Exodus 36:16 — Word Study
WLCוַיְחַבֵּ֛ר אֶת־ חֲמֵ֥שׁ הַיְרִיעֹ֖ת לְבָ֑ד וְאֶת־ שֵׁ֥שׁ הַיְרִיעֹ֖ת לְבָֽד׃
BSAHe joinedchâbar▸ [united, coupled together] fivechâmêsh of the curtainsyᵉrîyʻâh [hanging or trembling fabrics, drapes] into one setbad [alone, apart] and the otheryᵉrîyʻâh sixshêsh [a separate group] into anotherbad [a distinct set]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַיְחַבֵּ֛ר | and he joined | Verb, Piel, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| אֶת־ | the object marker | Particle |
| חֲמֵ֥שׁ | five of | Adj |
| הַיְרִיעֹ֖ת | the curtains | Particle, noun common feminine plural absolute |
| לְבָ֑ד | alone | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| וְאֶת־ | and the object marker | Conjunction, particle |
| שֵׁ֥שׁ | six of | Adj |
| הַיְרִיעֹ֖ת | the curtains | Particle, noun common feminine plural absolute |
| לְבָֽד׃ | alone | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | He joined five of the curtains into one set and the other six into another. |
| KJV | And he coupled five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves. |
| ASV | And he coupled five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves. |
| YLT | and he joineth the five curtains apart, and the six curtains apart. |
| WEB | He coupled five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves. |
| BBE | Five curtains were joined together to make one group, and six curtains were joined together to make the other group. |
Where they part company is חָבַר — see How Translations Differ.
One main verb, with two objects and their respective phrases detailing the action. The structure clearly delineates the two sets of curtains.
3 commentators on this verse
Jamieson, Ellicott, Whedon & more — read them ›
clause
verbחָבַר
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 36:16
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 36:16 describes how Moses organized the curtains of the tabernacle, a significant task in the construction of the dwelling place for God's presence among the Israelites. This verse is part of a larger section detailing the materials and methods used in the tabernacle's construction, emphasizing the importance of order and structure in worship.
Cross References
The Key Word — חָבַר, vay.cha.Bergenerated
The verb חָבַר (chabar) is a Piel form meaning to unite or join together. It can also imply forming alliances or partnerships. In this context, it specifically refers to the act of joining the curtains of the tabernacle, highlighting the importance of unity in the sacred space.
The parsing as a sequential imperfect third person masculine singular indicates that this action is ongoing and descriptive of Moses' work in the tabernacle's assembly.
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 verb is וַיְחַבֵּ֛ר, and he joined, which governs the entire clause. The structure consists of two noun phrases indicating what is being joined, followed by prepositional phrases that specify how they are grouped.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the action of joining, with the objects clearly defined as the curtains, thus highlighting the importance of the specific numbers of curtains being united.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint does not provide a direct translation for this verse, but the absence of a corresponding Greek word for חָבַר suggests a possible interpretative choice by the translators, focusing on the act of joining rather than the specific terminology used in Hebrew.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Exodus 36:16 tells us that Moses joined five of the curtains together into one set and the other six into another set. This organization was part of the construction of the tabernacle, ensuring that everything was arranged properly for worship.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Joining the curtains was essential for creating the tabernacle's structure, which served as a dwelling place for God's presence among His people.
The specific numbers of five and six curtains reflect the design and functionality required for the tabernacle's layout, ensuring it met the divine specifications.
This verse is part of the detailed instructions for building the tabernacle, emphasizing the importance of order and precision in the sacred space.
The curtains were made of fine linen and other materials, which were specified in earlier verses as part of the tabernacle's construction.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does this act of joining curtains teach us about unity in our communities?
- How can we apply the concept of careful organization in our own lives?
- In what ways can we ensure that our worship spaces are prepared and meaningful?
- What significance do the numbers five and six hold in biblical symbolism?
Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Exodus 36:16 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing.
Read Robert Jamieson on Exodus 36 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(14-18) The construction of the outer covering of goats’ hair follows, and is expressed in terms nearly identical with those used in Exodus 26:7-11. Exodus 36:14 is better rendered than that to which it corresponds in the previous passage (Exodus 36:7). There are two omissions of short clauses for the sake of brevity.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Exodus 36 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the BibleAND AHOLIAB, Exodus 36:30-35. See notes on Exodus 31:1-11. OF , Exodus 36:1-7. 5.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Exodus 36 →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
He joined five of the curtains into one set and the other six into another.
He coupled five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves.
He joined five of the curtains into one set and the other six into another.
He joined five curtains by themselves and six curtains by themselves.
Tyndale line
And he coupled five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves.
And he coupled five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves.
And he coupled five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves.
And he coupled five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves.
And hee coupled fiue curtaines by themselues, and sixe curtaines by themselues:
Strictly literal
And he coupled five of the curtains by themselves, and six of the curtains by themselves.
and he joineth the five curtains apart, and the six curtains apart.
and he joins the five curtains apart, and the six curtains apart.
