Exodus 26:3
The five curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and other five curtains shall be coupled one to another.
Original Language Analysis
תִּֽהְיֶ֙יןָ֙
H1961
תִּֽהְיֶ֙יןָ֙
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
3 of 13
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
חֹֽבְרֹ֔ת
shall be coupled
H2266
חֹֽבְרֹ֔ת
shall be coupled
Strong's:
H2266
Word #:
4 of 13
to join (literally or figuratively); specifically (by means of spells) to fascinate
אֲחֹתָֽהּ׃
to another
H269
אֲחֹתָֽהּ׃
to another
Strong's:
H269
Word #:
7 of 13
a sister (used very widely [like h0251], literally and figuratively)
Historical Context
The coupling method (specified in verses 4-6) used loops and gold clasps, creating flexibility for assembly and disassembly during wilderness travels. This design enabled the tabernacle to be portable yet maintain structural integrity.
Questions for Reflection
- How does Christ 'couple' individual believers into one unified body?
- What would happen to the 'covering' if individual curtains refused to be joined?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
Five curtains coupled together, and five more coupled together—two sets that would then be joined into one. The number five sometimes represents grace; ten represents completeness. The coupling shows individual units forming a greater whole, prefiguring how individual believers are knit together by grace into one body. Though distinct, we become one covering over God's presence through Christ's unifying work.