Exodus 36:28

Summary

The verse states that two additional qerashim ("frames", H7175) were made for the corner sections of the tabernacle structure, specifically at the rear or innermost part of the building. The sentence describes a specific carpentry detail in the construction of the tabernacle's wooden framework.

Key words

• she.nei ("two of...", H8147) — dual cardinal number in construct state, linking directly to the noun that follows ("two of frames").
• qerashim ("frames", H7175) — masculine plural noun, referring to the vertical wooden boards forming the tabernacle's walls.
• asah ("he made", H6213) — qal perfect, third person masculine singular; denotes a completed action performed by an unnamed subject (contextually Bezalel, per the surrounding narrative).
• mequtsa'ot ("corners of", H4742) — pual (intensive passive) participle, feminine plural construct; the passive form suggests these corners are shaped or cut, and the construct state ties it to "the tabernacle."
• yarkatayim ("innermost parts", H3411) — feminine dual noun, indicating a paired or twofold rear/back section of the structure.

What the text says

The Hebrew sentence opens with a construct chain: she.nei qerashim ("two of frames"), where the dual numeral she.nei (H8147) governs the plural noun qerashim (H7175) in a genitive-like relationship. The verb asah (H6213), a qal perfect, indicates a completed action with an implied subject carried over from the surrounding verses describing the tabernacle's construction.

The phrase li-mequtsa'ot ha-mishkan ("for the corners of the tabernacle") uses the preposition li (H9005) to indicate purpose, followed by the pual participle mequtsa'ot (H4742) in construct with ha-mishkan (H4908, "the tabernacle"). The passive participle form implies that these corners are a fixed architectural feature being addressed, rather than the frames themselves being described as "cut" — the participle modifies the corners, not the frames.

The final word, ba-yarkatayim (H3411), is a feminine dual noun meaning "innermost parts" or "rear parts," here in dual form, suggesting two paired back corners. This dual form pairs grammatically with the earlier she.nei ("two"), reinforcing that the sentence describes frames for two specific rear corner positions.

Differences between versions

The Greek text provided (LXXSWETE) describes making two gold rings and placing them on the shoulder straps of the ephod — content that does not correspond to the Hebrew verse's description of frames for the tabernacle's rear corners. This reflects a difference in versification between the Hebrew and Greek textual traditions of Exodus 35–40, where material is arranged in a different order. The Vulgate ("et duas alias per singulos angulos tabernaculi retro" — "and two others for each corner of the tabernacle behind") aligns closely with the Hebrew content regarding frames and rear corners.