Exodus 35:7 — Word Study
WLCוְעֹרֹ֨ת אֵילִ֧ם מְאָדָּמִ֛ים וְעֹרֹ֥ת תְּחָשִׁ֖ים וַעֲצֵ֥י שִׂטִּֽים׃
BSAramʼayil skinsʻôwr dyed redʼâdam [dyed or tanned, to redden, flushed] and fine leathertachash [or badgers' skins, sealskins] acaciashiṭṭâh woodʻêts [shittim wood, from thorny trees]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וְעֹרֹ֨ת | and hides of | Conjunction, noun common feminine plural construct |
| אֵילִ֧ם | rams | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| מְאָדָּמִ֛ים | dyed red | Verb, Pual, participle (passive) masculine plural |
| וְעֹרֹ֥ת | and hides of | Conjunction, noun common feminine plural construct |
| תְּחָשִׁ֖ים | dolphins | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| וַעֲצֵ֥י | and wood of | Conjunction, noun common masculine plural construct |
| שִׂטִּֽים׃ | acacia | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | ram skins dyed red and fine leather; acacia wood; |
| KJV | And rams’ skins dyed red, and badgers’ skins, and shittim wood, |
| ASV | and rams’ skins dyed red, and sealskins, and acacia wood, |
| YLT | and rams' skins made red, and badgers' skins, and shittim wood, |
| WEB | rams’ skins dyed red, sea cow hides, acacia wood, |
| BBE | And sheepskins coloured red, and leather, and hard wood, |
Where they part company is תְּחָשִׁ֖ים — see How Translations Differ.
The structure lists the materials in a straightforward manner, allowing for clear identification of each component.
6 commentators on this verse
Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott, AdamClarke & more — read them ›
clause
verbאָדֹם
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Exodus 35:7
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Materials for the Tabernaclegenerated
Exodus 35:7 lists various materials required for the construction of the tabernacle, emphasizing the importance of quality in the offerings made to God. This verse is part of a larger section detailing the contributions needed for the tabernacle, which serves as a dwelling place for God among His people.
Cross References
The Key Word — מְאָדָּמִ֛ים, me.'a.da.Mimgenerated
The word אָדֹם ('adam) means to redden, indicating the process of dyeing the ram skins. It is a participle in the Pual form, suggesting that the skins have been dyed red, which signifies their preparation for use in the tabernacle.
This term reflects the care taken in preparing materials for sacred purposes, as seen throughout the instructions for the tabernacle's construction. The use of red dye may also symbolize the importance of the materials in the context of sacrifice and worship.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb is implied in the context, with the phrase structure listing the materials: וְעֹרֹ֨ת אֵילִ֧ם מְאָדָּמִ֛ים (and hides of rams dyed red) followed by additional materials. The Hebrew structure allows for a compact presentation of items, emphasizing their collective importance.
The order of the phrases places the ram skins first, indicating their significance in the offerings, followed by the fine leather and the wood, which are also essential components for the tabernacle.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates מְאָדָּמִ֛ים as ἠρυθροδανωμένα, which means 'dyed red.' This choice highlights the emphasis on the color and preparation of the ram skins, aligning with the Hebrew meaning.
The use of δέρματα for עֹרֹת indicates a direct correspondence in meaning, focusing on the hides being used.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Exodus 35:7 describes the materials needed for the tabernacle, including ram skins dyed red, fine leather, and acacia wood. These materials were important for the construction of a sacred space where God would dwell among His people.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It indicates that the ram skins were specially prepared for use in the tabernacle, highlighting their importance.
Acacia wood is known for its durability and strength, making it suitable for the construction of the tabernacle.
Hides represent the offering of valuable materials to God, symbolizing dedication and reverence.
It emphasizes the careful selection of materials for a holy space, reflecting the seriousness of worship and God's presence.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What do the materials listed in this verse tell us about the nature of worship in ancient Israel?
- How can we apply the principle of offering our best to God in our own lives?
- What significance do you think the color red has in the context of the tabernacle?
