Exodus 38:9-20 · Bible study
Exodus 38:9-20 Commentary: The Court of the Tabernacle, Worship by the Numbers
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why does Exodus give such exact measurements for the tabernacle court?
Research Summary
- Meaning: The courtyard of the tabernacle was the boundary between common space and holy ground, built with precise measurements and costly materials to reflect God’s order and provision for worship.
- Key words: Court (חָצֵר, enclosed space), hangings (קְלָעִים, curtains), bronze (נְחֹשֶׁת, strong metal), silver (כֶּסֶף, metal of redemption), screen (מָסָךְ, covering for entry).
- Main debate: Does the court primarily symbolize the separation of God from sinners (boundary), or the invitation for all to approach (gate)? Both readings find support; the text holds them in tension.
- Theological theme: Holy space requires holy preparation; God is approachable but not casual. The materials show that worship costs something, and the gate shows that God provides the way.
- Best use: This passage is strong for teaching about the nature of worship, the holiness of God, and the value of intentional order in the church. It also fits well with discussions on how Old Testament symbols point toward Christ as the true gate (John 10:9).
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
9Then he constructed the courtyard. The south side of the courtyard was a hundred cubits long and had curtains of finely spun linen,
10with twenty posts and twenty bronze bases, and with silver hooks and bands on the posts.
11The north side was also a hundred cubits long, with twenty posts and twenty bronze bases. The hooks and bands of the posts were silver.
12The west side was fifty cubits long and had curtains, with ten posts and ten bases. The hooks and bands of the posts were silver.
13And the east side, toward the sunrise, was also fifty cubits long.
14The curtains on one side of the entrance were fifteen cubits long, with three posts and three bases.
15And the curtains on the other side were also fifteen cubits long, with three posts and three bases as well.
16All the curtains around the courtyard were made of finely spun linen.
17The bases for the posts were bronze, the hooks and bands were silver, and the plating for the tops of the posts was silver. So all the posts of the courtyard were banded with silver.
18The curtain for the entrance to the courtyard was embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen. It was twenty cubits long and, like the curtains of the courtyard, five cubits high,
19with four posts and four bronze bases. Their hooks were silver, as well as the bands and the plating of their tops.
20All the tent pegs for the tabernacle and for the surrounding courtyard were bronze.
WEB World English Bible 2000
9He made the court: for the south side southward the hangings of the court were of fine twined linen, one hundred cubits;
10their pillars were twenty, and their sockets twenty, of bronze; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver.
11For the north side one hundred cubits, their pillars twenty, and their sockets twenty, of bronze; the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets, of silver.
12For the west side were hangings of fifty cubits, their pillars ten, and their sockets ten; the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets, of silver.
13For the east side eastward fifty cubits,
14the hangings for the one side were fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three;
15and so for the other side: on this hand and that hand by the gate of the court were hangings of fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.
16All the hangings around the court were of fine twined linen.
17The sockets for the pillars were of bronze. The hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver. Their capitals were overlaid with silver. All the pillars of the court had silver bands.
18The screen for the gate of the court was the work of the embroiderer, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen. Twenty cubits was the length, and the height along the width was five cubits, like the hangings of the court.
19Their pillars were four, and their sockets four, of bronze; their hooks of silver, and the overlaying of their capitals, and their fillets, of silver.
20All the pins of the tabernacle, and around the court, were of bronze.
KJV King James Version 1769
9And he made the court: on the south side southward the hangings of the court were of fine twined linen, an hundred cubits:
10Their pillars were twenty, and their brasen sockets twenty; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver.
11And for the north side the hangings were an hundred cubits, their pillars were twenty, and their sockets of brass twenty; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver.
12And for the west side were hangings of fifty cubits, their pillars ten, and their sockets ten; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver.
13And for the east side eastward fifty cubits.
14The hangings of the one side of the gate were fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.
15And for the other side of the court gate, on this hand and that hand, were hangings of fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.
16All the hangings of the court round about were of fine twined linen.
17And the sockets for the pillars were of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver; and the overlaying of their chapiters of silver; and all the pillars of the court were filleted with silver.
