Exodus 37:14

Summary

The verse describes the placement of the rings on the table: they were positioned close to the rim, functioning as holders for the poles that were used to carry the table.

Key words

• 'u.Mat ("close to", H5980) — feminine singular construct noun, forming the phrase "close to the rim"; its construct form links it directly to ha.mis.Ge.ret.
• mis.Ge.ret ("rim", H4526) — feminine singular noun denoting the table's border or frame, the reference point for the rings' location.
• ba.Tim ("holders", H1004N) — masculine plural noun, literally "houses," used here to describe the rings' function as receptacles for the poles.
• Set ("carry", H5375H) — qal infinitive of the verb "to lift/carry," expressing the purpose for which the rings and poles exist.
• ha.Yu ("they were", H1961) — qal perfect, third person plural, stating the completed condition of the rings' placement.

What the text says

The Hebrew sentence opens with the prepositional phrase le'umat hammisgeret ("close to the rim"), placing the spatial reference before the subject. This fronting emphasizes location over action: the text first establishes where the rings sit relative to the rim, then names the subject, hattabba'ot ("the rings"), and the verb hayu ("they were"), a qal perfect indicating a completed, established state rather than an ongoing process.

The clause continues with battim labbadim ("holders for the poles"), where battim — literally "houses" — is applied metaphorically to describe the rings' structural role as sockets or fittings for the poles. This apposition clarifies the function of the rings already introduced, without a separate verb, relying on nominal juxtaposition typical of Biblical Hebrew descriptive lists.

Finally, the infinitive clause lase't et-hashulchan ("to carry the table") expresses purpose: the poles inserted into the ring-holders exist so that the table can be transported. The infinitive construction la-Set (from the root H5375) conveys intended action rather than a specific completed event, tying the entire architectural detail to its practical use.

Differences between versions

The Vulgate (contra coronam: misitque in eos vectes, ut possit mensa portari) follows the Hebrew closely, mentioning the border ("coronam"), the insertion of the poles, and the purpose of carrying the table. The Septuagint text supplied here, however, speaks of "all the curtains of the tabernacle, of twisted fine linen," which does not correspond to the Hebrew content of this verse about the table's rings and poles; this reflects a divergence in content between the Hebrew verse and the LXX passage as given, likely due to differing verse/chapter arrangement in the Greek Exodus tabernacle section.