Exodus 26:15

Contemporary English Version

The Lord said: Build a framework of acacia wood for the walls of the sacred tent.

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
"You shall make the boards for the tent of shittim wood, standing up.

King James Version
And thou shalt make boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood standing up.

Lexham English Bible
"And you will make the frames for the tabernacle of acacia wood as uprights.

New Century Version
"Use acacia wood to make upright frames for the Holy Tent.

New English Translation
"You are to make the frames for the tabernacle out of acacia wood as uprights.

Amplified Bible
"Then you shall make the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing upright [as a trellis-like frame].

New American Standard Bible
"Then you shall make the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing upright.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Also thou shalt make boards for the Tabernacle of Shittim wood to stand vp.

Legacy Standard Bible
"Then you shall make the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing upright.

Complete Jewish Bible
(iv) "Make the upright planks for the tabernacle out of acacia-wood.

Darby Translation
And the boards for the tabernacle thou shalt make of acacia-wood, standing up;

Easy-to-Read Version
"Use acacia wood to make frames to support the Holy Tent.

English Standard Version
"You shall make upright frames for the tabernacle of acacia wood.

George Lamsa Translation
You shall make boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood standing up.

Good News Translation
"Make upright frames for the Tent out of acacia wood.

Christian Standard Bible®
“You are to make upright supports of acacia wood for the tabernacle.

Literal Translation
And you shall make the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood standing up.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Thou shalt make bordes also for the habitacion, of Fyrre tre, which shall stonde:

American Standard Version
And thou shalt make the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing up.

Bible in Basic English
And you are to make upright boards of hard wood for the House.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And thou shalt make boordes for the tabernacle of Sittim wood, to stande vpryght.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And thou shalt make the boards for the tabernacle of acacia-wood, standing up.

King James Version (1611)
And thou shalt make boards for the Tabernacle of Shittim wood standing vp.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And thou shalt make the posts of the tabernacle of incorruptible wood.

English Revised Version
And thou shalt make the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing up.

Berean Standard Bible
You are to make upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Also thou schalt make stondynge tablis of the tabernacle, of the trees of Sechym,

Young's Literal Translation
`And thou hast made the boards for the tabernacle, of shittim wood, standing up;

Update Bible Version
And you shall make the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing up.

Webster's Bible Translation
And thou shalt make boards for the tabernacle [of] shittim wood standing up.

World English Bible
"You shall make the boards for the tent of acacia wood, standing up.

New King James Version
"And for the tabernacle you shall make the boards of acacia wood, standing upright.

New Living Translation
"For the framework of the Tabernacle, construct frames of acacia wood.

New Life Bible
"Then make the standing pieces of wood for the meeting tent out of acacia wood.

New Revised Standard
You shall make upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And thou shalt make boards for the habitation, - of acacia wood to stand up:

Douay-Rheims Bible
Thou shalt make also the boards of the tabernacle standing upright of setim wood.

Revised Standard Version
"And you shall make upright frames for the tabernacle of acacia wood.

THE MESSAGE
"Frame The Dwelling with planks of acacia wood, each section of frame fifteen feet long and two and one-quarter feet wide, with two pegs for securing them. Make all the frames identical: twenty frames for the south side with forty silver sockets to receive the two pegs from each of the twenty frames; the same construction on the north side of The Dwelling; for the rear of The Dwelling, which faces west, make six frames with two additional frames for the rear corners. Both of the two corner frames need to be double in thickness from top to bottom and fit into a single ring—eight frames altogether with sixteen sockets of silver, two under each frame.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Then you shall make the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing upright.

Contextual Overview

¹⁵ The Lord said: Build a framework of acacia wood for the walls of the sacred tent. ¹⁶ Each frame is to be fifteen feet high and twenty-seven inches wide ¹⁷ with two wooden pegs near the bottom. ¹⁸Place two silver stands under each frame with sockets for the pegs, so the frames can be joined together. Twenty of these frames are to be used along the south side and twenty more along the north. ²² For the back wall along the west side use six frames ²³with two more at the southwest and northwest corners. Make certain that these corner frames are joined from top to bottom. ²⁵ Altogether, this back wall will have eight frames with two silver stands under each one. ²⁶Make five crossbars for each of the wooden frames, ²⁸ with the center crossbar running the full length of the wall. ²⁹ Cover the frames and the crossbars with gold and attach gold rings to the frames to run the crossbars through.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

boards: Exodus 26:18, Exodus 26:22-29, Exodus 36:20-33, Exodus 40:17, Exodus 40:18, Numbers 4:31, Numbers 4:32, Ephesians 2:20, Ephesians 2:21

of shittim: Exodus 25:5

Reciprocal: Numbers 3:36 - under the custody and charge

Cross-References

Genesis 21:25
One day, Abraham told Abimelech, "Some of your servants have taken over one of my wells."

