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| PentecostalTheology.comI was reading through Exodus the other day and thought that the translation of Exodus 26:26-27 was odd.
OSB:
“You shall make bars of incorruptible wood: five for the posts on one side of the tabernacle, five bars for the posts on the other side of the tabernacle, five bars for the side of the tabernacle toward the sea.”
For reference, the Orthodox Study Bible OT is a translation of the Septuagint. I took a look at the translations I used to use:
NASB:
“Then you shall make bars of acacia wood, five for the boards of one side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the [aq]other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle for the rear side to the west.”
NKJV:
“And you shall make bars of acacia wood: five for the boards on one side of the tabernacle, five bars for the boards on the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle, for the far side westward.”
KJV:
And thou shalt make bars of shittim wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle,
And five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle, for the two sides westward.
The OSB translation of the end of verse 27 (“toward the sea”) has the feel of a pretty literal translation to me. However, it has been a long time since I took Greek. How faithful is that translation to the Greek manuscripts?
The other versions obviously follow the Masoretic text more closely but it has been even longer since I took Hebrew. How faithful are they to the rendering of the Masoretic text and any older Hebrew texts that exist? (Or any text at all that is older than the Masoretic for that matter.)
Lastly, is this a significant detail for understanding the assembly of the tabernacle?