Exodus 36:30
And there were eight boards; and their sockets were sixteen sockets of silver, under every board two sockets.
Original Language Analysis
וְהָיוּ֙
H1961
וְהָיוּ֙
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
1 of 15
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
שְׁמֹנָ֣ה
And there were eight
H8083
שְׁמֹנָ֣ה
And there were eight
Strong's:
H8083
Word #:
2 of 15
a cardinal number, eight (as if a surplus above the 'perfect' seven); also (as ordinal) eighth
כֶּ֔סֶף
of silver
H3701
כֶּ֔סֶף
of silver
Strong's:
H3701
Word #:
5 of 15
silver (from its pale color); by implication, money
שִׁשָּׁ֥ה
were sixteen
H8337
שִׁשָּׁ֥ה
were sixteen
Strong's:
H8337
Word #:
6 of 15
six (as an overplus beyond five or the fingers of the hand); as ordinal, sixth
עָשָׂ֖ר
H6240
עָשָׂ֖ר
Strong's:
H6240
Word #:
7 of 15
ten (only in combination), i.e., -teen; also (ordinal) -teenth
תַּ֖חַת
H8478
תַּ֖חַת
Strong's:
H8478
Word #:
13 of 15
the bottom (as depressed); only adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix underneath), in lieu of, etc
Historical Context
The sixteen sockets (two per board) represented redemption-silver from thirty-two Israelites' half-shekel atonement tax. Even the tabernacle's back, least visible side, proclaimed the message of redemption as its foundation.
Questions for Reflection
- What does the redemption-silver foundation even on the tabernacle's back side teach about the comprehensive nature of Christ's atonement?
- How does every board standing on atonement-silver illustrate that all aspects of Christian life rest on Christ's redemptive work?
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Analysis & Commentary
Summary: eight boards and sixteen silver sockets for the west side demonstrate that even the back of God's dwelling stands fully on redemption-foundation. No part of the tabernacle rests on anything inferior to atonement-silver. This universal foundation teaches that God's house—whether front or back, visible or hidden, public or private—stands entirely on Christ's redemptive work. No area of the church, no aspect of Christian life, has any foundation except Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11).