complete verse (Exodus 40:4)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 40:4:

  • Kupsabiny: “Someone bring the table into the Outer Room and prepare it with all its things and after that, someone bring the thing on which lamps are placed and line up the lamps.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Bringing the table to the tabernacle set out the materials on it. Then bringing also the lampstand set up the lamps of it to light.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “You should-bring-in the table in-the Tent and set its things-that-are-use.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “And when it’s done then bring the table for bret offering into my shelter, and then arrange its things upon it. And when it’s done then bring the lams stand and then place its lams onto it.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “you (sing., imp.) also carry table, put it there, prepare [body]. you (sing., imp.) take lampstand, put it on its head also.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “Bring the table into the Sacred Tent, and place on it all the things that are to be used with it. Bring in the lampstand and fasten the lamps to it.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Exod 40:4 - 40:5

And you shall bring in, literally “and you [singular] shall cause to enter,” is used twice in verse 4. The table is described in 25.23-27 and 37.10-14. And set its arrangements in order, literally “and you shall arrange its arrangement,” refers to the things that were to be placed on the table. Good News Translation has “and place the equipment on it,” which suggests the “gold vessels” that are mentioned in 37.16. But it may also refer to the bread that is to be placed there (see verse 23 below). Translator’s Old Testament has “and set in order what is to be placed upon it,” and Contemporary English Version has “and set on it those things that are made for it.” This allows for both “the equipment” and the bread.

The lampstand is the menorah, described in 25.31-36 and 37.17-22. And set up its lamps is literally “and you [singular] shall cause its lamps to go up.” This expression is used in 25.37.

And you shall put uses the verb meaning “to give,” but here it means to “place” or “set.” The golden altar for incense is described in 30.1-4 and 37.25-27. Before the ark of the testimony, literally “to the face of the ark of the reminder,” means “in front of the Covenant Box” (Good News Translation), or “in front of the sacred chest” (Contemporary English Version). But this, of course, was on the other side of the “veil.” (See verse 3.) And set up the screen for the door of the tabernacle refers to the outer “curtain” (Good News Translation) that was to be “at the entrance to the Tent,” that is, to the Holy Place.

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 .