Genesis 21:30
Abraham told him, "I want you to accept these seven lambs as proof that I dug this well."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And thou shalt make the boards for the tabernacle,.... Which were the pillars and supports, and properly the walls of it, which gave it its firmness and security, or otherwise the curtains would have been blown about by every wind: they were to be made

of shittim wood standing up; just as they grew, as a Jewish writer observes p; these planks or boards were not to be laid along the lengthways of them, but to be set upright; and may denote such who are pillars in the house of God, and are to be upright both in heart and conversation, both ministers and private members; and indeed the church itself is the pillar and ground of truth, Galatians 2:9.

p Bartenora in Misn. Succa, c. 3. sect. 14.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

(Compare Exodus 36:8-33.) The tabernacle was to comprise three main parts, the tabernacle Exodus 26:1-6, more strictly so-called, its tent Exodus 26:7-13, and its covering Exodus 26:14 (Compare Exodus 35:11; Exodus 39:33-34; Exodus 40:19, Exodus 40:34; Numbers 3:25, etc.). These parts are very clearly distinguished in the Hebrew, but they are confounded in many places of the English Version (see Exodus 26:7, Exodus 26:9, etc.). The tabernacle itself was to consist of curtains of fine linen woven with colored figures of cherubim, and a structure of boards which was to contain the holy place and the most holy place; the tent was to be a true tent of goats’ hair cloth to contain and shelter the tabernacle: the covering was to be of red rams’ skins and “tachash” skins Exodus 25:5, and was spread over the goats’ hair tent as an additional protection against the weather. On the external form of the tabernacle and the arrangement of its parts, see cuts at the end of the chapter.

Exodus 26:1

The tabernacle - The משׁכן mı̂shkân, i. e. the dwelling-place; the definite article regularly accompanies the Hebrew word when the dwelling-place of Yahweh is denoted. But in this place the word is not used in its full sense as denoting the dwelling-place of Yahweh: it denotes only the tabernacle-cloth Exodus 26:6. The word is, in fact, employed with three distinct ranges of meaning,

(1) in its strict sense, comprising the cloth of the tabernacle with its woodwork (Exodus 25:9; Exodus 26:30; Exodus 36:13; Exodus 40:18, etc.);

(2) in a narrower sense, for the tabernacle-cloth only (Exodus 26:1, Exodus 26:6; Exodus 35:11; Exodus 39:33-34, etc.);

(3) in a wider sense, for the tabernacle with its tent and covering (Exodus 27:19; Exodus 35:18, etc.).

With ten curtains - Rather, of ten breadths. Five of these breadths were united so as to form what, in common usage, we should call a large curtain Exodus 26:3. The two curtains thus formed were coupled together by the loops and taches to make the entire tabernacle-cloth Exodus 26:6.

Of cunning work - More properly, of the work of the skilled weaver. The colored figures of cherubim (see Exodus 25:4, Exodus 25:18) were to be worked in the loom, as in the manufacture of tapestry and carpets (see Exodus 26:36 note). On the different kinds of workmen employed on the textile fabrics, see Exodus 35:35.

Exodus 26:3

Each curtain formed of five breadths (see Exodus 26:1), was 42 feet in length and 30 feet in breadth, taking the cubit at 18 inches.

Exodus 26:4

The meaning appears to be, “And thou shalt make loops of blue on the edge of the one breadth (which is) on the side (of the one curtain) at the coupling; and the same shalt thou do in the edge of the outside breadth of the other (curtain) at the coupling.” The “coupling” is the uniting together of the two curtains: (“selvedge” is the translation of a word signifying extremity or end).

Exodus 26:5

The words “in the edge,” etc. mean, “on the edge of the breadth that is at the coupling in the second (curtain).”

Exodus 26:6

Taches of gold - Each “tache,” or clasp, was to unite two opposite loops.

Couple the curtains - i. e. couple the two outside breadths mentioned in Exodus 26:4.

Exodus 26:7

A covering upon the tabernacle - A tent over the tabernacle. The Hebrew word here used, is the regular one for a tent of skins or cloth of any sort.

Exodus 26:9

tabernacle - tent, not tabernacle. The passage might be rendered, “thou shalt equally divide the sixth breadth at the front of the tent.” In this way, half a breadth would overhang at the front and half at the back.

Exodus 26:10

Or: “And thou shalt make fifty loops on the edge of the outside breadth of the one (curtain) at the coupling, and fifty loops on the edge of the outside breadth of the other (curtain) at the coupling.”

Exodus 26:11

In the tent, clasps of bronze were used to unite the loops of the two curtains; in the tabernacle, clasps of gold, compare Exodus 26:6, Exodus 26:37.

Couple the tent together - Not “covering,” as in the margin. By “the tent” is here meant the tent-cloth alone.

