Exodus 26:20 — Word Study
WLCוּלְצֶ֧לַע הַמִּשְׁכָּ֛ן הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית לִפְאַ֣ת צָפ֑וֹן עֶשְׂרִ֖ים קָֽרֶשׁ׃
BSAFor the secondshênîy [subsequent, following the first] sidetsêlâʻ of the tabernaclemishkân [a portable place of worship, the dwelling place of God] the northtsâphôwn [Zaphon, towards the colder region] sidepêʼâh [make] twentyʻesrîym [a multitude, a large number] framesqeresh [boards, flat pieces of wood, like a plank]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וּלְצֶ֧לַע | and for [the] side of | Conjunction, preposition, noun common feminine singular construct |
| הַמִּשְׁכָּ֛ן | the tabernacle | Particle, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית | second | Particle |
| לִפְאַ֣ת | for [the] side of | Preposition, noun common feminine singular construct |
| צָפ֑וֹן | [the] north | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| עֶשְׂרִ֖ים | twenty | Adj |
| קָֽרֶשׁ׃ | frame[s] | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | For the second side of the tabernacle, the north side, make twenty frames |
| KJV | And for the second side of the tabernacle on the north side there shall be twenty boards: |
| ASV | and for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, twenty boards, |
| YLT | 'And for the second side of the tabernacle, for the north side, [are] twenty boards, |
| WEB | For the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, twenty boards, |
| BBE | And twenty boards for the second side of the house on the north, |
Where they part company is in קָֽרֶשׁ — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence is structured with a main clause followed by prepositional and numeral phrases that specify the details of the construction.
4 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Ellicott, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Exodus 26:20
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Instructions for the Tabernaclegenerated
Exodus 26:20 describes God's specific instructions to Moses regarding the construction of the tabernacle, emphasizing the importance of following divine guidance in creating a dwelling place for God among His people. This verse is part of a larger section detailing the materials and dimensions needed for the tabernacle, which served as a portable sanctuary during the Israelites' journey through the wilderness.
Cross References
The Key Word — צֵלָע, u.le.Tze.la'generated
The word צֵלָע (tsela`) primarily means 'side' or 'rib.' It is used in various contexts, including anatomy and architecture. In this verse, it refers to the side of the tabernacle, indicating a structural element essential for its construction.
This term encompasses both literal and figurative uses, appearing frequently in descriptions of buildings and objects. Its architectural significance in the context of the tabernacle highlights the importance of each side in creating a complete and functional structure.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main clause is governed by the verb עֶשְׂרִ֖ים, twenty, which serves as the subject of the construction command. The sentence is structured with multiple noun phrases detailing the components of the tabernacle's second side.
The Hebrew word order emphasizes the specific instructions for the tabernacle's north side, with the prepositional phrases providing clarity on the location and nature of the materials to be used.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the word צֵלָע is rendered as κλίτος, which carries the meaning of 'side' but may also imply a more general structural element. This choice reflects a broader understanding of the term in a Greek context.
The Greek translation does not significantly alter the meaning but provides a different linguistic perspective on the construction of the tabernacle, emphasizing its role as a dwelling place.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Exodus 26:20 gives instructions from God to Moses about making the second side of the tabernacle, specifically the north side, and states that it should consist of twenty frames. This verse is part of detailed guidelines for constructing a portable place of worship where God would dwell among His people.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The tabernacle was a central place of worship for the Israelites, symbolizing God's presence among them as they journeyed through the wilderness.
The north side is mentioned to provide specific instructions for the layout and structure of the tabernacle, ensuring that it is built according to God's design.
The tabernacle was constructed using various materials, including wood, gold, silver, and fabrics, as detailed in the surrounding verses.
This verse is part of the broader narrative in Exodus that describes God's covenant with Israel and His desire to dwell among His people, highlighting the importance of obedience to His commands.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does the construction of the tabernacle teach us about God's desire to be with His people?
- How can we apply the principle of following God's instructions in our own lives?
- In what ways do we see God's presence in our lives today, similar to how He dwelled in the tabernacle?
- What does the use of specific materials and measurements suggest about the importance of worship in the Old Testament?
Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Exodus 26:20 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd for the second side of the tabernacle the north side,.... The direction of the tabernacle was east and west; at the east end was the entrance into the holy place, and at the west end the holy of
Read John Gill on Exodus 26 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd thou shalt make boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood standing up. Boards ... of shittim wood standing up.
Read Robert Jamieson on Exodus 26 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English ReadersXXVI. THE .(1-37) The sacred tent which was to form the “House of God,” or temple, for Israel during the continuance of the people in the wilderness, and which in point of fact served them for a national sanctuary until the construction of the first temple by Solomon, is described in this chapter with a minuteness which leaves little to be desired. It is called ham-mishkân, “the dwelling,” and ha-’ohel, “the tent” (Exodus 26:36)—the former from its purpose, as being the place where God “dwelt” in a peculiar manner (Exodus 25:22); the latter from its shape and general construction, which resembled those of other tents of the period. The necessary foundation was a framework of wood. This…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Exodus 26 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges18–25. The number of frames for each side of the Dwelling, and the arrangements for holding them firmly in their place.
Read Cambridge on Exodus 26 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
For the second side of the tabernacle, the north side, make twenty frames
For the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, twenty boards,
For the second side of the tabernacle, the north side, make twenty frames
and for the second side of the tabernacle, the north side, twenty frames,
Tyndale line
And for the second side of the tabernacle on the north side there shall be twenty boards:
and for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, twenty boards,
and for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, twenty boards:
And for the second side of the tabernacle on the north side there shall be twenty boards:
In like maner on the other side of the Tabernacle towarde the North side shalbe twentie boardes,
Strictly literal
And for the other side of the tabernacle on the north side there shall be twenty boards.
'And for the second side of the tabernacle, for the north side, [are] twenty boards,
And for the second side of the Dwelling Place, for the north side, [are] twenty boards,
And for the other side of the tabernacle, for the north side, there shall be twenty boards;
For the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, you must make twenty frames
From the Latin
In the second side also the tabernacle that looketh to the north, there shall be twenty boards,
Simplified
Similarly for the north side of the Tabernacle, make twenty frames
And twenty boards for the second side of the house on the north,
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text is supported by the Septuagint, which matches six of the seven words exactly. The Samaritan Pentateuch, however, differs in three words: it uses 'צפונה' (north), 'תעשׂה' (make), and 'קרשׁים' (boards), indicating variations in the text tradition.
וּלְצֶ֧לַע הַמִּשְׁכָּ֛ן הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית לִפְאַ֣ת צָפ֑וֹן עֶשְׂרִ֖ים קָֽרֶשׁ׃
6 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
ולצלע המשׁכן השׁנית לפאת צפונה תעשׂה עשׂרים קרשׁים
3 words differ from the Masoretic Text: צפונה (north), תעשׂה (make), קרשׁים (board)
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Exodus 26:20
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
צֵלָע (tsela`) primarily means 'rib' or 'side.' It can refer to a rib of a person, a structural beam, or a side of an object, including architectural elements like planks and chambers. The word encompasses both literal and figurative uses, appearing in various contexts such as anatomy and construction.
צֵלָע 41 n.f. rib, side
base
H6763 צֵלָע rib, side
6763 tsela` tsay-law'
or (feminine) tsalTah {tsal-aw'}; from 6760; a rib (as
curved), literally (of the body) or figuratively (of a door,
i.e. leaf); hence, a side, literally (of a person) or
figuratively (of an object or the sky, i.e. quarter);
architecturally, a (especially floor or ceiling) timber or
plank (single or collective, i.e. a flooring):--beam, board,
chamber, corner, leaf, plank, rib, side (chamber).
see HEBREW for 06760
צֵלָע (tse.la) — side.
1) side, rib, beam
1a) rib (of man)
1b) rib (of hill, ridge, etc)
1c) side-chambers or cells (of temple structure)
1d) rib, plank, board (of cedar or fir)
1e) leaves (of door)
1f) side (of ark)
Aramaic equivalent: a.la (עֲלַע "rib" H5967)
Conj | Prep | N-cs — Conjunction · preposition · noun common feminine singular constructHC/R/Ncfsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
מִשְׁכָּן (mishkan) means 'dwelling-place' or 'tabernacle.' It is derived from a root meaning to dwell and can refer to various types of residences, including the Tabernacle in the Old Testament. The term encompasses both literal and figurative meanings, such as a grave or the Temple.
