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Exodus 36:23 — Word Study

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WLCוַיַּ֥עַשׂ אֶת־ הַקְּרָשִׁ֖ים לַמִּשְׁכָּ֑ן עֶשְׂרִ֣ים קְרָשִׁ֔ים לִפְאַ֖ת נֶ֥גֶב תֵּימָֽנָה׃

BSAHe constructedʻâsâh [made, built, fashioned] twentyʻesrîym [a multitude, numerous] framesqeresh [boards, planks, flat pieces of wood] for the southnegeb [Negeb, southern district] sidepêʼâh [edge, corner, region] of the tabernaclemishkân [dwelling place, sacred tent, place of worship]

Word
Listen & take awayExodus 36
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 23 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (tei.Ma.nah) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Exodus 36:23quick helps
In a sentenceThe construction of the tabernacle's frames for the southern side is described.
Who is speakingThe narrator recounts the actions taken by the builders.
Where we areThis verse is part of the detailed instructions for the tabernacle's construction.
The hard wordעָשָׂה
Take awayThe act of making is foundational to the tabernacle's structure.
4 commentators on this verse Jamieson, Ellicott, Cambridge, Whedon & more — read them › clause verbעָשָׂה The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

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 36:23

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 — The Construction of the Tabernaclegenerated

22Two tenons were connected to each other for each frame. He made all the frames of the tabernacle in this way.
23He constructed twenty frames for the south side of the tabernacle,
24with forty silver bases to put under the twenty frames—two bases for each frame, one under each tenon.
25For the second side of the tabernacle, the north side, he made twenty frames

Exodus 36:23 describes the specific actions taken to construct the tabernacle, a sacred space for worship. This verse highlights the meticulous nature of the work, emphasizing the importance of each frame in the overall structure of the tabernacle, as detailed in the surrounding verses.


Cross References


The Key Word עָשָׂה, vai.Ya.'asgenerated

The verb עָשָׂה (asah) means to make or do, encompassing a wide range of creative and constructive actions. It is used extensively throughout the Hebrew Bible, indicating not just physical creation but also the execution of tasks and observance of commandments.

In this context, it signifies the deliberate act of constructing the frames, which are essential components of the tabernacle's structure. The use of this verb underscores the importance of craftsmanship in fulfilling God's instructions.


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 וַיַּ֥עַשׂ (vai.Ya.'as), meaning 'and he made', governs the entire sentence. It is followed by a noun phrase indicating the object of the action, the frames, and a prepositional phrase specifying the location, which is the south side of the tabernacle.

This structure emphasizes the action of making as central, with the specifics of what is made and where it is placed following in a straightforward manner.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint does not provide a direct translation for this verse, but the absence of a Greek equivalent suggests a focus on the Hebrew text's specific construction details rather than a broader interpretative translation.

This lack of a direct match may indicate that the translators prioritized the Hebrew's nuance in context over a more generalized Greek rendering.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Exodus 36:23 tells us that the builders made twenty frames for the south side of the tabernacle. This construction was part of the detailed instructions for creating a sacred space where God would meet with His people.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What is the significance of the frames in the tabernacle?

The frames are essential for supporting the structure of the tabernacle, which served as a dwelling place for God among His people.

Why is the south side specifically mentioned?

The mention of the south side indicates the precise orientation and layout of the tabernacle, which was carefully designed according to God's specifications.

How do the materials used in the tabernacle reflect its purpose?

The materials, including the frames, were chosen for their durability and beauty, reflecting the holiness and significance of the dwelling place of God.

What can we learn from the detailed instructions for building the tabernacle?

The detailed instructions highlight the importance of obedience to God's commands and the value of craftsmanship in serving Him.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does the construction of the tabernacle teach us about God's desire to dwell among His people?
  2. How can we apply the principles of careful planning and execution in our own lives?
  3. What does it mean to us today that God provided specific instructions for His dwelling place?
  4. In what ways can we honor God through our work and creativity, as the builders did?

Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Exodus 36:23 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And 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

(20-34) After the construction of the roof, that of the walls is described, the order of Exodus 26 being still followed. Exodus 36:20-34 correspond to Exodus 36:15-29 of Exodus 26. The correspondence is closer than would appear from the Authorised Version.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Exodus 36 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

23. the south side southward] See on Exodus 26:18.

