Exodus 36:22 kjv
One board had two tenons, equally distant one from another: thus did he make for all the boards of the tabernacle.
Exodus 36:22 nkjv
Each board had two tenons for binding one to another. Thus he made for all the boards of the tabernacle.
Exodus 36:22 niv
with two projections set parallel to each other. They made all the frames of the tabernacle in this way.
Exodus 36:22 esv
Each frame had two tenons for fitting together. He did this for all the frames of the tabernacle.
Exodus 36:22 nlt
with two pegs under each frame. All the frames were identical.
Exodus 36 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 26:17 | "There shall be two tenons for each board..." | Original divine command for these specific tenons. |
| Ex 35:10 | "And let every able man among you come..." | The call for skilled craftsmen to build according to God's plan. |
| Ex 36:8 | "All the skilled men among those who did the work made the tabernacle..." | Introduction to the execution of the Tabernacle's construction. |
| Ex 38:27 | "Of the hundred talents of silver were cast the bases..." | Details the silver sockets into which these tenons were inserted. |
| 1 Kgs 6:7 | "The house, when it was being built, was built of stone prepared..." | Later divine dwelling (Solomon's Temple) also built with precision. |
| Eph 2:20 | "...built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone..." | Spiritual building of the Church, where Christ is the foundational joiner. |
| Eph 2:21 | "...in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord." | The Church as a unified, growing spiritual temple, echoing structural fit. |
| Eph 4:16 | "...from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped..." | Body of Christ united, similar to how components of Tabernacle are joined. |
| Col 2:19 | "...and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together..." | Emphasis on every part connected and contributing to the whole body. |
| Heb 8:5 | "...who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things..." | Tabernacle details are a shadow, pointing to a heavenly reality. |
| Heb 9:24 | "For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands..." | Contrast between earthly Tabernacle and Christ's heavenly dwelling. |
| 1 Cor 3:9 | "For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building." | Believers are part of God's spiritual building project. |
| 1 Cor 3:11 | "For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ." | Christ is the foundation for all spiritual building, just as boards have specific bases. |
| 1 Pet 2:5 | "...you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house..." | Believers as active, fitted components in God's spiritual house. |
| Rom 12:4-5 | "For as in one body we have many members, and all the members do not have the same function..." | Unity in diversity within the Body of Christ, with each part contributing. |
| Jn 17:21-23 | "that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me and I in you..." | Jesus' prayer for unity among believers, reflecting perfect divine connection. |
| Ps 133:1 | "Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!" | Value of unity, mirrored in the perfectly joined Tabernacle structure. |
| Prov 24:3-4 | "By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established..." | The Tabernacle's construction involved divine wisdom and precise craftsmanship. |
| Ex 39:32 | "Thus all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting was finished..." | Confirmation that all instructions, including these details, were fulfilled. |
| Heb 3:4 | "For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God." | God is the ultimate designer and builder, seen in the Tabernacle's meticulous plan. |
| Isa 28:16 | "Behold, I am the one who lays as a foundation in Zion a stone..." | Prophetic promise of a divinely laid, secure foundation, later applied to Christ. |
| Matt 16:18 | "And on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail..." | Christ's promise to build His Church securely, ensuring its stability. |
| Rev 21:14 | "And the wall of the city had twelve foundations..." | The New Jerusalem's perfect structure and divine design, symbolizing eternal order. |
| Ex 25:9 | "According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle..." | The importance of precise adherence to God's revealed pattern for His dwelling. |
Exodus 36 verses
Exodus 36 22 Meaning
Exodus 36:22 precisely describes a key structural detail of the Tabernacle's framework: each standing board had two "tenons" at its base, designed to interlock perfectly with adjacent boards and fit into the silver sockets below. This verse emphasizes the exact fitting and uniformity necessary for the stability and integrity of the holy dwelling place.
