“You shall make bars of acacia wood, five for the frames of the one side of the tabernacle,
English Standard Version (ESV)
These bars, made of acacia wood and overlaid with gold, weren't just structural supports; they represent how God's presence is held together and made firm, even amidst the imperfections of His people. The fact that there were five bars for each side is significant, as five often symbolizes grace or divine provision, suggesting God's active strength is what holds His dwelling place, and by extension, His people, together.
“You shall make bars of acacia wood, five for the frames of the one side of the tabernacle,
English Standard Version (ESV)
God is meticulously detailing the construction of the Tabernacle, moving from the inner curtains to the foundational boards. After describing how the solid acacia wood panels would stand together to form the walls, He now instructs Moses on how to add horizontal bars made of the same wood. These bars, fitted into gold rings, would secure the boards, ensuring the entire structure remained stable and tightly bound, especially as it would be moved from place to place.
Imagine the Tabernacle – a sacred space, a dwelling for God. What kept its intricate structure from falling apart?
The Tabernacle wasn't just beautiful curtains; it was a marvel of engineering for its time. The acacia wood boards, standing upright, formed the walls. To ensure these boards remained firm and connected, especially under the weight of the coverings and in preparation for travel, five sturdy bars of acacia wood were used for each side. These bars ran horizontally, fitting into gold rings attached to the boards. The middle bar was particularly significant, running the full length of the structure from end to end. This suggests a strong, unified framework, preventing any gaps and providing essential stability. It’s a picture of how foundational elements, though perhaps not always the most visible, are crucial for the integrity of the whole.
Why acacia wood? And why gold rings? These materials tell us something about how God’s presence was to be approached.
The Tabernacle's construction used specific materials, each with significance. The 'shittim wood,' translated as acacia wood, was durable and readily available in the wilderness. However, it was always overlaid with gold. In this verse, the bars of acacia wood fit into gold rings. This combination is powerful: gold represents God's divine glory and His unapproachable holiness, while the wood signifies the human, earthly element. The gold rings, connecting the sturdy wooden bars, point to the way God's presence was mediated to humanity. It wasn't a direct, unfiltered encounter, but a sacred structure, divinely designed, where His glory was made accessible through appointed means.
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Understand the original words
shittim · Hebrew Noun
A type of wood found in the Sinai desert, noted for its durability and resistance to decay, often used in the construction of the sacred furniture and structures of the Tabernacle. It symbolizes the humanity and endurance of Christ in his mediatorial work.
mishkan · Hebrew Noun
The portable sanctuary where God dwelt among His people Israel. It represents the meeting place between the holy God and sinful humanity, foreshadowing the Incarnation of Christ, who "tabernacled" among us.
This passage describes the first tabernacle and its furnishings, including the Ark and altar, providing a conceptual parallel to the structural elements described in Exodus.
1 Corinthians 3:16Paul uses the analogy of a building to describe believers as the temple of God, connecting the physical structure of the tabernacle to the spiritual reality of the church.
Ephesians 2:20-21This passage speaks of the church being built together on the foundation of apostles and prophets with Christ as the cornerstone, reflecting the structural integrity and costly materials of the tabernacle.
John 1:14The Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us ('tabernacling') offers a profound theological link, suggesting the physical tabernacle was a foreshadowing of God's presence in human form.
gillExodus 26:26: "And thou shalt make bars of shittim wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle,"
And thou shalt make bars of shittim wood, Which being put into rings or staples of gold, kept the boards tight, close, and firm together: five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle: for instance, the south side; four of these were placed, two at the upper end of the boards, and two at the lower end, and the fifth in the middle, particularly taken notice of, Exodus 26:28,…
cambridgeExodus 26:26: "And thou shalt make bars of shittim wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle,"
26–29 . The bars . Five gilt bars of acacia wood, attached to the frames by gold rings, are to run horizontally along the two sides and the back of the Dwelling, to keep the frames in their places. The middle bar in each case ran from end to end: the other bars, it may be inferred, were shorter, perhaps arranged as is here shewn: It is not stated whether the bars were to be outside o…
These bars, made of acacia wood and overlaid with gold, weren't just structural supports; they represent how God's presence is held together and made firm, even amidst the imperfections of His people. The fact that there were five bars for each side is significant, as five often symbolizes grace or divine provision, suggesting God's active strength is what holds His dwelling place, and by extension, His people, together.
God is meticulously detailing the construction of the Tabernacle, moving from the inner curtains to the foundational boards. After describing how the solid acacia wood panels would stand together to form the walls, He now instructs Moses on how to add horizontal bars made of the same wood. These bars, fitted into gold rings, would secure the boards, ensuring the entire structure remained stable and tightly bound, especially as it would be moved from place to place.
God is meticulously detailing the construction of the Tabernacle, moving from the inner curtains to the foundational boards. After describing how the solid acacia wood panels would stand together to form the walls, He now instructs Moses on how to add horizontal bars made of the same wood. These bars, fitted into gold rings, would secure the boards, ensuring the entire structure remained stable and tightly bound, especially as it would be moved from place to place.
"“You shall make bars of acacia wood, five for the frames of the one side of the tabernacle," — These bars, made of acacia wood and overlaid with gold, weren't just structural supports; they represent how God's presence is held together and made firm, even amidst the imperfections of His people…
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Last reviewed October 2026