18And the hanging for the gate of the court was needlework, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: and twenty cubits was the length, and the height in the breadth was five cubits, answerable to the hangings of the court.
19And their pillars were four, and their sockets of brass four; their hooks of silver, and the overlaying of their chapiters and their fillets of silver.
20And all the pins of the tabernacle, and of the court round about, were of brass.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
9And he made the court: for the south side southward the hangings of the court were of fine twined linen, a hundred cubits;
10their pillars were twenty, and their sockets twenty, of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver.
11And for the north side a hundred cubits, their pillars twenty, and their sockets twenty, of brass; the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets, of silver.
12And for the west side were hangings of fifty cubits, their pillars ten, and their sockets ten; the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets, of silver.
13And for the east side eastward fifty cubits.
14The hangings for the one side of the gate were fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three;
15and so for the other side: on this hand and that hand by the gate of the court were hangings of fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.
16All the hangings of the court round about were of fine twined linen.
17And the sockets for the pillars were of brass; the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets, of silver; and the overlaying of their capitals, of silver; and all the pillars of the court were filleted with silver.
18And the screen for the gate of the court was the work of the embroiderer, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: and twenty cubits was the length, and the height in the breadth was five cubits, answerable to the hangings of the court.
19And their pillars were four, and their sockets four, of brass; their hooks of silver, and the overlaying of their capitals, and their fillets, of silver.
20And all the pins of the tabernacle, and of the court round about, were of brass.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
9And he maketh the court; at the south side southward, the hangings of the court of twined linen, a hundred by the cubit,
10their pillars are twenty, and their brazen sockets twenty, the pegs of the pillars and their fillets are silver;
11and at the north side, a hundred by the cubit, their pillars are twenty, and their sockets of brass twenty; the pegs of the pillars and their fillets are silver;
12and at the west side are hangings, fifty by the cubit; their pillars are ten, and their sockets ten; the pegs of the pillars and their fillets are silver;
13and at the east side eastward fifty cubits.
14The hangings on the side are fifteen cubits, their pillars three, and their sockets three,
15and at the second side at the gate of the court, on this and on that, are hangings, fifteen cubits, their pillars three, and their sockets three;
16all the hangings of the court round about are of twined linen,
17and the sockets for the pillars of brass, the pegs of the pillars and their fillets of silver, and the overlaying of their tops of silver, and all the pillars of the court are filleted with silver.
18And the covering of the gate of the court is the work of an embroiderer, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen; and twenty cubits is the length, and the height with the breadth five cubits, over-against the hangings of the court;
19and their pillars are four, and their sockets of brass four, their pegs are of silver, and the overlaying of their tops and their fillets are of silver;
20and all the pins for the tabernacle, and for the court round about, are of brass.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
9And he made the court. On the south side southward, the hangings of the court were of twined byssus, a hundred cubits;
10their pillars twenty, and their bases twenty, of copper; the hooks of the pillars and their connecting-rods of silver.
11And on the north side, a hundred cubits; their pillars twenty, and their bases twenty, of copper; the hooks of the pillars and their connecting-rods of silver.
12And on the west side, hangings of fifty cubits; their pillars ten, and their bases ten; the hooks of the pillars and their connecting-rods of silver.
13And for the east side, eastward, fifty cubits;
14the hangings on the one wing of fifteen cubits, their pillars three, and their bases three;
15and on the other wing, on this side as on that side of the gate of the court, hangings of fifteen cubits, their pillars three, and their bases three.
16All the hangings of the court round about were of twined byssus;
17and the bases of the pillars of copper, the hooks of the pillars and their connecting-rods of silver, and the overlaying of their capitals of silver; and all the pillars of the court were fastened together with [rods of] silver.
18— And the curtain of the gate of the court was of embroidery of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined byssus; and the length was twenty cubits, and the height like the breadth, five cubits, just as the hangings of the court;
19and their pillars four, and their bases four, of copper; their hooks of silver, and the overlaying of their capitals and their connecting-rods of silver.
20And all the pegs for the tabernacle and for the court round about were of copper.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
9He made also the court, in the south side whereof were hangings of fine twisted linen of a hundred cubits.
