Exodus 27:18 kjv
The length of the court shall be an hundred cubits, and the breadth fifty every where, and the height five cubits of fine twined linen, and their sockets of brass.
Exodus 27:18 nkjv
The length of the court shall be one hundred cubits, the width fifty throughout, and the height five cubits, made of fine woven linen, and its sockets of bronze.
Exodus 27:18 niv
The courtyard shall be a hundred cubits long and fifty cubits wide, with curtains of finely twisted linen five cubits high, and with bronze bases.
Exodus 27:18 esv
The length of the court shall be a hundred cubits, the breadth fifty, and the height five cubits, with hangings of fine twined linen and bases of bronze.
Exodus 27:18 nlt
So the entire courtyard will be 150 feet long and 75 feet wide, with curtain walls 7 1?2 feet high, made from finely woven linen. The bases for the posts will be made of bronze.
Exodus 27 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 27:9 | The court of the tabernacle; for the south side southwa... | Defines the court's overall structure |
| Ex 27:11 | ...like court for the north side, one hundred cubits long, ... | Confirms the northern court dimensions |
| Ex 27:13 | And the breadth of the court on the east side, toward... | Details the eastern court dimensions |
| Ex 38:9-19 | Describes the making of the court in fulfillment of God's command... | Record of the actual construction |
| Lev 26:11-12 | I will put my dwelling place among you... and will walk among you. | God's desire to dwell with His people |
| Num 3:25-26 | The duty of the Merarites... pillars of the court with their sockets... | Levites' responsibility for court items |
| Deut 23:14 | For the LORD your God walks in the midst of your camp, to deliver... | God's presence requiring purity in the camp |
| 1 Kgs 6:36 | He built the inner court with three rows of cut stone... | Solomon's temple also had courts |
| 1 Kgs 7:12 | ...and the inner court of the house of the LORD, and the portico... | Larger scale Temple courts |
| 2 Chr 4:9 | And he made the court of the priests, and the great court... | Chronicles of Temple court construction |
| Ezek 40:19 | And then he measured the breadth... | Ezekiel's vision includes specific court measurements |
| Ex 25:9 | According to all that I show you... so shall you make it. | God's exact pattern for the Tabernacle |
| Ex 25:40 | See that you make them after the pattern for them... | Emphasizes precise adherence to divine plan |
| Rev 19:8 | She was granted to array herself in fine linen, bright and pure... | Fine linen symbolizing righteousness |
| Lev 6:10 | The priest shall put on his linen garment... to take away the ashes... | Linen for priestly purity/service |
| Ex 30:17-21 | The laver of bronze... to wash in; that they die not. | Bronze also associated with washing/purification |
| Num 21:9 | So Moses made a bronze serpent and put it on a pole... | Bronze serpent prefiguring Christ's lifting |
| Rev 1:15 | His feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace... | Bronze feet symbolize judgment and stability |
| Heb 9:1-2 | The first covenant had regulations... a sanctuary... and its court. | Acknowledges the earthly tabernacle's role |
| Heb 9:11-12 | But when Christ appeared... not through the blood of goats... | Christ providing superior access, fulfilling priestly duties |
| Heb 10:19-20 | Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter... a new and living way. | Christ's sacrifice opens access to God |
| John 1:14 | The Word became flesh and dwelt among us... (ἐσκήνωσεν) | Jesus 'tabernacling' among humanity |
| Rev 21:3 | Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. | Final dwelling of God with humanity |
| 1 Cor 14:33 | For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. | God's character reflected in precise order |
| Psa 33:9 | For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. | Divine power reflected in precise instructions |
Exodus 27 verses
Exodus 27 18 Meaning
Exodus 27:18 precisely details the dimensions and primary materials for the outer court of the Tabernacle. It specifies the court's rectangular layout with a length of one hundred cubits, a uniform breadth of fifty cubits, and a height of five cubits. The fence forming this enclosure was made of fine twined linen, supported by pillars whose sockets were crafted from bronze. This verse establishes the physical boundaries and foundational elements of the sacred outdoor space surrounding the Holy Tent.