Read Cambridge on Exodus 36 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

AND 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

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

He constructed twenty frames for the south side of the tabernacle,

WEBWorld English Bible2000

He made the boards for the tabernacle, twenty boards for the south side southward.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

He constructed twenty frames for the south side of the tabernacle,

NETBNew English Translation2006

So he made frames for the tabernacle: twenty frames for the south side.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And he made boards for the tabernacle; twenty boards for the south side southward:

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And he made the boards for the tabernacle: twenty boards for the south side southward;

RVARevised Version, American1894

And he made the boards for the tabernacle; twenty boards for the south side southward:

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And he made boards for the tabernacle; twenty boards for the south side southward:

GNVGeneva Bible1599

So he made twentie boardes for the South side of the Tabernacle, euen full South.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And he made the boards for the tabernacle: twenty boards for the south side southward;

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And he maketh the boards for the tabernacle; twenty boards for the south side southward;

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And he makes the boards for the Dwelling Place; twenty boards for the south side southward;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And he made the boards for the tabernacle: twenty boards for the south side, on the right.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

He made the frames for the tabernacle in this way: twenty frames for the south side.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Of which twenty were at the south side southward,

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

They made twenty frames for the south side of the Tabernacle.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

They made twenty boards for the south side of the House:

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.

וַandclauseclauseverbיַּ֥עַשׂhe.madenoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phraseהַtheקְּרָשִׁ֖יםframesprepositional phrase · prepositionalלַfornoun phrasetheמִּשְׁכָּ֑ןtabernacleclausenoun phrase · objectעֶשְׂרִ֣יםtwentyקְרָשִׁ֔יםframesprepositional phrase · prepositionalלִfor.[the]noun phraseפְאַ֖תsideנֶ֥גֶבof.[the].southnoun phrase · prepositionalתֵּימָֽנָsouthwardהto

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 Samaritan Pentateuch, which differs only in the word for 'south', using נגבה instead of נֶ֥גֶב. The Dead Sea Scrolls provide a partial restoration of the text, aligning closely with the Masoretic Text in most respects.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

וַיַּ֥עַשׂ אֶת־ הַקְּרָשִׁ֖ים לַמִּשְׁכָּ֑ן עֶשְׂרִ֣ים קְרָשִׁ֔ים לִפְאַ֖ת נֶ֥גֶב תֵּימָֽנָה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיַּ֥עַשׂ’’הַקְּרָשִׁ֖ים’’לַמִּשְׁכָּ֑ן’’עֶשְׂרִ֣ים’’קְרָשִׁ֔ים’’לִפְאַ֖ת’’נֶ֥גֶב’’תֵּימָֽנָה׃’’

8 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.

Samaritan Pentateuchthe Torah as the Samaritan community kept it

ויעשׂ את הקרשׁים למשׁכן עשׂרים קרשׁים לפאת נגבה תימנה

1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: נגבה (south)

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q22a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[ויעש] [את] [הקרשים] [למשכן] עשרים [קרשים] [לפאת] נגב תימנ׳ה

1 word on the leather — 2 partly restored, 6 supplied entire by an editor.

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.

Exodus 36:23עָשָׂהand he madeand he madeעָשָׂהאֵתthe object the object markאֵתקֶ֫רֶשׁthe framesthe framesקֶ֫רֶשׁמִשְׁכָּןfor the tabfor the tabernaמִשְׁכָּןעֶשְׂרִיםtwentytwentyעֶשְׂרִיםקֶ֫רֶשׁframesframesקֶ֫רֶשׁפֵּאָהfor [the] sfor [the] side פֵּאָהנֶ֫גֶב[the] south[the] southנֶ֫גֶבתֵּימָןsouth -wardsouth -wardתֵּימָןאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתשָׁכַןto dwellto dwellשָׁכַןעֶשֶׂרtentenעֶשֶׂריָמִין[Ben]jamin[Ben]jaminיָמִיןפֹּהherehereפֹּהבְּרִיחַbarbarבְּרִיחַאֶ֫דֶןsocketsocketאֶ֫דֶןמְלָאכָהworkworkמְלָאכָהתּוֹעֵבַהabominatioabominationתּוֹעֵבַהמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁקֶ֫רֶשׁboardboardקֶ֫רֶשׁרֹ֫חַבwidthwidthרֹ֫חַבאַמָּהcubitcubitאַמָּהקָדִיםeasteastקָדִיםשְׁפֵלָהShephelahShephelahשְׁפֵלָהתֵּימָןsouthsouthתֵּימָןבֵּיתבֵּיתפֵּאָהsidesideפֵּאָה
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Exodus 36:23

