Exodus 27 17

Exodus 27:17 kjv

All the pillars round about the court shall be filleted with silver; their hooks shall be of silver, and their sockets of brass.

Exodus 27:17 nkjv

All the pillars around the court shall have bands of silver; their hooks shall be of silver and their sockets of bronze.

Exodus 27:17 niv

All the posts around the courtyard are to have silver bands and hooks, and bronze bases.

Exodus 27:17 esv

All the pillars around the court shall be filleted with silver. Their hooks shall be of silver, and their bases of bronze.

Exodus 27:17 nlt

All the posts around the courtyard must have silver rings and hooks and bronze bases.

Exodus 27 verses

Exodus 27 17 MEANING

Exodus 27:17 describes specific requirements for the construction of the outer court of the Tabernacle, detailing the materials for its support system. It specifies that all the pillars surrounding the court enclosure must be banded or connected with silver, that their connecting hooks be made of silver, and that their foundational bases be cast from bronze. This verse, therefore, highlights the divine meticulousness in Tabernacle construction and the symbolic significance of the materials used in the areas accessible to all Israelites.

Exodus 27 17 CROSS REFERENCES

Exodus 27 17 CONTEXT

This verse is found within the detailed instructions for constructing the Tabernacle, a portable sanctuary God commanded Moses to build in the wilderness (Ex 25-31). Specifically, Exodus 27 describes the construction of the outer court (verses 9-19) which enclosed the Tabernacle proper, including the brazen altar and the bronze laver. The outer court served as the primary space where the Israelites, specifically male heads of households, brought their sacrifices. This area, delineated by pillars, hangings, and specific materials, provided a structured environment for the prescribed rituals and sacrifices, marking a holy space accessible to the community. Historically, these detailed specifications ensured precise adherence to divine command, reflecting God's order, holiness, and the path He ordained for man to approach Him. The materials—bronze and silver—held significant symbolic weight for the original audience, connecting back to practices like atonement money and the concept of judgment inherent in sacrifice.

Exodus 27 17 WORD ANALYSIS

• All (כָּל־, kol): Emphasizes totality and comprehensiveness, signifying that every single pillar around the entire perimeter of the court, regardless of its side or placement, adhered to the same divine standard. This speaks to God's attention to every detail and the unity of His design.
• The pillars (הָעַמֻּדִים, ha’ammudim): From `ammud, meaning "column," "pillar," "support." These pillars supported the linen hangings (Ex 27:9-16) that formed the walls of the outer court. Theologically, pillars often represent stability, strength, and testimony, signifying God's steadfastness and the support of His dwelling.
• Round about the court (סָבִיב לֶחָצֵר, saviv lechatzel): Indicates the complete encirclement, defining a sacred, enclosed space set apart from the common ground. This "court" (chatzer) was where the altar of burnt offering and the laver were located, representing the primary access point for the Israelite community to worship God through prescribed sacrifices.
• Shall be filleted with (מְחֻשָּׁקִים, mechushakim): Derived from chashaq, meaning "to love," "be joined to," or "fasten together." Here, it describes a band or fillet, likely a silver molding or decorative band around the top or joining parts of the pillars, or bands that secure parts together. The meaning conveys a binding, uniting element, suggesting structure, strength, and integrity through being joined. The use of silver in this capacity implies a connection of unity and support that is also linked to redemption.
• Silver (כֶּסֶף, kesef): This precious metal holds significant theological meaning in the Old Testament, primarily associated with atonement, redemption, and purification. The half-shekel temple tax (Ex 30:13-16) paid in silver was specifically for the atonement of souls. The silver fillets and hooks symbolically indicate that all who enter the court do so by a divinely ordained, atoning principle. It speaks to the grace and redemptive nature underpinning access to God's presence.
• Their hooks (וָוֵיהֶם, wawwêhem): Waw refers to a hook or peg. These hooks were integral to suspending the court hangings between the pillars, serving as connectors and anchors. Their being of silver again connects the concept of holding together or providing attachment with the theme of redemption and atonement. Unity and connection within the sacred space were divinely appointed and symbolically covered by redemption.
• Their bases (אֲדָנֵיהֶם, ʼadanêhem): From eden, meaning "base" or "foundation." These were the solid foundations upon which the wooden pillars rested. They bore the weight of the pillars and hangings, providing stability. Symbolically, a base represents the ground upon which something stands, its supporting truth or principle.
• Of bronze (נְחֹשֶׁת, nechoshet): This metal, harder and more resistant to fire than silver, frequently symbolizes divine judgment, purification through trial, strength, and enduring righteousness in the Tabernacle and throughout Scripture. The altar of burnt offering (Ex 27:1-8) was made of bronze, where sins were judged through sacrifice. The bronze bases of the pillars signify that the very foundation and entryway into God's outer court stood on the bedrock of God's righteous judgment and the need for purification through the shedding of blood. It underscored the severity of sin and the necessity of sacrifice to approach God.

Exodus 27 17 COMMENTARY

Exodus 27:17 provides a critical insight into the precise nature of the Tabernacle's outer court, emphasizing the careful selection and symbolic use of materials. The meticulous detailing of the silver fillets and hooks, alongside the bronze bases, underscores God's absolute demand for holiness and order in worship.

The use of bronze for the bases signifies the fundamental principle of judgment upon which access to God's presence is predicated. The ground upon which the worshipper stood to enter God's presence, though physically common, was spiritually hallowed and pointed to the necessity of confronting sin and its penalty. The bronze altar, where sacrifices for sin were offered, further reinforced this. No one could approach God lightly; their approach rested on the unshakeable truth of divine justice.

In contrast, the silver elements—the fillets binding the pillars and the hooks supporting the hangings—speak powerfully of atonement and redemption. The collective silver contribution for the Tabernacle's bases and fittings (as seen in Ex 30:16 and Ex 38:27) from the half-shekel tax provided for the "atonement of their lives." Thus, the outer court, the public space of worship, was supported by foundations of judgment, but its structural integrity and defining boundaries were upheld by the very symbol of redemption. This dual symbolism revealed that while judgment was real and foundational, God's provision for salvation (through sacrifice, pointed to by the silver) enabled the people to stand in His presence.

This verse teaches that true fellowship with God requires both a recognition of His holiness (requiring judgment for sin, symbolized by bronze) and a reliance on His redemptive provision (symbolized by silver). These material distinctions are not arbitrary but prefigure the ultimate reality found in Christ: He is the solid "bronze" foundation of God's just judgment on sin, and He is the "silver" of our complete redemption and reconciliation. Our standing as "pillars" in God's spiritual temple today rests firmly on Christ's finished work.

Exodus 27 17 BONUS SECTION

The specific metals for the Tabernacle elements progress from bronze (outer court, altar of judgment), to silver (Tabernacle bases, fittings, for atonement), to gold (within the Tabernacle, the holiest furniture, representing deity, glory, and holiness). This progression visually represents the journey of the believer from the initial encounter with sin and judgment (bronze), through atonement and redemption (silver), into intimate communion with God and His glory (gold). The court, with its bronze and silver components, therefore, serves as the first essential step in this spiritual pilgrimage towards God.