Exodus 36 22 Context
Exodus 36:22 is situated within the detailed narrative of the Tabernacle's construction in the wilderness, following God's elaborate instructions given to Moses on Mount Sinai (Ex 25-31). Specifically, this verse focuses on the precise joinery of the wooden framework that formed the walls of the Tabernacle. Chapter 36 opens with Moses instructing Bezalel, Oholiab, and other gifted craftsmen to begin the work, emphasizing that they are working exactly "as the Lord had commanded." The Israelites' overflowing contributions provide the necessary materials. The chapter then systematically lists the production of the Tabernacle's core components: the curtains, the frames (boards), and the specific mechanisms that held them together. This verse, therefore, highlights the painstaking adherence to divine blueprint and the resultant stability of God's dwelling place amidst a transient wilderness existence. Historically, this meticulous construction contrasts sharply with the ephemeral, human-conceived altars or temporary structures often found in pagan worship, asserting Yahweh's order and fixed dwelling.
Exodus 36 22 Word analysis
- And there were: This connective phrase links the detailed description of the boards (Ex 36:20-21) to their critical joining mechanisms, showing the progressive building process.
- two tenons: Hebrew: yādōt (יָדוֹת). This literally means "hands" or "projections like hands." These were peg-like projections at the base of each board. Their function was like fingers interlocking or gripping, signifying their crucial role in securing the structure.
- for each board: This highlights the absolute uniformity and consistency demanded by the divine design. Every single one of the forty-eight boards (20 on the north, 20 on the south, 8 on the west) required this precise fitting. This uniformity ensured structural integrity and symbolized divine order and impartiality in the dwelling.
- fitted to one another: Hebrew: ḥubārôt ʾishah ʾel-ʾachotāh (חֻבָּרוֹת אִשָּׁה אֶל-אֲחוֹתָהּ).
- ḥubārôt comes from the root ḥābar (חבר), meaning "to join, to bind, to unite closely." This signifies a tight, secure connection, not merely placed alongside but truly bound.
- ʾishah ʾel-ʾachotāh literally means "woman to her sister" or "each to its sister." This is a common Hebrew idiom emphasizing exact matching, perfect symmetry, and intimate connection between identical or similar items. It implies that the tenons of one board perfectly matched and engaged with the next.
- Thus he did: Refers to the craftsmen, particularly Bezalel and Oholiab, and their teams. It underscores their obedience and exact execution of God's detailed commands. It also emphasizes the completion and accuracy of their work.
- for all the boards: Reinforces the idea of comprehensive application of the design specification. No board was left out, and no variation was allowed. This ensured the integrity of the entire perimeter of the Tabernacle.
- of the tabernacle: Confirms the purpose and significance of these structural elements. They were not for an ordinary dwelling but for the sacred dwelling place of God. The stability achieved through these joints was crucial for maintaining the sanctity and functionality of this central worship site for Israel.
Exodus 36 22 Bonus section
The anthropomorphic language "hands" (for tenons) and "sister to sister" (for connections) adds a poetic dimension to a technical description. It suggests an almost organic or familial bond between the inanimate wooden boards, symbolizing the intimate unity God desires for His dwelling and, by extension, for His people. This level of detail in scripture reminds us that every instruction from God, no matter how small or seemingly technical, holds significance and contributes to His grand design. The structural integrity ensured by these precisely "fitted" tenons symbolizes the steadfastness of God's covenant and His promise to dwell securely among His people.
Exodus 36 22 Commentary
Exodus 36:22 serves as a micro-lesson in divine design and human diligence. It illustrates God's absolute meticulousness in detailing His dwelling place, emphasizing that even the hidden joints and connections must be perfectly formed. The "two tenons" for each "board" that were "fitted to one another" (like "sister to sister") signify structural integrity, perfect unity, and the importance of every individual component contributing to the stability of the whole. This divine emphasis on precision reflects God's character of order, holiness, and reliability. It also showcases the craftsmen's obedience and excellence, ensuring that the earthly "copy and shadow" (Heb 8:5) of heavenly realities was constructed exactly to the divine pattern, thus forming a stable and enduring sacred space for God's presence among His people.