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Tenon

Artifacts

What is the meaning of Tenon in the Bible?

A tenon is a projecting piece of wood designed to fit into a mortise or socket, serving as a joinery method. In the construction of the tabernacle, each of the forty-eight acacia wood boards featured two tenons crafted from a harder wood to ensure secure interlocking.

SIGNIFICANCE

Recognizing the tenon mechanism reveals the engineering precision behind the tabernacle's design, illustrating how the portable sanctuary was structurally stabilized for transport while maintaining its integrity during assembly, thereby reflecting the care and order inherent in the worship space described in Exodus.

Bible Study Quick-Reference Guide

Physical & Symbolic Reality: Physical objects and natural elements like Tenon were everyday realities for biblical writers, frequently used as living metaphors for spiritual truths.
Bible Study Reflection Prompts:
  • Why did the biblical author mention Tenon in this passage?
  • What cultural or historical assumption does Tenon clarify?

Source Attribution

Built upon the 1915 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia and Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). Entries have been modernized, checked for academic truthfulness, and shortened for clarity.

How to Cite This Entry

"Tenon." Ancient Context Dictionary. Accessed 2026. https://ancientcontext.com/context/tenon/
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