Hebrew word · H7175

קֶ֫רֶשׁ

karesh

board

A cut wooden piece used in building: a board, plank or frame. Outside the tabernacle chapters (Exod 26; 35–36; 39–40; Num 3:36; 4:31) it appears once, in Ezekiel 27:6, for the deck or planking of a Tyrian ship, inlaid with ivory. So the word means worked timber used for building, not a raw log.

Appears 51 times in 34 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

1) board, boards, plank

1a) board

1b) boards

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

From the study of Exodus 26:15

Range of meaning

A cut wooden piece used in building: a board, plank or frame. Outside the tabernacle chapters (Exod 26; 35–36; 39–40; Num 3:36; 4:31) it appears once, in Ezekiel 27:6, for the deck or planking of a Tyrian ship, inlaid with ivory. So the word means worked timber used for building, not a raw log.

Against the English

Older versions (KJV, YLT, WEB, and NASB) say 'boards', which suggests a solid slab. Many recent versions (BSB, NIV, ESV and others) say 'frames', which suggests an open ladder-like framework of two uprights joined by crosspieces. The Hebrew word allows both. The choice between them is an interpretation of how the structure was built.

How it drifted

Not a drift in the usual sense. The two English words record a real argument among scholars over whether the qeresh was solid or open (see debates).

Used elsewhere in the period

Ugaritic texts from about the 13th century BC use qrš for the dwelling of the high god El ('the qrš of the king, father of years'). Scholars such as F. M. Cross have linked this to the tent-shrine idea behind the tabernacle: a god's dwelling built as a framed pavilion. The Greek Septuagint renders the word στῦλοι (styloi, 'posts, pillars'), which fits upright members. Later rabbinic discussion (b. Shabbat 98b) treats them as solid beams, thick at the base and tapering at the top.

From the study of Exodus 26:19

Range of meaning

A large wooden structural piece making up the walls of the tabernacle, 10 cubits high and 1.5 cubits wide (Exodus 26:16). Outside the tabernacle texts the word is used only once, in Ezekiel 27:6, for part of a ship (a deck, or planking).

Against the English

KJV, WEB and YLT say 'boards'. BSB, ESV and NIV say 'frames'. 'Board' suggests a solid plank. 'Frame' suggests an open, ladder-like unit made of two uprights, which would fit the two 'hands' at the bottom. The Hebrew alone does not settle which is meant.

How it drifted

'Boards' comes from the older understanding of the tabernacle as solid wooden walls. Since the late 19th century (A. R. S. Kennedy and others), many scholars have argued for open frames, and that view shaped the move to 'frames' in modern translations.

Used elsewhere in the period

The Septuagint translates qeresh as στῦλος, 'pillar' or 'post', so it pictured an upright rather than a flat panel. The Vulgate says tabula, 'board' or 'plank', and the KJV followed that line.

From the study of Exodus 26:23

Range of meaning

An upright wall unit of the tabernacle. Outside the tabernacle texts (Exod 26; 35–36; 39–40; Num 3:36; 4:31) the word appears only in Ezek 27:6, where it is a ship's deck or plank of a Tyrian ship. So its basic sense is a fitted wooden building element: a plank, board or framed panel.

Against the English

KJV, YLT, WEB and NASB use "boards". BSB, NIV and ESV use "frames". "Boards" gives the picture of solid planks butted edge to edge. "Frames" gives the picture of open, ladder-like units: two uprights (the two "hands" or tenons of 26:17) joined by crosspieces, with the woven curtains visible through them.

How it drifted

This is a case of uncertainty rather than drift. Older translation and Jewish tradition assumed solid beams. The Talmudic tradition (b. Shabbat 98b) even gives them a thickness of one cubit at the base. In 1898 A. R. S. Kennedy argued for open frames: solid acacia beams 10 × 1.5 × 1 cubits would be extremely heavy for portable sections and would hide the decorated inner curtains. Many modern versions followed him.

Used elsewhere in the period

The Greek Septuagint renders qeresh with stylos, "pillar, post", which fits an upright framework better than flat planks. In Ezek 27:6 it is a ship's planking or deck. The Egyptian portable shrines of the New Kingdom, such as the gilded nested shrines of Tutankhamun, and earlier gilded frame-built canopies show that wooden sections overlaid with gold and assembled with tenons and sockets were known technology in the period.

Where it appears

Exodus · 48

  1. Exodus 26:15 הַקְּרָשִׁ֖ים the frames

    You are to construct upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle.

    Here: The upright wooden pieces that form the walls of the sanctuary's inner structure. 'The' points to the specific pieces in the pattern shown to Moses (25:9, 40). Whether they were solid boards or open frames is debated (see studies).

  2. Exodus 26:16 הַקָּ֑רֶשׁ הַקֶּ֥רֶשׁ the frame

    Each frame is to be ten cubits long and a cubit and a half wide.

  3. Exodus 26:17 לַקֶּ֙רֶשׁ֙ קַרְשֵׁ֥י [belonged] to the frame, [the] frames of

    Two tenons must be connected to each other for each frame. Make all the frames of the tabernacle in this way.

  4. Exodus 26:18 הַקְּרָשִׁ֖ים קֶ֔רֶשׁ the frames, frame[s]

    Construct twenty frames for the south side of the tabernacle,

  5. Exodus 26:19 הַקָּ֑רֶשׁ הַקֶּ֤רֶשׁ הַקֶּ֥רֶשׁ the frame[s], the frame

    with forty silver bases under the twenty frames—two bases for each frame, one under each tenon.

    Here: The word is singular but counts a group ('twenty frame'), which is normal Hebrew after numbers. These are the upright wall units of the tabernacle.

