Exodus 27:9

The Courtyard

27:9 “You are to make the courtyard ¹  of the tabernacle. For the south side ²  there are to be hangings ³  for the courtyard of fine twisted linen, one hundred fifty feet long for one side, ⁴ 

Exodus 27:12

27:12 The width of the court on the west side is to be seventy-five feet with hangings, with their ten posts and their ten bases.

Exodus 27:19

27:19 All ⁵  the utensils of the tabernacle used ⁶  in all its service, all its tent pegs, and all the tent pegs of the courtyard are to be made of bronze. ⁷ 

Exodus 40:33

40:33 And he set up the courtyard around the tabernacle and the altar, and put the curtain at the gate of the courtyard. So Moses finished the work.

[27:9]  ¹ tn Or “enclosure” (TEV).

[27:9]  ² tn Heb “south side southward.”

[27:9]  ³ tn Or “curtains.”

[27:9]  ⁴ sn The entire courtyard of 150 feet by 75 feet was to be enclosed by a curtain wall held up with posts in bases. All these hangings were kept in place by a cord and tent pegs.

[27:19]  ⁵ tn Heb “to all”; for use of the preposition lamed (ל) to show inclusion (all belonging to) see GKC 458 §143.e.

[27:19]  ⁶ tn Here “used” has been supplied.

[27:19]  ⁷ sn The tabernacle is an important aspect of OT theology. The writer’s pattern so far has been: ark, table, lamp, and then their container (the tabernacle); then the altar and its container (the courtyard). The courtyard is the place of worship where the people could gather – they entered God’s courts. Though the courtyard may not seem of much interest to current readers, it did interest the Israelites. Here the sacrifices were made, the choirs sang, the believers offered their praises, they had their sins forgiven, they came to pray, they appeared on the holy days, and they heard from God. It was sacred because God met them there; they left the “world” (figuratively speaking) and came into the very presence of God.