10Twenty pillars of brass with their sockets, the heads of the pillars, and the whole graving of the work, of silver.
11In like manner at the north side the hangings, the pillars, and the sockets and heads of the pillars were of the same measure, and work and metal.
12But on that side that looketh to the west, there were hangings of fifty cubits, ten pillars of brass with their sockets, and the heads of the pillars, and all the graving of the work, of silver.
13Moreover, towards the east he prepared hangings of fifty cubits:
14Fifteen cubits of which, were on one side with three pillars, and their sockets:
15And on the other side (for between the two he made the entry of the tabernacle) there were hangings equally of fifteen cubits, and three pillars, and as many sockets.
16All the hangings of the court were woven with twisted linen.
17The sockets of the pillars were of brass, and their heads with all their gravings of silver: and he overlaid the pillars of the court also with silver.
18And he made in the entry thereof an embroidered hanging of violet, purple, scarlet, and fine twisted linen, that was twenty cubits long, and five cubits high, according to the measure of all the hangings of the court.
19And the pillars in the entry were four, with sockets of brass, and their heads and gravings of silver.
20The pins also of the tabernacle and of the court round about he made of brass.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Exodus 38:9
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Exodus 38:9-20 reproduces the earlier instructions of Exodus 27:9-19 with notable fidelity. The Cambridge Bible observes the text follows the original “with greater freedom” in verses 16-19, but the details are essentially the same. Gill’s Exposition directs readers back to his comments on the earlier passage, treating the account as a fulfillment report. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown calculates the court as 150 by 75 feet, enclosed by curtains of fine linen about eight feet high, hung on bronze pillars. The repeated emphasis on materials, bronze for sockets, silver for hooks and bands, fine twined linen for the hangings, points to a structure that was both functional and valuable. Matthew Henry and Wesley both see the court as representing the Old Testament church, a garden enclosed. Yet they note the curtains were not a fortress: the enclosure being “curtains only” intimated that the confinement of the church to Israel was temporary, and in due time the tent would be taken down and its cords lengthened for the Gentile world.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Literal fulfillment report: Focuses on the fact that “he made” repeats the blueprint exactly; the passage functions as a record of obedience, not as extended allegory.
- Typological/symbolic reading: Connects the colors (blue=heaven, purple=kingship, scarlet=sacrifice) and the gate (single entrance) to Christ, following the New Testament pattern of Hebrews.
- Ecclesiological reading: Sees the court as a type of the church: bounded yet open to all (Matthew Henry), or as the circle of the faithful (Wesley). The curtains imply a temporary, expanding community.
What is clear: God commanded a specific, orderly arrangement for the tabernacle court, and the construction followed that command exactly. The court was both a physical boundary and a gracious provision — a way for Israel to approach God without being consumed by His holiness.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The symbolic meaning of the court | The court marked a clear separation between the holy sanctuary and the common camp. It defined a space where Israel could meet God. | Some traditions (Reformed, following Matthew Henry and Wesley) see the court as the Old Testament church, an enclosed garden that would expand to include Gentiles. Others (including more allegorical readings) see it as a picture of heaven or of the world under God’s rule. |
| Significance of the materials: bronze vs. silver | Bronze was used for bases and sockets (strong, enduring), silver for hooks and bands (valuable, connecting). Both were necessary; neither could replace the other. | Some interpreters (Wesley, Gill) see silver as a type of redemption (based on the atonement money of Exodus 30). Others read it more practically: silver was abundant and easily worked. The exact theological weight of each metal is a matter of emphasis. |
| The number of pillars and their arrangement | The numbers correspond to the dimensions: 20 on the long sides, 10 on the short sides, 4 at the gate, for a total of 60 pillars. This created a stable, symmetrical enclosure. | A minority of interpreters (some Jewish commentators) assign symbolic numbers (e.g., 20 pillars = the twenty generations from Adam to Abraham). Most Christian commentaries do not press numerical symbolism here, focusing instead on the practical and typological dimensions. |