Exodus 26:13

The measure of the entire tabernacle-cloth was about 60 ft. by 42; that of the tent-cloth was about 67 ft. by 45. When the latter was placed over the former, it spread beyond it at the back and front about 3 ft. (the “half-curtain,” Exodus 26:9, Exodus 26:12) and at the sides 18 inches.

Exodus 26:16

The board would therefore be about 15 ft. long, and 27 in. broad.

Exodus 26:18

The entire length of the structure was about 45 ft. in the clear, and its width about 15 ft.

The south side southward - Or, the south side on the right. As the entrance of the tabernacle was at its east end, the south side, to a person entering it, would be on the left hand: but we learn from Josephus that it was usual, in speaking of the temple, to identify the south with the right hand and the north with the left hand, the entrance being regarded as the face of the structure and the west end as its back.

Exodus 26:19

Sockets - More literally, bases, or foundations. Each base weighed a talent, that is, about 94 lbs. (see Exodus 38:27), and must have been a massive block. The bases formed a continuous foundation for the walls of boards, presenting a succession of sockets or mortices (each base having a single socket), into which the tenons were to fit. They served not only for ornament but also for the protection of the lower ends of the boards from the decay which would have resulted from contact with the ground.

Exodus 26:22

The sides of the tabernacle westward - Rather, the back of the tabernacle toward the west. See Exodus 26:18.

Exodus 26:23

In the two sides - Rather, at the back.

Exodus 26:24

The corner boards appear to have been of such width, and so placed, as to add 18 in. to the width of the structure, making up with the six boards of full width Exodus 26:22 about 15 ft. in the clear (see Exodus 26:18). The “ring” was so formed as to receive two bars meeting “beneath” and “above” at a right angle.

Exodus 26:27

For the two sides westward - For the back toward the west. Compare Exodus 26:22,

Exodus 26:28

In the midst of the boards - If we suppose the boards to have been of ordinary thickness Exodus 26:16, the bar was visible and passed through an entire row of rings. In any case, it served to hold the whole wall together.

Exodus 26:31

Vail - Literally, separation (see Exodus 35:12 note).

Exodus 26:33

Taches - Not the same as the hooks of the preceding verse, but the clasps of the tabernacle-cloth (see Exodus 26:6).

Exodus 26:34-35

See Exodus 25:10-16, Exodus 25:23, Exodus 25:31.

Exodus 26:36

The door of the tent - The entrance to the tent, closed by the “hanging” or curtain Exodus 27:16.

Wrought with needlework. - The work of the embroiderer. The entrance curtain of the tent and that of the court Exodus 27:16 were to be of the same materials, but embroidered with the needle, not made in figures in the loom (see Exodus 26:1; Exodus 35:35).

Exodus 26:37

Rice pillars - These, it should be observed, belonged to the entrance of the tent, not, in their architectural relation, to the entrance of the tabernacle.

Sockets of brass - Their bases (see Exodus 26:19) were of bronze (like the taches of the tentcloth, Exodus 26:11), not of silver, to mark the inferiority of the tent to the tabernacle.

We are indebted to Mr. Fergusson for what may be regarded as a satisfactory reconstruction of the sanctuary in all its main particulars. He holds that what sheltered the Mishkan was actually a tent of ordinary form, such as common sense and practical experience would suggest as best suited for the purpose.

According to this view the five pillars at the entrance of the tent Exodus 26:37 were graduated as they would naturally be at the entrance of any large tent of the best form, the tallest one being in the middle to support one end of a ridge-pole.

Such a ridge-pole, which must have been sixty feet in length, would have required support, and this might have been afforded by a plain pole in the middle of the structure. Over this framing of wood-work the tent-cloth of goats’ hair was strained with its cords and tent-pins in the usual way. (See cut.)

Above the tent-cloth of goats’ hair was spread the covering of red rams’ skins.

The five pillars, to reach across the front of the tent, must have stood five cubits (about 7 1/2 ft.) apart. Their heads were united by connecting rods (“fillets” Exodus 27:10) overlaid with gold Exodus 36:38. The spaces at the sides and back may have been wholly or in part covered in for the use of the officiating priests, like the small apartments which in after times skirted three sides of the temple. It was probably here that those portions of the sacrifices were eaten which were not to be carried out of the sacred precincts Leviticus 6:16, Leviticus 6:26. We may also infer that priests lodged in them. Compare 1 Samuel 3:2-3.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Exodus 26:15. Thou shalt make boards — These formed what might be called the walls of the tabernacle, and were made of shittim wood, the acacia Nilotica, which Dr. Shaw says grows here in abundance. To have worked the acacia into these boards or planks, the Israelites must have had sawyers, joiners, c., among them but how they got the tools is a question. But as the Israelites were the general workmen of Egypt, and were brought up to every kind of trade for the service of their oppressors, we may naturally suppose that every artificer brought off some of his tools with him. For though it is not at all likely that they had any armour or defensive weapons in their power, yet for the reason above assigned they must have had the implements which were requisite for their respective trades.