And he coupled five of the curtains by themselves, and six of the curtains by themselves.
He joined five curtains to each other and the other six curtains to each other.
From the Latin
Five of which he joined apart, and the other six apart.
Simplified
They joined five of the curtains together as one set and the other six as another set.
Five curtains were joined together to make one group, and six curtains were joined together to make the other group.
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 reads: וַיְחַבֵּ֛ר אֶת־ חֲמֵ֥שׁ הַיְרִיעֹ֖ת לְבָ֑ד וְאֶת־ שֵׁ֥שׁ הַיְרִיעֹ֖ת לְבָֽד׃. The Samaritan Pentateuch agrees closely but uses different forms for the word 'curtains'.
וַיְחַבֵּ֛ר אֶת־ חֲמֵ֥שׁ הַיְרִיעֹ֖ת לְבָ֑ד וְאֶת־ שֵׁ֥שׁ הַיְרִיעֹ֖ת לְבָֽד׃
7 of the 9 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.
ויחבר את חמשׁ היריעות לבד ואת שׁשׁ היריעות לבד
2 words differ from the Masoretic Text: יריעות (curtain), יריעות (curtain)
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 36:16
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.
חָבַר (chabar) means to unite or join together, often in a figurative sense, but can also refer to tying magic spells or charms. It encompasses various forms of joining, including making alliances or being in fellowship. The verb appears in different stems, indicating nuances like being allied or compacted, but no significant disagreements among lexicons are noted.
[חָבַר] vb. unite (usu. intr.), be joined, tie a magic knot or spell, charm
Qal
unite, be joined
tie magic knots, charm
Pi.
make an ally of, unite one with
unite, join (trans.)
Pu.
be allied with
be united to = be one of
be joined together
Hiph. I could make a joining with words
Hithp. join oneself to, make an alliance with
base
H2266 חָבַר unite (usu. intr.), be joined, tie a magic knot or spell, charm
2266 chabar khaw-bar'
a primitive root; to join (literally or figuratively);
specifically (by means of spells) to fascinate:--charm(- er),
be compact, couple (together), have fellowship with, heap up,
join (self, together), league.
חָבַר (cha.var) — to unite.
1) to unite, join, bind together, be joined, be coupled, be in league, heap up, have fellowship with, be compact, be a charmer
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to unite, be joined
1a2) to tie magic charms, charm
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to unite with, make an ally of
1b2) to unite, join, ally
1c) (Pual)
1c1) to be allied with, be united
1c2) to be joined together
1d) (Hiphil) to join together, pile up (words)
1e) (Hithpael) to join oneself to, make an alliance, league together
Conj | V-Piel-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Piel · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/Vpw3ms
אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
853 'eth ayth
apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of
entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more
definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or
namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).
see HEBREW for 0226
אֵת (et) — [Obj.].
sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative
Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
HTo — ParticleHTo
חָמֵשׁ (chamesh) means 'five' in Hebrew. It serves as both a cardinal number and can indicate a multiple of five when combined with another number. The word also has an ordinal form, 'fifth.' The entries consistently define this numeral without any noted disagreement.
חָמֵשׁ, חֲמִשָּׁה 342 n.m. and f. five
base
H2568 חָמֵשׁ, חֲמִשָּׁה five
2568 chamesh khaw-maysh'
masculine chamishshah {kham-ish-shaw}; a primitive numeral;
five:--fif(-teen), fifth, five (X apiece).
חָמֵשׁ (cha.mesh) — five.
1) five
1a) five (cardinal number)
1b) a multiple of five (with another number)
1c) fifth (ordinal number)
Adj — AdjHAcbsc
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…
יְרִיעָה (yriy'ah) means 'curtain' or 'drape.' It is derived from a root meaning to tremble, suggesting a hanging fabric. The term appears in contexts related to coverings or partitions.
יְרִיעָה 54 n.f. curtain
base
H3407 יְרִיעָה curtain
3407 yriy`ah yer-ee-aw'
from 3415; a hanging (as tremulous):--curtain.
see HEBREW for 03415
יְרִיעָה (ye.ri.ah) — curtain.
curtain, drape
Art | N-fp — Particle · noun common feminine plural absoluteHTd/Ncfpa
בַּד (bad) refers to separation or being alone, often indicating a part or branch of something. It can denote physical separation, such as limbs or bars, as well as figurative uses like 'chief of a city.' The entries consistently highlight meanings related to being apart or alone, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
בַּד, בָּ֑ד n.m. separation, concr. part
prop. in a state of separation, alone, by itself
concr. part
parts, specif. extended from something
base
H905 בַּד, בָּ֑ד separation, concr. part . prop. in a state of separation, alone, by itself
. concr. part
. parts, specif. extended from something
905 bad bad
from 909; properly, separation; by implication, a part of the
body, branch of a tree, bar for carrying; figuratively, chief
of a city; especially (with prepositional prefix) as an
adverb, apart, only, besides:--alone, apart, bar, besides,
branch, by self, of each alike, except, only, part, staff,
strength.
see HEBREW for 0909
בַּד (bad) — alone: pole.
