complete verse (Exodus 40:37)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 40:37:

  • Kupsabiny: “and they used not to leave when that cloud was still engulfing the Tent.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “But until the day the cloud did not lift up they used to stay there.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “When the cloud did- not -move, they did- not -move also.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “But when they saw that the cloud didn’t leave the shelter and arise, then they remained settled (lit. they held sitting and were sitting) until the day in which they saw the cloud leave the shelter and arise.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “When cloud not up arises, they stay down until cloud arises.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “If the cloud did not rise, they stayed where they were and did not go on until the cloud rose.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Exod 40:36 - 40:37

Throughout all their journeys comes at the end of the verse in the Hebrew. Literally it says “in all their breaking [of camp].” The word for journeys comes from the verb meaning “to pull up stakes.” (See the comment at 12.37.) Whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle is literally “in the cloud’s being taken up from upon the mishkan.” The passive form of the verb is used (“in its being taken up”), suggesting that the cloud did not rise by its own power. Most translations, however, seem to ignore this feature. Good News Translation has “only when the cloud lifted from the Tent,” and Contemporary English Version has “Whenever the cloud moved from the tent.”

The people of Israel would go onward is literally “the sons of Israel pulled up stakes.” Here the verb should be understood as frequentative, giving the idea of whenever. But if the cloud was not taken up again uses the passive form of the verb. Then they did not go onward uses the same verb, “they did not pull up stakes.” Till the day that it was taken up is literally “until the day of its being taken up.”

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 .