Exodus 26:15 (KJV)

What does Exodus 26:15 mean?

Exodus 26:15 gives God’s instruction to Moses to make upright boards out of shittim wood for the tabernacle. These boards would form the main framework or structure of the portable sanctuary Israel used during their journey in the wilderness.

In this verse, God is speaking directly to Moses on Mount Sinai, giving detailed directions for building the tabernacle—a sacred tent where God’s presence would dwell among the Israelites. The boards made from shittim wood (often understood as acacia wood) were to stand upright, forming the walls of the tabernacle and providing its basic shape and support.

The Hebrew behind Exodus 26:15

• "boards" (קֶרֶשׁ, qeresh): This word refers to planks or beams, not just thin boards. It highlights that these were substantial pieces of wood, meant to be sturdy enough to support the structure.
• "tabernacle" (מִשְׁכָּן, mishkan): This term means "dwelling place" or "residence," emphasizing that the tabernacle was meant to be where God’s presence would reside among the people.
• "shittim" (שִׁטָּה, shittim): This is the Hebrew word for acacia, a tough, durable wood common in the Sinai region. Its use here suggests the boards were meant to last and withstand travel.
• "standing up" (עֹמֵד, omed): This phrase means the boards were to be set upright, not laid flat, showing their purpose as vertical supports for the tabernacle’s walls.

Why Exodus 26:15 matters

• Exodus 26:15 shows the careful, detailed way God instructed the Israelites to build the tabernacle, emphasizing the importance of every part of its construction.
• The use of shittim (acacia) wood points to the practical and symbolic choices in the materials, as acacia was both available and highly durable, suitable for a mobile sanctuary.
• This verse connects to the wider passage by marking the shift from instructions about the coverings of the tabernacle to the actual framework, helping the reader picture how the sacred tent was physically put together.