Exodus 38:10 kjv
Their pillars were twenty, and their brazen sockets twenty; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver.
Exodus 38:10 nkjv
There were twenty pillars for them, with twenty bronze sockets. The hooks of the pillars and their bands were silver.
Exodus 38:10 niv
with twenty posts and twenty bronze bases, and with silver hooks and bands on the posts.
Exodus 38:10 esv
their twenty pillars and their twenty bases were of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver.
Exodus 38:10 nlt
They were held up by twenty posts set securely in twenty bronze bases. He hung the curtains with silver hooks and rings.
Exodus 38 10 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exo 26:1-37 | Details for the Tabernacle itself… its poles, frames, bars… | God's precise instructions for Tabernacle parts. |
| Exo 27:9-19 | You shall make the court of the tabernacle… for the south side… for the north side… for the west side… for the east side… | Broader context of court's dimensions and materials, outlining general requirements before specific side details. |
| Exo 30:13-16 | Each one who is numbered in the census shall give this: half a shekel… for an offering to the LORD… for the service of the tent of meeting… | The source of the silver (atonement money) used in the Tabernacle's construction. |
| Exo 35:25-29 | Every gifted woman spun with her hands… all the men and women, whose heart moved them to bring anything for the work… | Willing contributions of materials by the Israelites, demonstrating their obedience. |
| Exo 36:8-39:43 | All the skilled artisans among those doing the work made the tabernacle… | The actual construction process of the Tabernacle following all instructions. |
| Exo 39:32-43 | Thus all the work of the tabernacle… was finished; and the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD had commanded Moses, so they did. | Emphasizes complete obedience to God's detailed commands. |
| Num 3:46-51 | For the redemption of the 273 of the firstborn of the sons of Israel… he took the silver. | Another instance of silver's use in redemption context within the Law. |
| 1 Kgs 6:2-6, 15-22 | The house that King Solomon built for the LORD was sixty cubits long, twenty wide, and thirty high… He covered the walls of the house with boards of cedar… | Parallel meticulous detail in Solomon's Temple construction, built later. |
| 2 Chr 3:1-4:22 | Solomon began to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem… | Description of Solomon's Temple, often mirroring Tabernacle materials and intent. |
| Heb 8:5 | They serve as a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned when he was about to erect the tent… "See that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain." | Confirms the Tabernacle's divine, precise pattern was based on a heavenly reality. |
| Psa 74:7 | They have burned Your sanctuary to the ground… | A recognition of the physical temple as God's dwelling, though this reference highlights its destruction. |
| Psa 93:5 | Your testimonies are very sure; holiness adorns Your house, O LORD, forever. | The divine order and holiness associated with God's dwelling. |
| Isa 2:2-3 | …the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains… All the nations shall stream to it… | Prophetic vision of God's future, accessible dwelling drawing all people. |
| Eze 40:5-42:20 | And behold, there was a wall on the outside all around the temple… Then he measured the thickness of the wall, one rod; and the height, one rod. | Ezekiel's vision of the detailed future temple, underscoring continued divine precision. |
| Rev 21:3 | Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them… | Ultimate fulfillment: God's eternal dwelling among His people without a physical structure. |
| Exo 27:2 | You shall make its horns on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it. You shall overlay it with bronze. | Bronze for the altar of burnt offering, linking bronze with sacrifice and judgment. |
| Num 21:9 | So Moses made a bronze serpent and put it on a pole; and it came about, that if a serpent bit any man, when he looked to the bronze serpent, he lived. | The bronze serpent as a symbol of judgment (serpents) and salvation (looking up). |
| Jn 1:14 | And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory… | The ultimate Tabernacle: Christ Himself, physically "tabernacling" among humanity. |
| Jn 10:9 | I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. | Symbolism of the east gate of the court as an entrance, pointing to Christ as the sole means of access. |
| Heb 10:19-20 | Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil… | Contrast to the limited access of the Tabernacle court, believers now have full access through Christ's sacrifice. |
| 1 Cor 3:11 | For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. | The significance of stable foundations (like the bronze bases) pointing to Christ. |
| 1 Cor 14:33 | For God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. | The detailed and ordered nature of the Tabernacle reflecting God's nature of order. |
Exodus 38 verses
Exodus 38 10 Meaning
Exodus 38:10 details the construction of the Tabernacle's outer courtyard fence on its east side, which served as the primary entrance. It specifies the precise dimensions of fifty cubits in length, eight bronze pillars and their eight bronze bases to support the linen hangings (mentioned in verse 9), and the silver hooks and connecting bands that held these elements together. This exact enumeration underscores the divine blueprint for God's sacred dwelling place, where every detail, material, and dimension was specified to perfection for a holy purpose.
Exodus 38 10 Context
Exodus 38:10 is part of a detailed account (Exo 38:9-20) describing the construction of the Tabernacle's outer court enclosure. Specifically, it focuses on the east side, which held the gate for entrance into the holy precinct. This section follows the overall design specifications provided earlier in chapters 25-27 and comes amidst the practical execution of those commands by Bezalel, Oholiab, and other skilled craftsmen (Exo 36-38). The Tabernacle was the portable sanctuary where God would dwell among the Israelites during their wilderness wanderings, a visible sign of His presence, a center for worship, and a pattern of divine order. Historically, the meticulous adherence to these instructions distinguished the worship of Yahweh from the often-idolatrous and haphazard practices of surrounding nations, reinforcing that true worship is commanded by God, not contrived by humans.
