קֶ֫רֶשׁ (qe.resh)

qe.resh

board

H7175 · Hebrew · Old Testament · 33 verses

H:N-M

Language: Biblical Hebrew
Testament: Old Testament
Occurrences: 33 verses
Root: —
Part of speech: H:N-M

Word Overview

The Hebrew noun qereš refers to a board, plank, or slab of wood. With over fifty occurrences in the Old Testament, it appears most frequently in the detailed instructions for building the Tabernacle. In Exodus 26 and 36, the word describes the sturdy acacia wood panels that formed the walls of the sanctuary, creating a structured space for God’s presence among Israel.

Its etymology suggests a root meaning "to split off," pointing to wood prepared by splitting rather than just sawing. This origin gives the term a sense of solid, hewn material. While it primarily denotes construction timber, Ezekiel 27:6 uses it metaphorically to describe the decks of ships, showing its application extends beyond religious architecture to general seafaring and heavy timber.

Translators typically render qereš as "board" or "plank," capturing its physical weight and function. The word underscores the tangible nature of biblical worship spaces, where faith was housed in real, crafted materials. By specifying these structural elements, the text highlights the care taken to build a dwelling place that was both durable and sacred.

Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).

What This Word Means for Your Faith

The word qereš describes a sturdy wooden board used to build the walls of the Tabernacle. These panels were not just random planks; they were carefully crafted from acacia wood, a material known for its durability and resistance to decay in the desert heat. Each board stood upright, supported by silver sockets, creating a secure and structured space where God’s presence could dwell among His people.

This imagery offers a quiet comfort for your faith journey. Just as these boards formed a protective shelter, God’s Word provides a solid foundation for your life. You are not left to face the storms of the world alone; you are held within a community and a spiritual structure that is both strong and sacred. The care taken in building this dwelling place reflects how much God values creating a safe home for His presence.

When you read about these boards, remember that your own life is being built with similar intentionality. Every experience, every trial, and every moment of peace contributes to the structure of your character. You are part of something enduring, crafted with precision and purpose, designed to withstand the elements while pointing others toward the divine.

How it's translated

How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 33 verses where it appears, by frequency.

the/ frame15×
the/ frames9×
frames8×
for/ [the] frames of6×
frames/ its3×
[the] frames of3×
frame[s]2×
[belonged] to the/ frame2×
the/ frame[s]1×
[was] [the] frames of1×

Forms in the text

The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.

הַ/קֶּ֥רֶשׁ8×
לְ/קַרְשֵׁ֥י4×
הַ/קְּרָשִׁ֖ים4×
קְרָשָׁ֔י/ו3×
קְרָשִֽׁים\׃3×
קְרָשִׁ֔ים3×
הַ/קָּ֑רֶשׁ3×
הַ/קֶּ֣רֶשׁ3×
קַרְשֵׁי֙2×
קַרְשֵׁ֥י2×
קְרָשִׁים֙2×
לַ/קֶּ֙רֶשׁ֙2×

Key Verses

Exodus 26:15
“You shall make the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing upright.

This verse introduces the qereš as the fundamental structural unit of the Tabernacle, emphasizing its upright and standing nature.
Exodus 26:29
You shall overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings of gold for places for the bars. You shall overlay the bars with gold.

Here the boards are overlaid with gold, showing that the durable wood was also adorned with beauty to reflect God's glory.
Exodus 36:20
He made the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing up.

This verse records the actual construction of the boards, highlighting the obedience and craftsmanship involved in following divine instructions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Hebrew word qereš mean?

Qereš refers to a board, plank, or slab of wood. In the Old Testament, it is most commonly used to describe the acacia wood panels that formed the walls of the Tabernacle.

Why were the boards made of acacia wood?

Acacia wood was chosen because it is durable and resistant to decay, making it ideal for the harsh desert environment where the Israelites traveled. It symbolized strength and permanence.

How are the qereš boards connected together?

Each board had two tenons that fit into corresponding sockets. They were also linked by wooden bars made of acacia, which were overlaid with gold to hold the structure together securely.

Where else is qereš used in the Bible?

Beyond the Tabernacle, it appears in Ezekiel 27:6 to describe the decks of ships, showing its use for heavy timber and construction in various contexts.

Every Occurrence (33 verses across 2 books)

Exodus 31 verses

Exodus 26:15

“You shall make the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing upright.

Exodus 26:16

Ten cubits shall be the length of a board, and one and a half cubits the width of each board.

Exodus 26:17

There shall be two tenons in each board, joined to one another: thus you shall make for all the boards of the…

Exodus 26:18

You shall make twenty boards for the tabernacle, for the south side southward.

Exodus 26:19

You shall make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for its two tenons, and two…

Exodus 26:20

For the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, twenty boards,

Exodus 26:21

and their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.

Exodus 26:22

For the far side of the tabernacle westward you shall make six boards.

Exodus 26:23

You shall make two boards for the corners of the tabernacle in the far side.

Exodus 26:25

There shall be eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board, and two sockets…

Exodus 26:26

“You shall make bars of acacia wood: five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle,

Exodus 26:27

and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the…

Exodus 26:28

The middle bar in the middle of the boards shall pass through from end to end.

Exodus 26:29

You shall overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings of gold for places for the bars. You shall overlay the…

Exodus 35:11

the tabernacle, its outer covering, its roof, its clasps, its boards, its bars, its pillars, and its sockets;

Exodus 36:20

He made the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing up.

Exodus 36:21

Ten cubits was the length of a board, and a cubit and a half the width of each board.

Exodus 36:22

Each board had two tenons, joined to one another. He made all the boards of the tabernacle this way.

Exodus 36:23

He made the boards for the tabernacle, twenty boards for the south side southward.

Exodus 36:24

He made forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards: two sockets under one board for its two tenons, and two…

Exodus 36:25

For the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, he made twenty boards

Exodus 36:26

and their forty sockets of silver: two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.

Exodus 36:27

For the far part of the tabernacle westward he made six boards.

Exodus 36:28

He made two boards for the corners of the tabernacle in the far part.

Exodus 36:30

There were eight boards and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets—under every board two sockets.

Exodus 36:31

He made bars of acacia wood: five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle,

Exodus 36:32

and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the tabernacle for…

Exodus 36:33

He made the middle bar to pass through in the middle of the boards from the one end to the other.

Exodus 36:34

He overlaid the boards with gold, and made their rings of gold as places for the bars, and overlaid the bars with gold.

Exodus 39:33

They brought the tabernacle to Moses: the tent, with all its furniture, its clasps, its boards, its bars, its pillars,…

Exodus 40:18

Moses raised up the tabernacle, and laid its sockets, and set up its boards, and put in its bars, and raised up its…

Numbers 2 verses