| The gate screen as a type of Christ | The single gate, embroidered with blue (heavenly), purple (royal), and scarlet (sacrificial), points to the singular way of access to God. | Whether the gate directly prefigures Christ (as John 10:9 and Hebrews 10:19-20 would suggest) or is a more general symbol of God’s provision for entry is debated. The early church and many Protestant commentators read it typologically; others see it as primarily descriptive of Israelite worship. |
| The temporary nature of the court | The court was portable, made of curtains and poles, not a permanent stone wall. This indicated that the tabernacle itself was moveable. | Matthew Henry and Wesley argue that the temporary nature foreshadows the end of the old covenant and the coming of a new, more inclusive worship (John 4:21-24). Others see it simply as a practical necessity for wilderness travel without prophetic intent. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The tabernacle court was the first sacred space a worshipper entered. It stood at the center of the Israelite camp, a visible boundary between the ordinary life of the tribes and the holy presence of God. The court faced east, as Ellicott’s Commentary notes, “the tabernacle and the Temple faced to the east, which was regarded as the front of the world.” The dimensions are precise: 100 cubits (about 150 feet) on the north and south sides, 50 cubits (75 feet) on the east and west, making a rectangle. The hangings of fine twined linen, five cubits (7.5 feet) high, would block the view of the sanctuary from outside but were not high enough to be forbidding. Bronze was used for the sockets and bases, a sturdy metal that could bear weight and withstand weather. Silver was used for the hooks and bands that connected the pillars, perhaps as a sign of redemption (the silver of the sanctuary was collected as a ransom in Exodus 30:12-16). The gate screen was embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet, colors associated with royalty and sacrifice. Even the tent pegs (pins) were bronze (v. 20), showing that every component, even those underground, was intentional.
This courtyard was where the daily sacrifices were offered, where the people assembled for worship. It had to be both accessible and respectful: a place where ordinary Israelites could come yet a clear line was drawn between the profane and the holy.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no major textual variants that affect meaning. The Cambridge Bible draws attention to verse 15, where the phrase “on this hand and that hand by the gate of the court” is a slight expansion not found in Exodus 27:15. This may be a clarifying gloss. In verse 17, the Samaritan Pentateuch has “their hooks of silver” without mentioning the hooks of the pillars separately, easing a mild tautology in the Masoretic Text. None of these variants change the essential content of the passage. The court is consistently described as an enclosure of specified dimensions and materials.
Reception History
Throughout church history, Exodus 38:9-20 has been read both literally and symbolically. The early church, following the pattern of Hebrews 9-10, saw the court as part of the earthly sanctuary that prefigured the heavenly reality. Fathers like Augustine and Gregory of Nyssa allegorized the court: the bronze sockets signified endurance in faith, the silver bands the bond of charity, and the fine linen the purity of the saints. During the Reformation, Matthew Henry and John Wesley emphasized the court as a picture of the visible church, enclosed but not permanent, a place for the people of God to gather. They highlighted that the enclosure was “curtains only,” suggesting the old covenant would give way to a more expansive worship. Jewish commentators (Rashi, Ibn Ezra) focused more on practical dimensions and materials, seeing the court as a necessary boundary for the sacred precincts. In modern scholarship, the historical-critical method treats the passage as a faithful execution of the instructions in Exodus 27, likely composed by the Priestly writer to stress the orderly fulfillment of God’s commands.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God sets boundaries. The court defined whose worship was accepted and where sacred space began. The hangings were not a wall but a curtain, they could be moved, reminding Israel that God’s presence was not confined.
- God provides the way in. The gate, twenty cubits wide and richly embroidered, was the single entrance. It was not a door to be forced; it was a gift to be entered through.
- God notices the small things. Bronze pins, silver bands, linen curtains, each detail mattered. Nothing in worship is too minor for God’s attention.
Five-point outline
- Exact dimensions (vv. 9-13): God’s order reduces chaos. The court’s fixed measurements gave worshippers a shared, stable space.
- Fine linen hangings (v. 16): Sheer but strong, the separation between God and humanity is real but not unbridgeable.
- Bronze sockets and silver hooks (vv. 10, 17): Different metals for different roles, yet all serve one structure. Unity in diversity.
- The gate screen (v. 18): Embroidered with royal colors, entry is costly, beautiful, and gracious.