- How does understanding the materials used for the tabernacle enhance your appreciation of its purpose?
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Exodus 35:7 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the LORD commanded, saying, No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on Exodus 35 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsExodus 35:7 And rams’ skins dyed red, and badgers’ skins, and shittim wood, Ver. 7.
Read John Trapp on Exodus 35 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English ReadersTHE PEOPLE INVITED TO OFFER THE OF THE , AND TO ASSIST IN THE WORK.(4-9) And Moses spake.—This passage is the sequence and counterpart of Exo 25:1-7, and follows exactly the same order in the enumeration of the required offerings. Both passages equally declare the sine quâ non of an acceptable offering to be “a willing heart” (Exodus 25:2; Exodus 35:5).
Read Charles John Ellicott on Exodus 35 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 7. Rams' skins, &c.] See Exodus 25:5.
Read AdamClarke on Exodus 35 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges7. sealskins] dugong skins (Exodus 25:5). So v. 23.
Read Cambridge on Exodus 35 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the BibleTHE FOR THE , Exodus 35:4-29. 5-9. An offering — See notes on Exodus 25:2-7.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Exodus 35 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
ram skins dyed red and fine leather; acacia wood;
rams’ skins dyed red, sea cow hides, acacia wood,
ram skins dyed red and fine leather; acacia wood;
ram skins dyed red, fine leather, acacia wood,
Tyndale line
And rams’ skins dyed red, and badgers’ skins, and shittim wood,
and rams’ skins dyed red, and sealskins, and acacia wood,
and rams’ skins dyed red, and sealskins, and acacia wood;
And rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, and shittim wood,
And rams skins died red, and badgers skins with Shittim wood:
Strictly literal
and rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, and acacia-wood,
and rams' skins made red, and badgers' skins, and shittim wood,
and rams’ skins made red, and tachashim skins, and shittim wood,
And rams' skills dyed red, and badgers' skins, and shittim wood,
ram skins dyed red and sea cow hides; acacia wood;
From the Latin
And rams’ skins dyed red, and violet coloured skins, setim wood,
Simplified
tanned ram skins and fine leather; acacia wood;
And sheepskins coloured red, and leather, and hard wood,
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text (MT) reads "וְעֹרֹ֨ת אֵילִ֧ם מְאָדָּמִ֛ים וְעֹרֹ֥ת תְּחָשִׁ֖ים וַעֲצֵ֥י שִׂטִּֽים׃" which translates to "ram skins dyed red and fine leather; acacia wood;" The Septuagint (LXX) agrees with the MT in content, matching all seven words, although it presents them in a different order and structure. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs from the MT in that it uses the term "ועורת" (skin) instead of "עור" (skin) and has variations in the words for "ram" and "acacia". Overall, while the LXX aligns closely with the MT, the Samaritan Pentateuch shows some notable differences in wording, particularly with the terms for skins and the type of wood. This highlights the textual variations that exist among ancient witnesses of this verse.
וְעֹרֹ֨ת אֵילִ֧ם מְאָדָּמִ֛ים וְעֹרֹ֥ת תְּחָשִׁ֖ים וַעֲצֵ֥י שִׂטִּֽים׃
7 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
ועורת אילים מאדמים ועורת תחשׁים ועצי שׁטים
4 words differ from the Masoretic Text: עורת (skin), אילים (ram, despot), עורת (skin), שׁטים (acacia)
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Exodus 35:7
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
עוֹר (owr) means skin or hide, specifically referring to the skin of humans and the hides of animals. It is derived from a root that implies nakedness. The term appears frequently in the Old Testament, with 55 occurrences related to human skin and 44 to animal hides.
עוֹר 99 n.m. skin
of men (55 t.)
hide of animals (44 t.)
base
H5785 עוֹר skin . of men (55 t.)
. hide of men (44 t.)
5785 `owr ore
from 5783; skin (as naked); by implication, hide,
leather:--hide, leather, skin.
see HEBREW for 05783
עוֹר (or) — skin.