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.

and he made the object marker the frames for the tabernacle twenty frames for [the] side of [the] south south -ward
וַיַּ֥עַשׂvai.Ya.'as and he made H6213 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
2,629× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to make or do something, and is used over 2,600 times in the Bible. It is first used in Genesis 1:7 to describe God's creation of the world and is also used in Exodus 31:5 to describe the work of skilled craftsmen.
Amplified meaning
made, built, fashioned
Tyndale gloss
to make
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עָשָׂה (asah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to do or make, encompassing a wide range of actions such as producing, preparing, and observing. It can refer to both concrete and abstract activities, including making offerings and attending to tasks. The verb also has forms indicating passive meanings, such as being made or offered. Notably, the Piel form refers to pressing or squeezing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָשָׂה 2622 vb. do, make

Qal 2524

do (1560 t.)

deal with

oft. in phr. do kindness with

abs. act, act with effect

make (670 t.)

produce, yield

prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food

make offering

attend to, put in order

observe, celebrate, religious festival

acquire property of various kinds

appoint priests

bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance

use

spend, pass, days of life

Niph.

97be done

be made, of concr. things

be produced from vine

be prepared, of food

be offered

be observed, passover

be used

Pu. I was made

base

[עָשָׂה] vb. Pi. press, squeeze

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6213a עָשָׂה do, make .. . do (1560 + t.)

. deal with

. oft. in phr. do kindness with

. abs. act, act with effect

. . make (670 + t.)

. produce, yield

. prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food

. make offering

. attend to, put in order

. observe, celebrate, religious festival

. acquire property of various kinds

. appoint priests

. bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance

. use

. spend, pass, days of life

. . be done

. . be made, of concr. things

. be produced from vine

. be prepared, of food

. be offered

. be observed, passover

. be used

. I was made

H6213b עָשָׂה Pi. press, squeeze

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6213 `asah aw-saw'

a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and

widest application (as follows):--accomplish, advance,

appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth,

bruise, be busy, X certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal

(with), deck, + displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in)

execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, + feast, (fight-)ing man, +

finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go

about, govern, grant, great, + hinder, hold ((a feast)), X

indeed, + be industrious, + journey, keep, labour, maintain,

make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, + officer, pare,

bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure,

provide, put, requite, X sacrifice, serve, set, shew, X sin,

spend, X surely, take, X thoroughly, trim, X very, + vex, be

(warr-)ior, work(-man), yield, use.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to make: do.

: do/perform

1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to do, work, make, produce

1a1a) to do

1a1b) to work

1a1c) to deal (with)

1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect

1a2) to make

1a2a) to make

1a2b) to produce

1a2c) to prepare

1a2d) to make (an offering)

1a2e) to attend to, put in order

1a2f) to observe, celebrate

1a2g) to acquire (property)

1a2h) to appoint, ordain, institute

1a2i) to bring about

1a2j) to use

1a2k) to spend, pass

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be done

1b2) to be made

1b3) to be produced

1b4) to be offered

1b5) to be observed

1b6) to be used

1c) (Pual) to be made

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to press.

(Piel) to press, squeeze

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to make.

: make(OBJECT)

1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to do, work, make, produce

1a1a) to do

1a1b) to work

1a1c) to deal (with)

1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect

1a2) to make

1a2a) to make

1a2b) to produce

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
and he made the object marker the frames for the tabernacle twenty frames for [the] side of [the] south south -ward
אֶת־'et- the object marker H853 Particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

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)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTo — Particle
HTo
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he made the object marker the frames for the tabernacle twenty frames for [the] side of [the] south south -ward
הַקְּרָשִׁ֖יםha.ke.ra.Shim the frames H7175 Particle · noun common masculine plural absolute
51× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word refers to a flat piece of wood, like a board or plank, often used in building ships or other structures. It appears in descriptions of the tabernacle and Solomon's temple. The KJV Bible translates it as 'board' or 'bench'.
Amplified meaning
boards, planks, flat pieces of wood
Tyndale gloss
board
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קֶ֫רֶשׁ 51 n.m. board, boards

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7175 קֶ֫רֶשׁ board, boards

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

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.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קֶ֫רֶשׁ (qe.resh) — board.