Exodus 27 18 Context
Exodus chapter 27 is part of a larger section (chapters 25-31) dedicated to God's detailed instructions for building the Tabernacle. Following descriptions of the Ark of the Covenant, the Table of Showbread, the Lampstand, and the Tent itself, chapter 27 specifically focuses on the court surrounding the Tabernacle. This verse concludes the description of the court's fence, immediately preceding details about the bronze altar and the court's gate. Historically, this divine blueprint was given to Moses at Mount Sinai for the Israelites' construction during their wilderness wandering. The Tabernacle, with its specific dimensions and materials, served as the central point of worship and God's dwelling among His people, differentiating it from surrounding pagan practices through its unique structure and purpose ordained by the one true God.
Exodus 27 18 Word analysis
- The length of the court: This phrase highlights the outer perimeter or enclosed area around the actual Tabernacle Tent. The Hebrew word for 'court' (חָצֵר, chatzer) often refers to an open enclosure. This court serves as a barrier, defining a sacred space, distinct from the common camp.
- shall be a hundred cubits: The Hebrew term for 'cubit' (אַמָּה, ammah) was an ancient measurement, typically the length from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger (approximately 18-21 inches or 45-53 cm). A hundred cubits would make the court about 150-175 feet long, emphasizing a substantial, dedicated area.
- and the breadth fifty everywhere: The Hebrew for 'breadth' (רֹחַב, rochav) and 'fifty' (חֲמִשִּׁים, chamishim). The inclusion of "everywhere" or "in all places" underscores the uniformity and precise symmetry of the divine design. This indicates the rectangular shape and consistent width across the entire structure. Fifty cubits would be about 75-87.5 feet wide.
- and the height five cubits: The Hebrew word for 'height' (קוֹמָה, qomah) refers to the elevation of the court's fence. Five cubits (approx. 7.5-8.75 feet) ensured privacy for the sacred rituals within, while also making the top visible to the people outside, signifying a divine presence accessible yet holy. It also likely obscured the lower parts of the Tabernacle itself, focusing attention upwards to the cloud of God's presence.
- of fine twined linen: (שֵׁשׁ מָשְׁזָר, shesh mashzar). This material is consistently used for sacred components of the Tabernacle and priestly garments (Ex 26, 28). It signifies purity, cleanliness, and holiness due to its pure white color and high quality. Spiritually, fine linen represents righteousness and purity, foreshadowing Christ's perfect righteousness and the future righteousness of His saints (Rev 19:8).
- and their sockets of bronze: The Hebrew word for 'sockets' (אֲדָנִים, adanin) refers to the heavy bases into which the wooden pillars of the court curtain would be set. 'Bronze' (נְחֹשֶׁת, nechoshet), or copper, was a durable and common metal, especially suitable for the court area where the brazen altar (also of bronze) stood for sacrifices and judgment. Bronze in the Tabernacle is often associated with judgment against sin and purification (as seen with the bronze altar and the laver), standing as a contrast to the more precious gold and silver within the Tent itself, yet essential for the pathway to God.
Exodus 27 18 Bonus section
The rectangular dimensions (100x50 cubits, a 2:1 ratio) were a significant feature repeated in various forms throughout biblical structures, emphasizing order and balance in God's designs. While the court's fence was linen, preventing one from seeing within completely, the gate would have offered an inviting entrance. The five-cubit height, tall enough to provide sacred separation yet allowing people from afar to observe parts of the central structure like the fire of the altar, facilitated both reverence and yearning. The Tabernacle, through details like those in Exodus 27:18, continually reminded the Israelites that God was truly present among them, not as a vague spirit but as one who orders all things and defines the means of encounter with His holiness.
Exodus 27 18 Commentary
Exodus 27:18 meticulously outlines the perimeter and foundational materials of the Tabernacle's outer court, emphasizing divine order, precision, and purpose. The specific measurements – a hundred by fifty cubits, five cubits high – highlight the structured and defined nature of God's sacred dwelling. This exactitude reveals God's meticulous nature and His demand for conformity to His revealed will in worship. The court served as a boundary, both physical and theological, separating the common from the holy, illustrating the need for purification and a specific approach to God. The choice of "fine twined linen" for the hangings points to purity and righteousness, a prerequisite for God's presence and for all who serve Him, foreshadowing the perfect righteousness of Christ. The "sockets of bronze" underscore the earthly strength and foundation, yet also the role of judgment and atonement (typified by the bronze altar) through which access to God's presence was made possible. This entire structure prefigured the spiritual reality of God dwelling among His people through Christ, where Christ's perfect life (linen) and atoning sacrifice (bronze/judgment) provide direct and precise access to God.