Exodus 36:8

“And all the wise of heart among those who did the work made the dwelling with ten curtains of twisted fine linen and blue and purple and scarlet, with cherubim, the work of a skilled craftsman, he made them.”

Exodus 36:8 · direct translation from the Hebrew
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8

Exodus 36:8, word by word

the wiseחֲכַםchacham

skilled

Skilled at a craft.

Where else “chacham” appears
of heartלֵבlev

mind

The mind: "lacking heart" means foolish.

Where else “lev” appears
among those who didעֹשֵׂיose

do

To carry out an act or to deal with someone in a certain way, for good or ill.

Where else “ose” appears
the workמְּלָאכָהmelacha

work

The work one does or is assigned: building, serving, tending.

Where else “melacha” appears
the dwellingמִּשְׁכָּןmishkan

dwelling

The holy tent where YHWH lived among Israel.

Where else “mishkan” appears
with tenעֶשֶׂרeser

ten

Ten.

Where else “eser” appears
curtainsיְרִיעֹתyeriot

curtain

Curtain: a large piece of cloth or of goats' hair from which a tent is made.

Where else “yeriot” appears
of twistedמָשְׁזָרmashzar

twisted

Twist threads together to make a stronger one; "fine twisted linen".

Where else “mashzar” appears
fine linenשֵׁשׁshesh

fine linen

Delicate white flax cloth.

Where else “shesh” appears
and blueתְכֵלֶתtechelet

violet-blue

Thread or cloth dyed violet-blue, a very costly dye.

Where else “techelet” appears
and purpleאַרְגָּמָןargaman

purple

Thread or cloth dyed purple, a costly dark red.

Where else “argaman” appears
and scarletתוֹלַעַתtolaat

scarlet

Bright red dye from a worm, or thread of that color.

Where else “tolaat” appears
and scarletשָׁנִיshani

scarlet

Scarlet, crimson; thread dyed that color.

Where else “shani” appears
with cherubimכְּרֻבִיםkeruvim

cherub

Cherub(im): heavenly beings who in the Bible appear near God's presence and guarding what is holy, such as the way to the tree of life and the place above the ark of the covenant. They are not the "little angels" of paintings.

Where else “keruvim” appears
the workמַעֲשֵׂהmaase

labor

What one does each day to earn a living: his work, his trade.

Where else “maase” appears
of a skilled craftsmanחֹשֵׁבchoshev

devise

To devise a plan or a design, good or bad.

Where else “choshev” appears

Translation note

The construction follows what was commanded in Exodus 26. Already at the end of this verse the Hebrew changes to the singular, “he made,” and continues so; it can be understood to refer to Bezalel, whom 37:1 names.

The context

7For the material was enough for all the work to do it, and more.

8 · This verse (above)

9The length of each curtain was twenty-eight cubits, and the width four cubits for each curtain; one measure for all the curtains.

Read all of Exodus 36

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