מִשְׁכָּן 139 n.m. dwelling-place, ‘tabernacle’
base
H4908 מִשְׁכָּן dwelling-place, ‘tabernacle’
4908 mishkan mish-kawn'
from 7931; a residence (including a shepherd's hut, the lair
of animals, figuratively, the grave; also the Temple);
specifically, the Tabernacle (properly, its wooden
walls):--dwelleth, dwelling (place), habitation, tabernacle,
tent.
see HEBREW for 07931
מִשְׁכָּן (mish.kan) — tabernacle.
1) dwelling place, tabernacle
1a) dwelling-place
1b) dwellings
Aramaic equivalent: mish.kan (מִשְׁכַּן "habitation" H4907)
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ncmsa
tab'-er-na-k'l ('ohel mo`edh "tent of meeting," mishkan, "dwelling"; skene):
A. STRUCTURE AND HISTORY
I. INTRODUCTORY
1. Earlier "Tent of Meeting"
2. A Stage in Revelation
3. The Tabernacle Proper
II. STRUCTURE
1. The Enclosure or Court
2. Structure, Divisions and Furniture of the Tabernacle
(1) Coverings of the Tabernacle (Exodus 26:1-14; 36:8-19)
(a) Tabernacle Covering Proper
(b) Tent Covering
(c) Protective Covering
(2) Framework and Divisions of the Tabernacle (Exodus 26:15-37; 36:20-38)
Arrangement of Coverings
(3) Furniture of the Sanctuary
(a) The Table of Shewbread
(b) The Candlestick (Lampstand)
(c) The Altar of Incense
III. HISTORY
1. Removal from Sinai
2. Sojourn at Kadesh
3. Settlement in Canaan
4. Destruction of Shiloh
5. Delocalization of Worship
6. Nob and Gibeon
7. Restoration of the Ark
Tabernacle
(1.) A house or dwelling-place (Job 5:24; 18:6, etc.).
(2.) A portable shrine (comp. Acts 19:24) containing the image of Moloch (Amos 5:26; marg. and R.V., “Siccuth”).
(3.) The human body (2 Cor. 5:1, 4); a tent, as opposed to a permanent dwelling.
(4.) The sacred tent (Heb. mishkan, “the dwelling-place”); the movable tent-temple which Moses erected for the service of God, according to the “pattern” which God himself showed to him on the mount (Ex. 25:9; Heb. 8:5). It is called “the tabernacle of the congregation,” rather “of meeting”, i.e., where God…
The tabernacle was the tent of Jehovah, called by the same name as the tents of the people in the midst of which it stood. It was also called the sanctuary and the tabernacle of the congregation. The first ordinance given to Moses, after the proclamation of the outline of the law from Sinai, related to the ordering of the tabernacle, its furniture and its service as the type which was to be followed when the people came to their own home and "found a place" for the abode of God. During the forty days of Moses’ first retirement with God in Sinai, an exact pattern of the whole was shown him, and all was made according to it. (Exodus 25:9,40; 26:30; 39:32,42,43; Numbers 8:4; Acts 7:44;
A tent, booth, pavilion, or temporary dwelling. For its general meaning and uses, see TENT. In the Scriptures it is employed more particularly of the tent made by Moses at the command of God, for the place of religious worship of the Hebrews, before the building of the temple. The directions of God, and the account of the execution of them, are contained in Ex 25:1-40, and the following chapters. This is usually called the tabernacle of the congregation, or tent of assembly, and sometimes the tabernacle of the testimony.
The tabernacle was of an oblong rectangular form, thirty cubits long, ten broad, and ten in height, Ex 26.15-30; 36.20-30; that is, about fifty-five feet long, eighteen broad, and eighteen high. The two sides and the western end were formed of boards of shittim wood, overlaid with thin plates of gold, and fixed in…
שֵׁנִי (sheniy) means 'second' and can also imply 'again' or 'another.' It is an ordinal number used to denote position or sequence, as well as to indicate repetition. The word is derived from a root meaning 'double' and appears in various contexts in the Old Testament.