  6. Exodus 26:20 קָֽרֶשׁ׃ frame[s]

    For the second side of the tabernacle, the north side, make twenty frames

  7. Exodus 26:21 הַקֶּ֣רֶשׁ הַקֶּ֥רֶשׁ the frame

    and forty silver bases—two bases under each frame.

  8. Exodus 26:22 קְרָשִֽׁים׃ frames

    Make six frames for the rear of the tabernacle, the west side,

  9. Exodus 26:23 קְרָשִׁים֙ frames

    and two frames for the two back corners of the tabernacle,

    Here: The upright wall units of the tabernacle, each 10 cubits tall and 1.5 cubits wide (26:16), overlaid with gold and set into silver bases. It is debated whether each was a solid plank or an open frame. Here they are two extra units set at the back corners.

  10. Exodus 26:25 קְרָשִׁ֔ים הַקֶּ֣רֶשׁ הַקֶּ֥רֶשׁ frames, the frame

    So there are to be eight frames and sixteen silver bases—two under each frame.

  11. Exodus 26:26 לְקַרְשֵׁ֥י for [the] frames of

    You are also to make five crossbars of acacia wood for the frames on one side of the tabernacle,

  12. Exodus 26:27 לְקַרְשֵׁ֥י לְקַרְשֵׁי֙ for [the] frames of

    five for those on the other side, and five for those on the rear side of the tabernacle, to the west.

    Here: 'For the frames of': the upright wall units, each 10 cubits high and 1.5 cubits wide (26:16). Whether they were solid planks or open frames is debated (see Debates).

  13. Exodus 26:28 הַקְּרָשִׁ֑ים the frames

    The central crossbar in the middle of the frames shall extend from one end to the other.

  14. Exodus 26:29 הַקְּרָשִׁ֞ים the frames

    Overlay the frames with gold and make gold rings to hold the crossbars. Also overlay the crossbars with gold.

  15. Exodus 35:11 קְרָשָׁ֔יו frames its

    the tabernacle with its tent and covering, its clasps and frames, its crossbars, posts, and bases;

    Here: The upright acacia-wood pieces, each 10 by 1.5 cubits (about 4.5 m by 70 cm) and overlaid with gold, that made the walls (26:15–25). Scholars disagree on whether they were solid planks or open frames.

  16. Exodus 36:20 הַקְּרָשִׁ֖ים the frames

    Next, he constructed upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle.

  17. Exodus 36:21 הַקָּ֑רֶשׁ הַקֶּ֥רֶשׁ the frame

    Each frame was ten cubits long and a cubit and a half wide.

  18. Exodus 36:22 לַקֶּ֙רֶשׁ֙ קַרְשֵׁ֥י [belonged] to the frame, [the] frames of

    Two tenons were connected to each other for each frame. He made all the frames of the tabernacle in this way.

  19. Exodus 36:23 הַקְּרָשִׁ֖ים קְרָשִׁ֔ים the frames, frames

    He constructed twenty frames for the south side of the tabernacle,

  20. Exodus 36:24 הַקְּרָשִׁ֑ים הַקֶּ֤רֶשׁ הַקֶּ֥רֶשׁ the frames, the frame

    with forty silver bases to put under the twenty frames—two bases for each frame, one under each tenon.

  21. Exodus 36:25 קְרָשִֽׁים׃ frames

    For the second side of the tabernacle, the north side, he made twenty frames

  22. Exodus 36:26 הַקֶּ֣רֶשׁ הַקֶּ֥רֶשׁ the frame

    and forty silver bases—two bases under each frame.

  23. Exodus 36:27 קְרָשִֽׁים׃ frames

    He made six frames for the rear of the tabernacle, the west side,

  24. Exodus 36:28 קְרָשִׁים֙ frames

    and two frames for the two back corners of the tabernacle,

  25. Exodus 36:30 קְרָשִׁ֔ים הַקֶּ֥רֶשׁ frames, the frame

    So there were eight frames and sixteen silver bases—two under each frame.

  26. Exodus 36:31 לְקַרְשֵׁ֥י for [the] frames of

    He also made five crossbars of acacia wood for the frames on one side of the tabernacle,

  27. Exodus 36:32 לְקַרְשֵׁ֥י לְקַרְשֵׁ֣י for [the] frames of

    five for those on the other side, and five for those on the rear side of the tabernacle, to the west.

  28. Exodus 36:33 הַקְּרָשִׁ֔ים the frames

    He made the central crossbar to run through the center of the frames, from one end to the other.

  29. Exodus 36:34 הַקְּרָשִׁ֞ים the frames

    And he overlaid the frames with gold and made gold rings to hold the crossbars. He also overlaid the crossbars with gold.

  30. Exodus 39:33 קְרָשָׁ֔יו frames its

    Then they brought the tabernacle to Moses: the tent with all its furnishings, its clasps, its frames, its crossbars, and its posts and bases;

  31. Exodus 40:18 קְרָשָׁ֔יו frames its

    When Moses set up the tabernacle, he laid its bases, positioned its frames, inserted its crossbars, and set up its posts.

Numbers · 2

  1. Numbers 3:36 קַרְשֵׁי֙ [was] [the] frames of

    The duties assigned to the sons of Merari were the tabernacle’s frames, crossbars, posts, bases, and all its equipment—all the service for these items,

  2. Numbers 4:31 קַרְשֵׁי֙ [the] frames of

    This is the duty for all their service at the Tent of Meeting: to carry the frames of the tabernacle with its crossbars, posts, and bases,

Ezekiel · 1

  1. Ezekiel 27:6 קַרְשֵׁ֤ךְ boards your

    Of oaks from Bashan they made your oars; of wood from the coasts of Cyprus they made your deck, inlaid with ivory.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.