complete verse (Exodus 37:2)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 37:2:

  • Kupsabiny: “After that he covered the inside and outside part with pure/clean gold and attached a rim of gold round the edges/ends.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “He overlaid its inside and outside with pure gold. Then he made gold molding around it.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “They covered/(overlaid) it with pure gold inside and out, and put gold strip/border all around it.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “He took good gol and then cooked it with fire so that it went soft, and then blew away all its rubbish. And when it was done, then he took wide pieces of that gol, and then affixed them onto the box’s interior and he wrapped them on its outer surface also. And also, he affixed a long piece of gol to be for the box’s fastening-band which surrounded it.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “He applied it with gold red, its back with its belly, and he also gold red on its edge.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “He covered it with pure gold inside and outside the chest, and he made a gold border around the top of it.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Exod 37:1 - 37:2

Verses 1-2 repeat the details mentioned in 25.10-11. The wording is almost identical, but here Bezalel is named as the one who made the ark. The definite article the is used here instead of “an ark” in 25.10, since this is now “old information.” But in some languages it will be more natural style to retain the indefinite article. In contrast with 25.10, which says “they shall make an ark,” it seems that Bezalel alone actually did the work, at least as far as the ark is concerned. (See also 36.8.)

And he overlaid it uses the same verb as 25.11, but here the verb is not repeated as it is there. The only other difference is that here, in reference to the molding, the Hebrew says “he made it for the ark,” while in 25.11 it says “upon the ark.” Good News Translation has “put a gold border around it,” and Contemporary English Version has “and put a gold edging around the top.”

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 .