1) skin, hide
1a) skin (of men)
1b) hide (of animals)
Conj | N-mp — Conjunction · noun common feminine plural constructHC/Ncfpc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
אַ֫יִל (ayil) encompasses several meanings, including 'ram,' 'projecting pillar or pilaster,' 'leader or chief,' and 'terebinth.' It is derived from a root meaning strength, suggesting a connection to might and support. The term appears in various contexts, reflecting its diverse applications in the Old Testament.
אַ֫יִל 156 n.m. ram (as leader of flock)
base
אַ֫יִל n.[m.] projecting pillar or pilaster
base
[אַ֫יִל ?] n.m. leader, chief
base
[אַ֫יִל ?] n.m. terebinth
base
H352a אַ֫יִל ram H352b אַ֫יִל projecting pillar or pilaster H352c אַ֫יִל leader, chief H352d אַ֫יִל terebinth
352 'ayil ah'-yil
from the same as 193; properly, strength; hence, anything
strong; specifically a chief (politically); also a ram (from
his strength); a pilaster (as a strong support); an oak or
other strong tree:--mighty (man), lintel, oak, post, ram,
tree.
see HEBREW for 0193
אַ֫יִל (a.yil) — ram.
1) ram
1a) ram (as food)
1b) ram (as sacrifice)
1c) ram (skin dyed red, for tabernacle)
אַ֫יִל (a.yil) — pillar.
pillar, door post, jambs, pilaster
אַ֫יִל (a.yil) — leader.
strong man, leader, chief
אַ֫יִל (a.yil) — terebinth.
mighty tree, terebinth
Aramaic equivalent: i.lan (אִילָן "tree" H0363)
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
The Hebrew word אָדֹם (*'adam*) means 'to be red' and encompasses various forms of redness, such as flushing or turning rosy. It includes uses in different verbal stems, indicating actions like reddening, being dyed red, or showing redness. The entries highlight its application to individuals, such as Nazirites, who are described as ruddy.
[אָדֹם, אָדֵם] vb. be red
Qal ruddy, of Nazirites
Pu. Pt. reddened, dyed red
Hithp. Impf. redden, grow or look red
Hiph. Impf. emit (show) redness
base
H119 אָדֹם, אָדֵם be red
119 'adam aw-dam'
to show blood (in the face), i.e. flush or turn rosy:--be
(dyed, made) red (ruddy).
אָדֹם (a.dam) — to redden.
1) to be red, red
1a) (Qal) ruddy (of Nazarites)
1b) (Pual)
1b1) to be rubbed red
1b2) dyed red
1b3) reddened
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to cause to show red
1c2) to glare
1c3) to emit (show) redness
1d) (Hithpael)
1d1) to redden
1d2) to grow red
1d3) to look red
V-Pual-Inf-c — Verb · Pual · participle (passive) masculine pluralHVPsmpa
עוֹר (owr) means skin or hide, specifically referring to the skin of humans and the hides of animals. It is derived from a root that implies nakedness. The term appears frequently in the Old Testament, with 55 occurrences related to human skin and 44 to animal hides.
עוֹר 99 n.m. skin
of men (55 t.)
hide of animals (44 t.)
base
H5785 עוֹר skin . of men (55 t.)
. hide of men (44 t.)
5785 `owr ore
from 5783; skin (as naked); by implication, hide,
leather:--hide, leather, skin.
see HEBREW for 05783
עוֹר (or) — skin.
1) skin, hide
1a) skin (of men)
1b) hide (of animals)
HC/Ncfpc — Conjunction · noun common feminine plural constructHC/Ncfpc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
תַּ֫חַשׁ (tachash) refers to a type of leather or skin, possibly from a clean animal like a badger or an extinct species. The entries suggest it may also denote the animal that produces this leather. There is some uncertainty about the specific animal associated with this term.
תַּ֫חַשׁ n.m. taḫaš, a kind of leather or skin, and perh. the animal yielding it
base
H8476 תַּ֫חַשׁ a kind of leather or skin, and perh. the animal yielding it
8476 tachash takh'-ash
probably of foreign derivation; a (clean) animal with fur,
probably a species of antelope:--badger.