1) board, boards, plank

1a) board

1b) boards

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Particle · noun common masculine plural absolute
HTd/Ncmpa
and he made the object marker the frames for the tabernacle twenty frames for [the] side of [the] south south -ward
לַמִּשְׁכָּ֑ןla.mish.Kan for the tabernacle H4908 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
139× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The tabernacle was a special tent where God met with the Israelites, as described in Exodus and Leviticus. It was a portable place of worship, like a dwelling place for God. The Israelites carried it with them.
Amplified meaning
dwelling place, sacred tent, place of worship
Tyndale gloss
tabernacle
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִשְׁכָּן 139 n.m. dwelling-place, ‘tabernacle’

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4908 מִשְׁכָּן dwelling-place, ‘tabernacle’

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִשְׁכָּן (mish.kan) — tabernacle.

1) dwelling place, tabernacle

1a) dwelling-place

1b) dwellings

Aramaic equivalent: mish.kan (מִשְׁכַּן "habitation" H4907)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HRd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

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

Easton's Bible Dictionary

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…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

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…

and he made the object marker the frames for the tabernacle twenty frames for [the] side of [the] south south -ward
עֶשְׂרִ֣ים'es.Rim twenty H6242 Adj
315× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means twenty, and is also used as an ordinal number, like twentieth, as seen in Genesis 31:38. It can refer to a specific age or quantity.
Amplified meaning
a multitude, numerous
Tyndale gloss
twenty
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֶשְׂרִים (a) twenty

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6242 עֶשְׂרִים (a) twenty

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6242 `esriym es-reem'

from 6235; twenty; also (ordinal) twentieth:--(six-)score,

twenty(-ieth).

see HEBREW for 06235

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֶשְׂרִים (es.rim) — twenty.

twenty, twentieth

Aramaic equivalent: es.rin (עֶשְׂרִין "twenty" H6243)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAcmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

twen'-ti.

See NUMBER.

and he made the object marker the frames for the tabernacle twenty frames for [the] side of [the] south south -ward
קְרָשִׁ֔יםke.ra.Shim frames H7175 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
51× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word refers to a flat piece of wood, like a board or plank, often used in building ships or other structures. It appears in descriptions of the tabernacle and Solomon's temple. The KJV Bible translates it as 'board' or 'bench'.
Tyndale gloss
board
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קֶ֫רֶשׁ 51 n.m. board, boards

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7175 קֶ֫רֶשׁ board, boards

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

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.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קֶ֫רֶשׁ (qe.resh) — board.

1) board, boards, plank

1a) board

1b) boards

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmpa — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
and he made the object marker the frames for the tabernacle twenty frames for [the] side of [the] south south -ward
לִפְאַ֖תlif.'At for [the] side of H6285 Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct
86× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to the side or corner of something, like the edge of a room or a region. It is used in the Bible to describe geography or location. In the KJV, it is translated as 'corner' or 'side'.
Amplified meaning
edge, corner, region
Tyndale gloss
side
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

פֵּאָה 81 n.f. corner, side (part cut off)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6285 פֵּאָה corner, side (part cut off)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פֵּאָה (pe.ah) — side.

