Exodus 38:16 meaning, Cross Ref, ai commentary KJV NIV ESV NLT

Exodus 38:16 kjv

All the hangings of the court round about were of fine twined linen.

Exodus 38:16 nkjv

All the hangings of the court all around were of fine woven linen.

Exodus 38:16 niv

All the curtains around the courtyard were of finely twisted linen.

Exodus 38:16 esv

All the hangings around the court were of fine twined linen.

Exodus 38:16 nlt

All the curtains used in the courtyard were made of finely woven linen.

Exodus 38 16 Cross References

Verse	Text	Reference
Exod 27:9	You shall make the court of the tabernacle. On the south side there shall be hangings for the court…	Initial command for court hangings.
Exod 27:18	The height of the hangings shall be five cubits… of fine twined linen.	Specifies material and height.
Exod 39:40	the hangings of the court with their pillars and their bases…	Inventory of completed items.
Exod 40:8	And you shall set up the court all around, and hang up the screen of the gate of the court.	Instruction for setting up the court.
Lev 1:5	And he shall kill the bull before the Lord, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall bring the blood…	Outer court as the place for sacrifice and priestly work.
Lev 16:4	He shall put on the holy linen coat and shall have the linen undergarment on his body…	Linen used for purity of priestly garments.
Num 3:37	the pillars of the court all around with their bases and their pegs and their cords.	Levite responsibility for courtyard components.
Num 4:32	the pillars of the court all around with their bases and their pegs and their cords…	More detail on Merarite duties.
Psa 45:13-14	The princess is decked in her chamber with gold-woven garments… in pure gold, with garments of needlework.	Symbolic clothing of righteousness/holiness.
Isa 61:10	I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me… as a bride.	Righteousness as clothing.
Isa 64:6	We are all like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.	Contrast: human righteousness is like filthy rags.
Zech 3:3-5	Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments… “Behold, I have taken your iniquity…	Removing soiled garments; receiving clean robes of righteousness.
Mk 15:38	And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.	Physical Tabernacle/Temple's function fulfilled in Christ.
Jn 1:14	And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory…	Christ's 'tabernacling' among humanity.
Jn 20:5-7	He saw the linen cloths lying, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter… saw the linen cloths.	Linen cloths used for burial, implying preparation and specific materials.
1 Cor 1:30	He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness…	Christ as our true righteousness, represented by linen's purity.
2 Cor 5:21	For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.	Believer's imputed righteousness through Christ.
Eph 2:19-22	So then you are no longer strangers… but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members…	Believers as a dwelling place for God, built on apostles/prophets.
Col 2:17	These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.	Tabernacle elements are shadows pointing to Christ.
Heb 9:1-2	Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly sanctuary…	Tabernacle description as a type and shadow.
Heb 10:19-20	Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus…	New access to God, replacing literal barriers.
Rev 7:13-14	Who are these, clothed in white robes… washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.	White robes of righteousness, cleansed by Christ's sacrifice.
Rev 19:8	it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”—for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.	Linen as symbol of the righteousness of the saints, prepared by God.
Rev 21:10-11	He carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem…	New Jerusalem's holiness, a perfected dwelling.

Exodus 38 verses

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Exodus 38 16 Meaning

Exodus 38:16 details a specific material used in the construction of the Tabernacle's outer court. It states that all the hangings surrounding the court were made of "fine twined linen." This verse confirms the high-quality material used for the outer perimeter, establishing a clear visual and symbolic boundary around the sacred space where God dwelt. The uniform use of this material emphasizes purity, order, and the meticulous adherence to God's precise instructions for His sanctuary.

Exodus 38 16 Context

Exodus 38 falls within the larger section of Exodus (chapters 25-40) detailing the construction of the Tabernacle and its furnishings, meticulously following God's commands given to Moses on Mount Sinai. Chapter 38 specifically describes the fulfillment of the instructions for the Tabernacle's court, including its dimensions, materials, and the number of bronze sockets and silver hooks used. This verse (38:16) contributes to the ongoing summary of finished components, emphasizing the faithful execution of divine plans. The overall historical context is the period of Israel's wilderness wanderings, where the Tabernacle served as the central point of worship and God's mobile dwelling place, symbolizing His presence among His people and the way they were to approach Him.

