tabernacle (noun)

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “tabernacle” in English is translated in San Blas Kuna as “house of prayer that can be carried.” (Source: Ronald Ross)

In Bandi it is translated as “holy sitting place.” The “sitting place for the Bandi is where you live.” Therefore the tabernacle is the place where God lived. (Source: Becky Grossmann in this newsletter )

In Vidunda it is translated as “God’s tent” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext) and in Tibetan as gur mchog (གུར་​མཆོག) or “perfect tent” (source: gSungrab website )

In American Sign Language it is translated with with a sign for “tent” combined with a sign referring to the outer court surrounding the tent (see Exodus 27:9 and following). (Source: RuthAnna Spooner, Ron Lawer)


“Tabernacle” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor

See also tabernacle (verb) / dwell, festival of Tabernacles and ark of the covenant.

Translation commentary on Exod 40:1 - 40:2

The LORD said to Moses is literally “And Yahweh spoke to Moses saying.” This is the longer formula used at 25.1; 30.11; and elsewhere. (See the discussion of ʾamar and dibber at 25.1-2.) On the first day of the first month is literally “In the head day of the month, in the first month.” This was the first day of the new year. (See verse 17 below.)

You shall erect, literally “you will cause to stand up,” is addressed only to Moses, using the singular you. This does not suggest, however, that Moses is to do all of this by himself. The form of the verb is not imperative, but Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, and New International Version suggest the idea of a command, with “Set up.” The tabernacle of the tent of meeting is literally “the mishkan of [the] ʾohel moʿed.” The two terms are again brought together as in 39.32, but they are referring to the same thing. It is better to consider them in apposition, as in New International Version, “the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting.”

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 .