: pole
1) alone, by itself, besides, a part, separation, being alone
1a) separation, alone, by itself
1a1) only (adv)
1a2) apart from, besides (prep)
1b) part
1c) parts (eg limbs, shoots), bars
בַּד (bad) — alone.
: alone
1) alone, by itself, besides, a part, separation, being alone
1a) separation, alone, by itself
1a1) only (adv)
1a2) apart from, besides (prep)
1b) part
1c) parts (eg limbs, shoots), bars
בַּד (bad) — alone: each.
: each
1) alone, by itself, besides, a part, separation, being alone
1a) separation, alone, by itself
1a1) only (adv)
1a2) apart from, besides (prep)
1b) part
1c) parts (eg limbs, shoots), bars
בַּד (bad) — alone: besides.
: besides/apart from
1) alone, by itself, besides, a part, separation, being alone
1a) separation, alone, by itself
1a1) only (adv)
1a2) apart from, besides (prep)
1b) part
1c) parts (eg limbs, shoots), bars
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHR/Ncmsa
אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
853 'eth ayth
apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of
entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more
definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or
namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).
see HEBREW for 0226
אֵת (et) — [Obj.].
sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative
Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
HC/To — Conjunction · particleHC/To
The Hebrew word שֵׁשׁ, transliterated as shesh, means 'six' and can function as both a cardinal and ordinal number, indicating the sixth position. It is a primitive number that signifies an excess beyond five, as noted in the entries. The Aramaic equivalent is שֵׁת (shet).
שֵׁשׁ, שִׁשָּׁה 216 n.m. et f. six
base
H8337 שֵׁשׁ, שִׁשָּׁה six
8337 shesh shaysh
masculine shishshah {shish-shaw'}; a primitive number; six
(as an overplus (see 7797) beyond five or the fingers of the
hand); as ord. sixth:--six((-teen, -teenth)), sixth.
see HEBREW for 07797
שֵׁשׁ (shesh) — six.
1) six
1a) six (cardinal number)
1b) sixth (ordinal number)
1c) in combination with other numbers
Aramaic equivalent: shet (שֵׁת "six" H8353)
Adj — AdjHAcbsc
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…
יְרִיעָה (yriy'ah) means 'curtain' or 'drape.' It is derived from a root meaning to tremble, suggesting a hanging fabric. The term appears in contexts related to coverings or partitions.
יְרִיעָה 54 n.f. curtain
base
H3407 יְרִיעָה curtain
3407 yriy`ah yer-ee-aw'
from 3415; a hanging (as tremulous):--curtain.
see HEBREW for 03415
יְרִיעָה (ye.ri.ah) — curtain.
curtain, drape
Art | N-fp — Particle · noun common feminine plural absoluteHTd/Ncfpa
בַּד (bad) refers to separation or being alone, often indicating a part or branch of something. It can denote physical separation, such as limbs or bars, as well as figurative uses like 'chief of a city.' The entries consistently highlight meanings related to being apart or alone, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
בַּד, בָּ֑ד n.m. separation, concr. part
prop. in a state of separation, alone, by itself
concr. part
parts, specif. extended from something
base
H905 בַּד, בָּ֑ד separation, concr. part . prop. in a state of separation, alone, by itself
. concr. part
. parts, specif. extended from something
905 bad bad
from 909; properly, separation; by implication, a part of the
body, branch of a tree, bar for carrying; figuratively, chief
of a city; especially (with prepositional prefix) as an
adverb, apart, only, besides:--alone, apart, bar, besides,
branch, by self, of each alike, except, only, part, staff,
strength.
see HEBREW for 0909
בַּד (bad) — alone: pole.
: pole
1) alone, by itself, besides, a part, separation, being alone
1a) separation, alone, by itself
1a1) only (adv)
1a2) apart from, besides (prep)
1b) part
1c) parts (eg limbs, shoots), bars
בַּד (bad) — alone.
: alone
1) alone, by itself, besides, a part, separation, being alone
1a) separation, alone, by itself
1a1) only (adv)
1a2) apart from, besides (prep)
1b) part
1c) parts (eg limbs, shoots), bars
בַּד (bad) — alone: each.
: each
1) alone, by itself, besides, a part, separation, being alone
1a) separation, alone, by itself
1a1) only (adv)
1a2) apart from, besides (prep)
1b) part
1c) parts (eg limbs, shoots), bars
בַּד (bad) — alone: besides.
: besides/apart from
1) alone, by itself, besides, a part, separation, being alone
1a) separation, alone, by itself
1a1) only (adv)
1a2) apart from, besides (prep)
1b) part
1c) parts (eg limbs, shoots), bars
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHR/Ncmsa