gold and fastened gold rings to the poles. The crossbars were put into the rings. The crossbars were also covered with gold.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Exod 36:34

This verse is almost the same as 26.29, with the verbs, he overlaid (twice) and made, showing the completed action to the earlier commands, “you shall overlay” and “shall make.” The singular verb he overlaid should be made plural, “They overlaid” (New International Version and others) in order to show that Bezalel was not the only one doing the work. (See verse 8 above.)

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 .