Exodus 38 16 Word analysis

All: The Hebrew word kol (כָּל) indicates completeness and universality. It emphasizes that not just some, but every single hanging around the entire court, was made of the specified material. This signifies the uniform application of God's standards and the pervasive holiness intended for the Tabernacle’s boundary.
the hangings: The Hebrew qela‘im (קְלָעִים), referring to curtains or hangings, designates the fabric barriers that formed the walls of the outer courtyard. These hangings served a crucial purpose in creating a defined, enclosed sacred space, separating it from the profane wilderness outside and regulating access.
of the court: The Hebrew ha-chatser (הֶחָצֵר) refers to the chatser, the courtyard or enclosure. This clearly defines the location of these hangings—they constituted the outer boundary of the Tabernacle complex itself, beyond the Tent of Meeting. This boundary emphasized God's dwelling place as distinct and set apart.
round about: The Hebrew phrase saviv saviv (סָבִיב סָבִיב), meaning "all around" or "on every side," underscores the enclosure's completeness. The hangings encircled the entire holy space, leaving no gaps, signifying comprehensive protection, demarcation, and the comprehensive nature of God's commands for His sanctuary.
were of fine twined linen: This is the core descriptive element.
- fine: This translates the Hebrew shêsh (שֵׁשׁ), a term for very high-quality, lustrous linen, often associated with royalty, priests, and sacred contexts in ancient Egypt and the Near East. It implies expense, purity, and exceptional craftsmanship. Its whiteness conveyed purity.
- twined: The Hebrew mishzar (מִשְׁזָר) indicates that the threads were twisted or braided together, often specified as "sixfold" or "twined threads." This process created a strong, durable, and smooth fabric, resisting fraying and maintaining its integrity, signifying quality, strength, and perfection.
- linen: The material itself (derived from flax) was costly and labor-intensive to produce. In biblical thought, white linen universally symbolized purity, righteousness, and holiness. Its use for the outer court hangings established an immediate visual cue of the sacredness and unblemished character associated with God's dwelling place.
words-group: All the hangings of the court round about: This entire phrase emphasizes the pervasive, comprehensive nature of the construction material and design. Every part of the perimeter was consistently made of this high-quality linen, stressing uniformity and meticulous adherence to the divine blueprint, signifying that God's holiness applied to every aspect of His dwelling place.
words-group: fine twined linen: This specific phrase is crucial, indicating the superior quality and pure nature of the material chosen for the Tabernacle. It wasn't just any linen, but the best available, crafted meticulously. Symbolically, this points to the perfection and unblemished holiness of God, and also to the righteousness (symbolized by white linen) required for approach to Him.

Exodus 38 16 Bonus section

The specification of "fine twined linen" (shêsh mishzar) for the Tabernacle components highlights God's demand for the very best in His worship. This material was significantly more costly and labor-intensive than ordinary woven cloth. The fibers had to be carefully prepared and then skillfully spun and "twined," likely referring to multiple strands being twisted together for greater strength and fineness. This labor would have been a significant act of devotion by the women who spun with their own hands (Exod 35:25-26). The distinction between the shêsh of the court and the use of colors like blue, purple, and scarlet for the inner tent hangings and veil (Exod 26:1, 31) visually illustrated the concept of progressive holiness; as one moved inward, the materials became more costly and symbolic, culminating in the Most Holy Place. This careful gradation underscored the awe and reverence required in approaching the presence of God. The plain, yet perfect, white linen thus served as a foundation of purity upon which the deeper truths of the sanctuary were built.

Exodus 38 16 Commentary

Exodus 38:16, while seemingly a simple detail about fabric, carries profound significance within the Tabernacle narrative. The use of "fine twined linen" for all the courtyard hangings established an unmistakable visual statement of purity, sanctity, and divine order. Unlike the richer, colorful, and more intricate fabrics (blue, purple, scarlet, and embroidered work) used for the inner Tabernacle curtains and veil, the outer hangings were uniformly white. This distinction served to progressively reveal increasing holiness as one approached the Most Holy Place, beginning with the foundational purity of the outer boundary.

The white linen visually contrasted the common wilderness surroundings, signaling that one was entering a sacred sphere distinct from everyday life. Its whiteness speaks to purity and unblemished righteousness, a theological foreshadowing not only of the priestly requirements for service (Lev 16:4) but also of the righteousness imputed to believers through Christ (2 Cor 5:21) and the righteous acts of the saints (Rev 19:8). The "twined" nature implies strength and durability, reflecting the unchanging nature of God's holy character and His enduring covenant. This meticulous detail demonstrates that every aspect of the Tabernacle, even the surrounding perimeter, was purposed by God to communicate spiritual truths about His nature, His holiness, and the required separation from sin to approach Him. The linen hangings served as the initial, imposing barrier, defining the consecrated space where Israel could encounter the Living God.