And for the rear of the tabernacle westward you shall make six frames.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The phrase "westward" is a later interpretation based on the land of Canaan; in its original sense, it means "seaward," referring to the direction of the Great Sea. This detail subtly highlights how the design and language of the Tabernacle itself evolved, reflecting the Israelites' journey and their settled life in a new land.
And for the rear of the tabernacle westward you shall make six frames.
English Standard Version (ESV)
God is directing Moses to construct the Tabernacle, the portable sanctuary that would represent His presence among the Israelites. After detailing the construction of the north and south walls, this passage focuses on the west end, specifying the number of frames needed to complete that section of the structure. The instructions continue to build upon the detailed blueprint God provided for this sacred dwelling.
Ever notice how directions can feel different in ancient cultures? The text says 'westward,' but some ancient readers understood it as 'the back.' What's going on here?
The instruction for the western side of the Tabernacle uses the word that literally means 'seaward.'
Directional Shifts
We've heard about the longer sides, but what about the end? This verse tells us about the frames for the back of the Tabernacle.
The Tabernacle wasn't just long walls; it had a distinct back. This section details how that part was constructed.
Building the Ends
Ask a follow-up
The Tabernacle was a place for God to dwell among His people. What does its construction tell us about that divine dwelling?
The detailed instructions for building the Tabernacle, including the frames for its rear, reveal God's desire for a sacred, stable dwelling place.
A Dwelling of Value
Understand the original words
mishkan · Hebrew Noun
A term denoting the temporary, portable sanctuary where God dwelt among Israel; it was the site of the meeting between God and His people, signifying His presence and holiness.
This passage directly reiterates the instruction for the six boards at the west end of the tabernacle, reinforcing its structural importance in the overall design.
1 Kings 6:15This verse describes the construction of Solomon's temple, which mirrors the tabernacle's structure by also using wooden boards for its inner walls, showing a continuity in how God's dwelling places were built.
1 Corinthians 3:16This New Testament passage speaks of believers as the temple of God, built together with boards, offering a spiritual parallel to the physical construction of the tabernacle's walls.
Ephesians 2:20-21This passage extends the temple metaphor, describing the church as built upon the foundation of apostles and prophets, with Christ as the cornerstone, illustrating how God's dwelling is formed through spiritual structure and unity.
cambridgeExodus 26:22: "And for the sides of the tabernacle westward thou shalt make six boards."
22 . westward ] lit. sea - ward. Sea (i.e. the Medit. sea) is in Heb. the regular word for ‘west’; and the usage, like that of négeb in v. 18 in the sense of ‘south,’ could only have arisen after Israel had been long settled in Canaan. So Exodus 10:19 ; Exodus 10:27 ; Exodus 27:12 ; Exodus 36:27 ; Exodus 36:32 ; Exodus 38:12 . The twenty frames for the sides of the Dwelling made up its entire length of 30 c…
calvinExodus 26:1-37: "Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them."
And thou shalt make loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling; and likewise shalt thou make in the uttermost edge of another curtain, in the coupling of the second.
Facies quoque, laqueolos hya cinthinos in ora cortinae unius in extremo in conjunetione: et sic facies…
The phrase "westward" is a later interpretation based on the land of Canaan; in its original sense, it means "seaward," referring to the direction of the Great Sea. This detail subtly highlights how the design and language of the Tabernacle itself evolved, reflecting the Israelites' journey and their settled life in a new land.
God is directing Moses to construct the Tabernacle, the portable sanctuary that would represent His presence among the Israelites. After detailing the construction of the north and south walls, this passage focuses on the west end, specifying the number of frames needed to complete that section of the structure. The instructions continue to build upon the detailed blueprint God provided for this sacred dwelling.
God is directing Moses to construct the Tabernacle, the portable sanctuary that would represent His presence among the Israelites. After detailing the construction of the north and south walls, this passage focuses on the west end, specifying the number of frames needed to complete that section of the structure. The instructions continue to build upon the detailed blueprint God provided for this sacred dwelling.
"And for the rear of the tabernacle westward you shall make six frames." — The phrase "westward" is a later interpretation based on the land of Canaan; in its original sense, it means "seaward," referring to the direction of the Great Sea. This detail subtly highlights how…
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Last reviewed October 2026