Hebrew word · H7050
קֶ֫לַע
kela'
curtain
Hangings, screen-curtains. This is the only use of this second sense of qela'; the same spelling also means "sling" (as in David's sling, 1 Sam 17:40).
Appears 22 times in 22 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·
What it means
curtain, drape, hanging
Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).
In depth
- Range of meaning
Hangings, screen-curtains. This is the only use of this second sense of qela'; the same spelling also means "sling" (as in David's sling, 1 Sam 17:40). It is used only for the cloth walls of the tabernacle court (Exod 27, 35, 38, 39; Num 3–4) and once for leaves of carved doors in the Temple (1 Kgs 6:34, a different related form).
- Against the English
"Hangings" (KJV, ESV, NASB) fits better than "curtains" (BSB, NIV, NLT). To modern readers curtains are drapes over windows. These were free-standing fabric walls stretched between posts.
- Used elsewhere in the period
Numbers 3:26 and 4:26 assign the Gershonite Levites to carry "the hangings of the court" when the camp moved, which confirms they were portable panels. The Septuagint uses histia ("sails, woven sheets").
Where it appears
Exodus · 13
-
Exodus 27:9 קְלָעִ֨ים curtains
You are also to make a courtyard for the tabernacle. On the south side of the courtyard make curtains of finely spun linen, a hundred cubits long on one side,
Here: Lengths of cloth hung between posts to make a screen-wall about five cubits (about 2.3 m) high (27:18). The plural suggests panels.
-
Exodus 27:11 קְלָעִ֖ים curtains
Likewise there are to be curtains on the north side, a hundred cubits long, with twenty posts and twenty bronze bases, and with silver hooks and bands on the posts.
-
Exodus 27:12 קְלָעִ֖ים curtains
The curtains on the west side of the courtyard shall be fifty cubits wide, with ten posts and ten bases.
-
Exodus 27:14 קְלָעִ֖ים curtains
Make the curtains on one side fifteen cubits long, with three posts and three bases,
-
Exodus 27:15 קְלָעִ֑ים curtains
and the curtains on the other side fifteen cubits long, with three posts and three bases.
-
Exodus 35:17 קַלְעֵ֣י [the] curtains of
the curtains of the courtyard with its posts and bases, and the curtain for the gate of the courtyard;
-
Exodus 38:9 קַלְעֵ֤י [the] curtains of
Then he constructed the courtyard. The south side of the courtyard was a hundred cubits long and had curtains of finely spun linen,
-
Exodus 38:12 קְלָעִים֙ curtains
The west side was fifty cubits long and had curtains, with ten posts and ten bases. The hooks and bands of the posts were silver.
-
Exodus 38:14 קְלָעִ֛ים curtains
The curtains on one side of the entrance were fifteen cubits long, with three posts and three bases.
-
Exodus 38:15 קְלָעִ֕ים curtains
And the curtains on the other side were also fifteen cubits long, with three posts and three bases as well.
-
Exodus 38:16 קַלְעֵ֧י [the] curtains of
All the curtains around the courtyard were made of finely spun linen.
-
Exodus 38:18 קַלְעֵ֥י [the] curtains of
The curtain for the entrance to the courtyard was embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen. It was twenty cubits long and, like the curtains of the courtyard, five cubits high,
-
Exodus 39:40 קַלְעֵ֨י [the] curtains of
the curtains of the courtyard with its posts and bases; the curtain for the gate of the courtyard, its ropes and tent pegs, and all the equipment for the service of the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting;
Numbers · 2
-
Numbers 3:26 וְקַלְעֵ֣י and [the] curtains of
the curtains of the courtyard, the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard that surrounds the tabernacle and altar, and the cords—all the service for these items.
-
Numbers 4:26 קַלְעֵ֨י [the] curtains of
the curtains of the courtyard, and the curtains for the entrance at the gate of the courtyard that surrounds the tabernacle and altar, along with their ropes and all the equipment for their service. The Gershonites will do all that needs to be done with these items.
1 Samuel · 3
-
1 Samuel 17:40 וְקַלְּע֣וֹ and sling his
And David took his staff in his hand, selected five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag. And with his sling in hand, he approached the Philistine.
-
1 Samuel 17:50 בַּקֶּ֣לַע with the sling
Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.
-
1 Samuel 25:29 הַקָּֽלַע׃ <the> sling
And should someone pursue you and seek your life, then the life of my lord will be bound securely by the LORD your God in the bundle of the living. But He shall fling away the lives of your enemies like stones from a sling.
Here: 'The sling.' Shepherds and soldiers used it, and it could kill. The verse ends on the image of a stone whirled and hurled far away.
1 Kings · 1
-
1 Kings 6:34 קְלָעִ֛ים curtains
The two doors were made of cypress wood, and each had two folding panels.
2 Chronicles · 1
-
2 Chronicles 26:14 קְלָעִֽים׃ slings
Uzziah supplied the entire army with shields, spears, helmets, armor, bows, and slingstones.
Job · 1
-
Job 41:28 קָֽלַע׃ a sling
No arrow can make him flee; slingstones become like chaff to him.
Zechariah · 1
-
Zechariah 9:15 קֶ֔לַע a sling
The LORD of Hosts will shield them. They will destroy and conquer with slingstones; they will drink and roar as with wine. And they will be filled like sprinkling bowls, drenched like the corners of the altar.
Here: 'Sling.' Slingstones were the cheap, deadly ammunition of ancient armies. They are trampled underfoot here, either the enemy's missiles made useless or the enemies treated like spent stones.
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.