- All the pins of bronze (v. 20): The smallest, least glamorous part is also made of enduring metal. No job in God’s house is unworthy.
Illustration hooks
- A blueprint for a family home: you measure twice because the rooms need to fit the family. God measured the court to fit His family of worshippers.
- The velvet rope at a museum: it separates but also invites. The court’s hangings said “stop here” and “come in here.”
- Organizing a community meal: someone has to decide where the tables go, how many chairs, where the door opens. Order serves hospitality.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “Does it really matter if we get church details right, colors, furniture, order of service?”
- “If the tabernacle was temporary, why spend so much on materials?”
- “What does the court tell us about how to approach God today?”
Leading a Discussion
This passage can feel like a blueprint. But every number and material is part of a story: God creating a place where His people could meet Him. The court was the first thing an Israelite saw when coming to worship, it set the tone. Talk about what first impressions of worship say about God.
Discussion questions
- What patterns do you notice in the numbers and materials? Why do you think the text repeats them so carefully?
- The hangings were fine linen, but the pins were bronze. What does this combination of beauty and practicality suggest about God’s character?
- The court was an open rectangle, no roof. How might that have shaped the experience of worship compared to a closed building?
- Why is the gate singled out with richer colors (blue, purple, scarlet)? How does that affect the way you think about entering God’s presence?
- In Exodus 38:20, even the tent pegs are bronze, durable, not disposable. What does that teach about how we treat what belongs to God?
- Read Psalm 84:10 (“a day in your courts is better than a thousand”). How does the court of the tabernacle help explain that verse?
- If the court was temporary (eventually taken down), what does that say about our own structures and traditions for worship?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 27:9 | “You shall make the court of the tabernacle: for the south side southward there shall be hangings for the court of fine twined linen one hundred cubits long for one side. |
| Exodus 27:19 | All the instruments of the tabernacle in all its service, and all its pins, and all the pins of the court, shall be of bronze. |
| Exodus 40:8 | You shall set up the court around it, and hang up the screen of the gate of the court. |
| Exodus 40:33 | He raised up the court around the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the screen of the gate of the court. So Moses finished the work. |
| I Kings 6:36 | He built the inner court with three courses of cut stone and a course of cedar beams. |
| Psalms 84:2 | My soul longs, and even faints for the courts of Yahweh. My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. |
| Psalms 84:10 | For a day in your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. |
| Psalms 89:7 | a very awesome God in the council of the holy ones, to be feared above all those who are around him? |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke directs readers to his own earlier notes for fuller explanation of the court and the hooks. He clarifies that the hooks and fillets refer to the capitals and the silver bands that encircled them.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentator observes that verses 16-19 describe the court of the tent of meeting with greater freedom than the original Exodus passage. Details like the pillars' hooks, fillets, and chapiters are added or expanded, showing a later scribe revising the earlier instructions.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes focus entirely on the exact measurements, materials, and arrangement of the tabernacle court. The commentary meticulously records the linen hangings, brass sockets, silver hooks and fillets, and the specific number of pillars for each side, emphasizing that every detail of the structure is precisely accounted for.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that the court of the tabernacle was built exactly as commanded, and he directs readers to his earlier comments on Exodus 27 for the full details of its pillars, sockets, hangings, hooks, and pins. His emphasis is on the faithful correspondence between the construction and the original instructions.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB clarifies that the hooks on the court pillars were used for hanging sacrificial carcasses, while hooks at the tabernacle entry held priestly robes. He also explains "height in the breadth" means the court gate's hangings matched the height of the surrounding curtains, and "chapiters" were wooden posts atop the pillars to support the hooks.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange emphasizes that the people's enthusiastic giving and their careful obedience to every command were not separate acts but one and the same. This obedience, offered through Moses, showed that the covenant order was restored and established again.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry reads the physical boundaries of the court as a deliberate symbol. The hangings enclosed the worship space like a garden, a picture of how Old Testament worshippers were confined to a small compass, limited in their access to God's presence.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley sees the court's curtains as a deliberate sign that the Old Testament church's confinement to one nation was temporary. The tabernacle itself was a moveable, changeable structure, meant to be taken down and folded up when the time came to enlarge the tent for the Gentile world.