1) corner, edge, side, quarter, extremity

1a) corner

1b) side

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-fs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct
HR/Ncfsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

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.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

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…

and he made the object marker the frames for the tabernacle twenty frames for [the] side of [the] south south -ward
נֶ֥גֶבNe.gev [the] south H5045 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
112× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Negeb is the southern district of Judah, also known as the south country, and can occasionally refer to Egypt, which is south of Palestine.
Amplified meaning
Negeb, southern district
Tyndale gloss
Negeb
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נֶ֫גֶב (negev) refers to the southern region of Judah, often characterized by its dry, parched landscape. The term can mean 'south-country' or simply 'south.' It is derived from an unused root associated with drought. The entries consistently identify it with the Negeb area, without significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נֶ֫גֶב n.[m.] south-country, Negeb, south

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5045 נֶ֫גֶב south-country, Negeb, south

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5045 negeb neh'-gheb

from an unused root meaning to be parched; the south (from

its drought); specifically, the Negeb or southern district of

Judah, occasionally, Egypt (as south to Palestine):--south

(country, side, -ward).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נֶ֫גֶב (ne.gev) — Negeb.

region of southern Judah

Also named: ne.gev (נֶ֫גֶב "south" H5045H)

This name means south-country

נֶ֫גֶב (ne.gev) — south.

A sub-meaning of ne.gev (נֶ֫גֶב "Negeb" H5045)

§ 1) south-country, Nekeb, south

1a) south-country

1a1) region of southern Judah, boundaries not specific

1b) south

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

south:

(1) neghebh, according BDB from [?] naghabh, meaning "to be dry," the word most often used, in the Revised Version (British and American) capitalized (South) in those places where it seems to denote a particular region, i.e. to the South of Judah.

(2) yamin, "right hand," "right." The derived meaning, "south," seems to imply an eastern posture in prayer in which the right hand is toward the South; compare Arabic yamin, "right," and yemen, "Yemen," a region in Southwestern Arabia.

(3) teman, from the same root as (2) is often used for the south; also for the south wind (Ps 78:26; So 4:16).

(4) yam, literally, "sea" (Ps 107:3).

Easton's Bible Dictionary

South

Heb. Negeb, that arid district to the south of Palestine through which lay the caravan route from Central Palestine to Egypt (Gen. 12:9; 13:1, 3; 46:1-6). “The Negeb comprised a considerable but irregularly-shaped tract of country, its main portion stretching from the mountains and lowlands of Judah in the north to the mountains of Azazemeh in the south, and from the Dead Sea and southern Ghoron the east to the Mediterranean on the west.” In Ezek. 20:46 (21:1 in Heb.) three different Hebrew words are all rendered “south.” (1) “Set thy face toward the south” (Teman, the region on the right, 1 Sam. 33:24); (2) “Drop thy word toward the south” (Negeb, the region of dryness,

and he made the object marker the frames for the tabernacle twenty frames for [the] side of [the] south south -ward
תֵּימָֽנָה׃tei.Ma.nah south -ward H8486 Noun common feminine singular absolute · suffix
23× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for south or southern direction, used to describe location or wind. It is often translated as south in the Bible, including in books like Exodus and Ezekiel.
Tyndale gloss
south
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תֵּימָן (teyman) refers to the direction south, including the south wind. It is derived from the root meaning 'right hand' when facing east. The term is primarily used in poetic contexts and encompasses various aspects of the southern quarter, including territory and direction.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

תֵּימָן n.f. south, south wind, chiefly poet.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8486 תֵּימָן south, south wind, chiefly poet.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8486 teyman tay-mawn'

or teman {tay-mawn'}; denominative from 3225; the south (as

being on the right hand of a person facing the east):--south

(side, -ward, wind).

see HEBREW for 03225

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תֵּימָן (te.man) — south.

1) south, southward, whatever is on the right (so the southern quarter), south wind

1a) south (of territory)

1b) southern quarter (of the sky)

1c) toward the south, southward (of direction)

1d) south wind

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcfsa/Sd — Noun common feminine singular absolute · suffix
HNcfsa/Sd
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

word: "Ward" and "guard" are two different spellings of the same word, and in consequence no clear line can be drawn between them. English Versions of the Bible, however, has used "guard" only in the sense of "a special body of soldiers" (Ge 37:36, etc.), while "ward" is used, not only in this sense (Jer 37:13; contrast 39:9), but also in a variety of others. So a "ward" may mean "any body of men on special duty," as 1Ch 9:23; the King James Version 1Ch 26:16; Ne 12:24,25 (the Revised Version (British and American) "watch"), or the duty itself, as Isa 21:8;

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Ward

A prison (Gen. 40:3, 4); a watch-station (Isa. 21:8); a guard (Neh. 13:30).

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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