Exodus 26:17

tenons lit. hands, used fig. of supports: cf. 1 Kings 7:32-33 (EVV. axletrees; rather, diagonal staysunder the body of the laver, holding the axles in their places), 35 (supportsof the basin at the top), 36 (corrupt dittography from v.35: see Skinner's note in the Century Bible), Exodus 10:16 (of the -arms" of a throne). These -hands," or tenons, as ordinarily understood, were pegs projecting underneath the bottom of the boards, to hold them firm in their sockets (v.19).

joined the word (only here and in the ", Exodus 36:22) means joined by a cross-piece(cf. the cognate shĕlabbim, 1 Kings 7:28-29 †, -cross-pieces," or -cross-rails" [see Skinner's note: in EVV. misrendered ledges, and the post-Bibl. shĕlîbâh, the - rung" of a ladder), clamped together. The tenons of each board (or frame) were secured in their places by a clamp of metal underneath the bottom of the board.

Kennedy, however (p. 660 a), understands the -hands" not of tenons, but of the upright sidesof the -frame" themselves, and would render vv.15 17 thus: -And thou shalt make the framesfor the Dwelling of acacia wood, standing up, 10 cubits the length of a frame, and 1½ cubits the breadth of a frame, namely, two uprightsfor [so rightly, for EVV. in each frame, joinedone to another by cross-rails[see the illustr.]: thus shalt thou make for all the frames of the Dwelling." The translation is quite legitimate (for there is in the Heb. no -shall be" in either v.16 or v.17), and the explanation clever: but it is difficult to feel certain that such -uprights" would be called handsin Heb. The sense -frames" for ḳĕrâshimis not dependent upon it; and it is perhaps safer to adhere to the usual rend, -tenons."