Lexical Summary
qeres: Board, plank
Original Word:קֶרֶס
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:qerec
Pronunciation:keh-resh
Phonetic Spelling:(keh'-res)
KJV: tache
NASB:clasps, hooks
Word Origin:[fromH7164 (קָרַס - stooped over)]
1. a knob or belaying-pin (from its swelling form)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
tache
Fromqarac; a knob or belaying-pin (from its swelling form) -- tache.
see HEBREWqarac
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
qarasDefinitiona hook
NASB Translationclasps (9), hooks (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
[] , on edge of curtains of tabernacle, matching the loops (, see [ ]); plural
Exodus 26:6,11 =
Exodus 36:13,18;
Exodus 26:33; construct
Exodus 26:6 =
Exodus 36:13,
Exodus 26:11 =
Exodus 36:18; suffix
Exodus 35:11 =
Exodus 39:33.
Topical Lexicon
Occurrences and narrative contextקֶרֶס appears ten times, all in the Exodus tabernacle narratives (Exodus 26:6; 26:11; 26:33; 35:11; 36:13 [twice]; 36:18; 39:33). Each reference lies within the detailed instructions for, or the actual construction of, the provisional sanctuary that accompanied Israel through the wilderness. Accordingly, the term is never used generically in Scripture but is confined to the sacred architecture of the tent of meeting.
Function within the tabernacle
Keres served as the small connective clasps that linked larger textile elements of the tabernacle:
• Joining the ten inner linen curtains into one unified “tabernacle” (Exodus 26:6).
• Securing the eleven goat-hair curtains that formed the weatherproof tent above the linen curtains (Exodus 26:11).
• Supporting the inner veil that divided the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (Exodus 26:33).
In every case the clasp is a unifying element, preventing individual pieces from drifting apart and ensuring that the sanctuary functions as a single coherent structure.
Material and craftsmanship
Two metals are specified:
1. Fifty clasps of gold for the innermost curtains (Exodus 26:6).
2. Fifty clasps of bronze for the goat-hair tent (Exodus 26:11).
Gold, the metal of incorruptible value, is reserved for the interior realm that signifies God’s immediate presence. Bronze, durable yet less costly, secures the external protective layer. The artisans “fashioned fifty gold clasps and joined the curtains together with the clasps, so that the tabernacle became a unit” (Exodus 36:13). Their work illustrates how excellence in workmanship and obedience to divine specification coalesce in worship.
Symbolic and theological implications
Unity: The clasps’ primary role is to make many curtains “one” (Exodus 26:6). The image anticipates themes of covenant community, later echoed in Psalms (“how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell together in unity”) and fulfilled in the New Testament body of Christ (Ephesians 4:16).
Mediation: Gold clasps binding the inner curtains and veil protect the ark and mercy seat, underscoring the principle that access to God is mediated. The veil, held by keres, both conceals and reveals; its tearing at the crucifixion (Matthew 27:51) announces that the final clasp has been released through Christ.
Holiness in tiers: Bronze clasps are sufficient for the exterior, but as one moves closer to the divine presence, purity and costliness increase. The design affirms a gradation of holiness culminating in the Holy of Holies.
Historical and cultural notes
No extrabiblical Near-Eastern sources list an exact counterpart to the keres, though Egyptian tentage employed toggle-type fittings. The biblical narrative emphasizes that Bezalel and Oholiab crafted the clasps “according to all that the Lord had commanded Moses” (Exodus 36:1), underlining that Israel’s worship technology was revelation-driven rather than merely borrowed from surrounding cultures.
Ministerial implications and contemporary application
Church unity: Just as fifty gold clasps joined ten curtains, so the Holy Spirit unites many members into one habitation for God (Ephesians 2:22). Ministers should labor to maintain that bond, knowing that even seemingly small connections— shared confession, mutual accountability, disciplined membership— preserve the integrity of the church.
Attention to detail: The Spirit-filled craftsmen did not treat the clasps as trivial hardware; they followed God’s blueprint precisely. Faithful ministry embraces both the grand and the minute, recognizing that neglect of a “little clasp” may leave the congregation vulnerable to division and spiritual exposure.
Tiered stewardship: The allocation of gold and bronze supports the principle of prioritizing resources for that which most directly honors the Lord. Believers today are encouraged to give their finest where God’s name is most clearly magnified, without neglecting practical necessities.
Related biblical themes
Curtains and coverings (Exodus 26; 36)
Veil and access to God (Exodus 26:31-33;Hebrews 10:19-22)
Skillful craftsmanship inspired by the Spirit (Exodus 31:1-6)
Unity of the body (Psalm 133:1;John 17:21;Ephesians 4:1-6)
Key verse
“And you are to make fifty gold clasps and fasten the curtains together with the clasps, so that the tabernacle will be a unit.”Exodus 26:6
Forms and Transliterations
בַּקְּרָסִ֔ים בקרסים הַקְּרָסִים֒ הַקְּרָסִים֙ הקרסים קְרָסָ֣יו קְרָסָיו֙ קַרְסֵ֣י קַרְסֵ֥י קרסי קרסיו bakkeraSim baq·qə·rā·sîm baqqərāsîm hakkeraSim haq·qə·rā·sîm haqqərāsîm karSei keraSav qar·sê qarsê qə·rā·sāw qərāsāw
Links
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