Exodus 38 10 Word analysis
- For the east side (הַמִּזְרָחָה - hammizrachah): "Towards the sunrise" or "to the east." This specifies the orientation and main entrance of the Tabernacle court. The east gate often held significant symbolic meaning in ancient structures and in the Bible, as the rising sun can symbolize new beginnings or divine glory.
- fifty cubits (חֲמִשִּׁ֤ים אַמָּה֙ - chamishim ammah): A cubit (אַמָּה - ammah) was an ancient measurement, roughly the length from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger (approx. 18-21 inches or 45-52 cm). This establishes the precise length of the eastern boundary, half the length of the longer north and south sides (100 cubits, mentioned in Exo 38:9).
- their pillars (וְעַמּוּדֵהֶ֞ם - ve'ammudeihem): Refers to the upright posts or columns that supported the hangings forming the perimeter wall. Pillars represent support and stability.
- were eight (עֶשְׂרִ֣ים - ‘asrim – Correction: The Masoretic Text actually has שְׁמֹנָ֥ה֙ - shemonah, meaning "eight."): This precise number is distinct from the twenty pillars for the longer sides (Exo 38:9) and reflects the shorter length of the eastern side and the space allocated for the entrance gate. The number eight can symbolize new beginnings or completeness beyond creation (seven).
- and their bases (וְאַדְנֵיהֶם֩ - ve'adnēihem): Refers to the sockets or foundations into which the pillars were set, ensuring their stability.
- eight (שְׁמֹנָה֙ - shemonah): Again, the exact count, corresponding to the number of pillars.
- of bronze (נְחֹ֜שֶׁת - nechoshet): Bronze is an alloy, typically of copper and tin, known for its strength and durability. In biblical symbolism, bronze often signifies strength, resilience, and also judgment or endurance through fire/testing (e.g., bronze altar of burnt offering, bronze serpent, Christ's feet like bronze in Rev 1:15). It points to the earthy, foundational aspect.
- and their hooks (וָוֵ֧י הָֽעַמֻּדִ֛ים - vavvei ha’ammudim): Hooks (וָו - vav) were specific fastening elements for the hangings.
- and their bands (וַחֲשֻׁקֵיהֶ֖ם - vachashukeihem): Likely connecting rings or fillets, also used to hold the hangings or parts of the structure together.
- were of silver (כָּ֑סֶף - kaseph): Silver is a precious metal, valued for its beauty, luster, and malleability. In the Tabernacle, silver often came from the half-shekel atonement money paid by the Israelites (Exo 30:11-16) and is frequently associated with redemption, atonement, purification, or value in a spiritual context. It highlights the divine, purer connection of these connecting elements.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "For the east side fifty cubits, their pillars were eight, and their bases eight": This phrase establishes the specific geographical orientation, the exact measurement of length, and the precise number of structural supports (pillars and bases). It emphasizes God's divine order and detailed plan for the sacred space, leaving nothing to human estimation. The shorter length and fewer pillars signify that this side houses the entrance gate (later mentioned in Exo 38:18), indicating a specific point of entry.
- "of bronze": Applying to both pillars and bases, this signifies strength, durability, and a capacity to bear weight or withstand tests. Symbolically, bronze relates to the earth, the judgment that takes place at the altar (also bronze), and the firm establishment of God's dwelling place.
- "and their hooks... and their bands were of silver": These smaller, crucial connecting elements made of silver symbolize purification, redemption, and holiness, derived from the atonement money. This detail underscores that even the functional components of the Tabernacle carried profound spiritual meaning, linking the community's redemption to the very fabric of their worship place. Silver highlights the value and sacredness of the connection and structure that binds everything together.
Exodus 38 10 Bonus section
The east side of the Tabernacle court was particularly significant as it was the main and only entrance. The very existence of a designated entry point emphasizes the idea of access to God, but also regulated access, signifying the need for purification and the appointed way to approach the holy God. This precise detail is crucial for understanding the functionality of the Tabernacle: how individuals would physically enter the sacred space. The construction account often repeats "as the LORD commanded Moses," a recurring phrase throughout Exodus 36-39 (e.g., Exo 39:42), highlighting divine authority and human obedience as foundational to worship and fellowship with God. The distinction in the number of pillars (8 for east/west, 20 for north/south) directly relates to the length of the respective sides (50 vs. 100 cubits) and the design for the court gate itself, which would have occupied a central part of the eastern length.
Exodus 38 10 Commentary
Exodus 38:10 provides a detailed inventory for the Tabernacle's eastern court boundary, which included the gateway. Every specified element, from the exact dimensions of fifty cubits to the eight pillars and their bases made of durable bronze, and the connecting hooks and bands crafted from precious silver, points to the profound theological truth of God's exactness and the purpose of the sanctuary. The precise nature of these specifications emphasizes that access to God's presence is not arbitrary but according to His divine design. The materials used hold significant symbolic value: bronze (from the pillars and bases) represents strength, earthly support, and often points to judgment or testing, whereas silver (from the hooks and bands) symbolizes redemption and purification, derived from the atonement money. Thus, the entrance to God's dwelling, though sturdy, was intricately linked with concepts of divine order, human redemption, and holiness. This holy structure served as a visible representation of God dwelling amidst His people, ordered and set apart.