Exodus 36:22
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Exodus 36:22
22 One board had two tenons, equally distant one from another: thus did he make for all the boards of the tabernacle.
Chapter Context
Exodus 36 is a narrative with legal sections chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of salvation, righteousness, wisdom. Written during the Egyptian bondage and wilderness wandering (c. 1446-1406 BCE), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Egypt was the dominant superpower with a complex polytheistic religion and a god-king pharaoh.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-20: Central message and teachings
- Verses 21-38: Conclusion and application
This chapter is significant because it offers practical wisdom for godly living in a fallen world. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Exodus and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Exodus 36:22
22 One board had two tenons, equally distant one from another: thus did he make for all the boards of the tabernacle.
Analysis
Two tenons (יָדוֹת, yadot, literally 'hands') per board, 'equally distant one from another' (מְשֻׁלָּבֹת, meshullavaot, 'joined' or 'set in order'), enabled secure fitting into silver sockets. These 'hands' grasping the foundation picture believers' connection to Christ, the foundation (1 Corinthians 3:11). The equal distancing demonstrates balanced grounding—not leaning one direction or another, but firmly established in God's truth. Each board's two connection points illustrate that genuine stability requires multiple secure attachments, not single-point reliance.
Historical Context
The tenons were projections at the bottom of each board that fit into corresponding mortise holes in silver sockets, creating a stable foundation. The double-tenon design prevented boards from twisting or leaning, ensuring structural integrity of the entire framework.
Reflection
- How do the two tenons ('hands') per board illustrate the necessity of being firmly grounded in God's foundation?
- What does the requirement for balanced, equal-distanced connection points teach about spiritual stability?