Egg Whites or Turnips?

Why are Bible translations so different from each other in places? Don't Bible translators know whether it was peacocks or baboons that King Solomon brought into Israel? Why has "e;sapphire"e; been replaced by "e;lapis lazuli"e; in some more modern versions? What animal provided the leather for the tabernacle? A badger? A sea cow? Or did the term in question simply mean "e;leather"e;? Can archaeol...