תַּ֫חַשׁ (ta.chash) — leather.
1) a kind of leather, skin, or animal hide
1a) perhaps the animal yielding the skin
1a1) perhaps the badger or dugong, dolphin, or sheep, or a now extinct animal
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
עֵץ (ets) refers to a tree or wood, encompassing various forms such as timber, sticks, and planks. It can denote both singular and plural trees, as well as specific uses like gallows and firewood. The word is derived from a root meaning firmness, indicating its solid nature.
עֵץ 329 n.m. tree, trees, wood
(c. 150 t.)
a standing tree
coll. trees
(c. 175 t.; c. 120 t. pl., to denote pieces [or articles] of wood)
base
H6086 עֵץ tree, trees, wood . (c. 150 t.) . a standing tree
. coll. trees
. (c. 175 t.; c. 120 t. pl., to denote pieces [or articles] of wood)
6086 `ets ates
from 6095; a tree (from its firmness); hence, wood (plural
sticks):--+ carpenter, gallows, helve, + pine, plank, staff,
stalk, stick, stock, timber, tree, wood.
see HEBREW for 06095
עֵץ (ets) — tree: wood.
: wood
1) tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows
1a) tree, trees
1b) wood, pieces of wood, gallows, firewood, cedar-wood, woody flax
עֵץ (ets) — tree.
: tree
1) tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows
1a) tree, trees
1b) wood, pieces of wood, gallows, firewood, cedar-wood, woody flax
עֵץ (ets) — tree: stick.
: stick/log
1) tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows
1a) tree, trees
1b) wood, pieces of wood, gallows, firewood, cedar-wood, woody flax
עֵץ (ets) — tree: stake.
: stake/shaft
1) tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows
1a) tree, trees
1b) wood, pieces of wood, gallows, firewood, cedar-wood, woody flax
עֵץ (ets) — tree: carpenter.
: carpenter/wood(worker)
1) tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows
1a) tree, trees
Conj | N-mp — Conjunction · noun common masculine plural constructHC/Ncmpc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
שִׁטָּה (shittah) refers to the acacia tree and its wood. It is a feminine noun, primarily appearing in the plural form שִׁטִּים (shittim), which denotes sticks of wood. The entries consistently identify this word with the acacia, known for its thorns.
שִׁטָּה 27 n.f. acacia, tree and wood
base
H7848 שִׁטָּה acacia, tree and wood
7848 shittah shit-taw'
feminine of a derivative (only in the plural shittiym
{shit-teem'}; meaning the sticks of wood) from the same as
7850; the acacia (from its scourging thorns):--shittah,
shittim. See also 1029.
see HEBREW for 07850
see HEBREW for 01029
שִׁטָּה (shit.tah) — acacia.
acacia tree, acacia wood
N-fp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
a-ka'-sha (shiTTah, the shittah tree of the King James Version, Isa 41:19, and `atse-shiTTah, acacia wood; shittah wood the King James Version, Ex 25:5,10,13; 26:15,26; 27:1,6; De 10:3.): ShiTTah (= shinTah) is equivalent to the Arabic sant which is now the name of the Acacia Nilotica (NO, Leguminosae), but no doubt the name once included other species of desert acacias. If one particular species is indicated in the Old Testament it is probably the Acacia Seyal--the Arabic Seyyal--which yields the well-known gum- arabic This tree, which has finely leaves ular flowers, grows to a height of twenty feet or more, and its stem may sometimes reach two feet in thickness. The tree often assumes a characteristic umbrella-like form. The…
Acacia
(Heb. shittim) Ex. 25:5, R.V. probably the Acacia seyal (the gum-arabic tree); called the “shittah” tree (Isa. 41:19). Its wood is called shittim wood (Ex. 26:15,26; 25:10,13,23,28, etc.). This species (A. seyal) is like the hawthorn, a gnarled and thorny tree. It yields the gum-arabic of commerce. It is found in abundance in the Sinaitic peninsula.