Exodus 38:9-20 Meaning: The Court of the Tabernacle
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Meaning in one sentence
Exodus 38:9-20 gives exact measurements for the tabernacle court. Discover why God's detailed instructions matter for worship today.
Context
Exodus 38 records the fulfillment of what God commanded in Exodus 27. Bezalel and the craftsmen are building every part of the tabernacle. This passage describes the outer court, the large rectangular space that surrounded the sacred tent. The court was enclosed by curtains of fine linen hung on bronze pillars with silver hooks and bands. On the east side, a screen of blue, purple and scarlet yarn formed the gate. Everything here was made exactly as God had instructed. This was not random. Every cubit and every material was chosen to create a space where the people could gather in God's presence, but also where they were reminded of His holiness. The court was the boundary between the ordinary world and the holy place of meeting.
Key Words
The Hebrew word for 'court' is chatser, an enclosed space that also means a village settlement. So the court was not just a fence; it was a gathering place, the people's side of the sanctuary. The fabric of the court is described as shesh mashzar (fine twined linen). Twisted, strong, pure white. White linen speaks of purity and holiness. The priests wore it, and now the whole surrounding wall was made of it. The silver, kesef, is the metal of redemption. Silver hooks held the curtains, silver bands connected the pillars. Every detail of this court was designed to remind Israel that they stood in a redeemed place, held together by God’s provision. The court was beautiful and purposeful, a space prepared for meeting God.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across the centuries have seen the court as a picture of the church. Matthew Henry noted that the linen curtains formed a wall, but it was made of fabric, not stone. This taught that the Old Testament enclosure was temporary, pointing ahead to a wider gathering. Wesley observed that the court was open to the sky, suggesting the coming freedom of the gospel. In Catholic tradition, the court mirrors the courtyard of the Temple, a place of preparation before entering the holy space. Both emphasize that God provided a way for His people to draw near, though they differ on how this connects to sacraments. All agree that the gate, with its rich colours, pointed to Christ, the one way to the Father.
A common misunderstanding
Many readers skip these verses as dull lists. In fact, the precision shows that God cares how we approach Him. He is not vague about worship. Every measurement created a space that was both welcoming and holy. The details are not dead paperwork; they are a gift, showing that God prepares a place for His people to meet Him.
Living This Out
This week, you might feel that some parts of your life are just details, not worth God’s notice. But the court of the tabernacle says otherwise. God measured the curtains and counted the pillars. He cares about the small things that make a space ready for meeting Him. You can bring your ordinary tasks to God, knowing He is the one who prepares a place for you. And the gate of the court is open. You are welcome to come.
Main takeaway: God prepares a place for His people to meet Him, and He cares about every detail that makes that meeting possible.
For Families
For ages 5-8
God told His people to build a special tent with a court around it. The court was like a big yard with white linen walls and a beautiful gate. God wanted a place where everyone could come and be near Him.
For ages 9-12
This passage lists exact lengths and metals for the tabernacle court. Why does the Bible include all these numbers? Because God wanted His people to learn that He pays attention to details. When we worship God, we can bring our best and trust that He cares about everything we do. The court was where the people gathered, and we still gather together to meet God today.
Questions People Ask
What was the court of the tabernacle?
The court was an open rectangular area surrounding the tabernacle tent. It was enclosed by linen curtains on bronze pillars. The court was about 150 feet long and 75 feet wide. It was the place where the people of Israel could gather to worship and bring their offerings.
Why does Exodus 38 give so many measurements?
The measurements show that God gave specific instructions for how the tabernacle should be built. This teaches that worship is not left to human imagination. God has a pattern for approaching Him. It also shows that God cares about order and beauty. Every cubit and material had meaning.
What was the gate of the court like?
The gate was a screen twenty cubits wide, embroidered with blue, purple and scarlet yarn. It was the only entrance to the court. The colours and fine linen matched the inner curtains of the tabernacle, teaching that even the entrance to God's presence was beautiful and costly.
What does the court teach Christians today?
The court represents the invitation to draw near to God. Through Christ, we enter into God's presence with confidence. The detailed instructions remind us that God is holy and we come on His terms. But the open gate shows His welcome. The court is a picture of the church, the community of believers gathered for worship.
Why were the sockets bronze and the hooks silver?
Bronze in the Old Testament often symbolizes judgment or strength. The sockets held the pillars firmly. Silver symbolizes redemption. The hooks and bands were silver, connecting the pillars. Together, they show that the court rests on God's holiness and is held together by His redemption.
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