שֵׁנִי m. שֵׁנִית f. 157 adj.num.ord. second
base
H8145 שֵׁנִי m. שֵׁנִית f. adj. num. ord. second
8145 sheniy shay-nee'
from 8138; properly, double, i.e. second; also adverbially,
again:--again, either (of them), (an-)other, second (time).
see HEBREW for 08138
שֵׁנִי (she.ni) — second.
1) second
1a) second (the ordinal number)
1b) again (a second time)
1c) another, other (something as distinct from something else)
Art | Adj — ParticleHTd/Aofsa
פֵּאָה (pe'ah) refers to a corner or side, indicating a part that is cut off or an extremity. It is a feminine noun derived from another Hebrew word, and its meanings include corner, edge, and quarter. The entries consistently emphasize its use in describing directional or spatial aspects.
פֵּאָה 81 n.f. corner, side (part cut off)
base
H6285 פֵּאָה corner, side (part cut off)
6285 pe'ah pay-aw'
feminine of 6311; properly, mouth in a figurative sense, i.e.
direction, region, extremity:--corner, end, quarter, side.
see HEBREW for 06311
פֵּאָה (pe.ah) — side.
1) corner, edge, side, quarter, extremity
1a) corner
1b) side
Prep | N-fs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular constructHR/Ncfsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
צָפוֹן (tsaphown) means 'north' and is derived from a root meaning 'hidden' or 'dark.' It is used specifically to refer to the northern direction, often associated with gloominess and the unknown. The term also appears in the context of a name, 'Zaphon,' which similarly denotes the north.
צָפוֹן 153 n.f. north (as the hidden, dark)
base
H6828 צָפוֹן north
6828 tsaphown tsaw-fone'
or tsaphon {tsaw-fone'}; from 6845; properly, hidden, i.e.
dark; used only of the north as a quarter (gloomy and
unknown):--north(-ern, side, -ward, wind).
see HEBREW for 06845
צָפוֹן (tsa.phon) — north.
1) north (of direction), northward
1a) north
1b) northward
צָפוֹן (tsa.phon) — Zaphon.
This name means north
Also named: tsa.phon (צָפוֹן "Zaphon" H6829)
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
See EAST. The Babylonians and Assyrians are represented as coming from "the north," because they invaded Israel by a northern route in order to avoid the desert, Jer 1:14 46:6,24 Zep 2:13. "Fair weather," says Job, or golden weather, "cometh out of the north," Job 37:22. This is as true in Syria and Arabia now as it was three thousand years ago. A traveler there remarks, "Our friends, who have been long residents, informed us that we should have fair weather for our start on the morrow, as the wind was from the north."
"... And so we have found it come to pass that the clouds of a golden hue always followed upon a north wind, and indicated a clear day; and as in the times of the Savior, we could always say when it was evening…
עֶשְׂרִים (esriym) means 'twenty' and can also refer to the ordinal 'twentieth.' It is derived from the root word for 'ten' and has an Aramaic equivalent, עֶשְׂרִין (es.rin). The entries consistently define the term without significant disagreement.
עֶשְׂרִים (a) twenty
base
H6242 עֶשְׂרִים (a) twenty
6242 `esriym es-reem'
from 6235; twenty; also (ordinal) twentieth:--(six-)score,
twenty(-ieth).
see HEBREW for 06235
עֶשְׂרִים (es.rim) — twenty.
twenty, twentieth
Aramaic equivalent: es.rin (עֶשְׂרִין "twenty" H6243)
Adj — AdjHAcmpa
twen'-ti.
See NUMBER.
קֶ֫רֶשׁ (qeresh) refers to a board or plank, with implications for use in constructing decks or benches. The term is derived from a root meaning to split off, indicating a connection to the process of shaping wood. It is primarily used in contexts related to building materials.
קֶ֫רֶשׁ 51 n.m. board, boards
base
H7175 קֶ֫רֶשׁ board, boards
7175 qeresh keh'-resh
from an unused root meaning to split off; a slab or plank; by
implication, a deck of a ship:--bench, board.
קֶ֫רֶשׁ (qe.resh) — board.
1) board, boards, plank
1a) board
1b) boards
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa