Original Word: חֹבֶרֶת
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: chobereth
Pronunciation: khaw-bo'-reth
Phonetic Spelling: (kho-beh'-reth)
KJV: which coupleth, coupling
NASB: set
Word Origin: [feminine active participle of H2266 (חָבַר - joined)]

1. a joint

which couples, coupling

Feminine active participle of chabar; a joint -- which coupleth, coupling.

see HEBREW chabar

Word Origin
fem. part. of chabar
Definition
a thing that joins or is joined
NASB Translation
set (4).

חֹבֶ֫רֶת noun feminine a thing that joins or is joined, only of the curtain-pieces of the tabernacle, as joined together: — ׳הַח Exodus 26:10; Exodus 36:17 בַּחֹבָ֑רֶת Exodus 26:4,10.

Definition and Scope

חֹבֶרֶת designates a “joining strip” or “coupling,” the textile edge to which loops were attached so that separate sections of the tabernacle coverings could be fastened together into one unified whole.

Old Testament Usage

The term appears exclusively in the instructions and execution of the wilderness tabernacle (Exodus 26:4; 26:10 [twice]; 36:17). It never occurs outside this context, highlighting its specialized role in sacred architecture.

Architectural Function in the Tabernacle

1. Location – חֹבֶרֶת marked the border where two large curtains met.
2. Construction – Fifty blue loops were sewn into each חֹבֶרֶת, receiving fifty gold (or bronze, for the goats’-hair layer) clasps.
3. Purpose – “so that the tabernacle will be a single unit” (Exodus 26:6). The couplings ensured structural integrity, prevented tearing from desert winds, and expressed God-ordained order in every detail of the sanctuary.

Theological Significance

Unity is at the heart of the tabernacle’s design. The priestly nation gathered around one dwelling place of the LORD; similarly, the curtains were gathered into one fabric tent by means of the חֹבֶרֶת. The principle anticipates later revelations that God’s people, though many, are to be “one” in worship and covenant fidelity.

Symbolic and Typological Insights

• Oneness of Covenant: The linked curtains point to the indivisibility of God’s covenant purposes.
• Mediating Presence: Just as the couplings secured the veil that sheltered the Most Holy Place, Christ secures access to the Father (Hebrews 10:19-20).
• Body Imagery: Paul likens believers to “the whole building, fitted together” (Ephesians 2:21); the invisible joins that bind believers echo the hidden חֹבֶרֶת beneath the tabernacle’s exterior.

New Testament Resonances

Ephesians 4:16: “From Him the whole body, fitted and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love.” Though written in Greek, the imagery parallels the Exodus couplings: individual parts formed into a single, living sanctuary. Colossians 2:19 and 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 develop the same thought of divinely wrought unity.

Pastoral and Ministry Applications

1. Attention to Detail: God specifies even the seams of His sanctuary; ministries should value excellence in “small” matters.
2. Promoting Unity: Leaders are called to serve as spiritual couplings, linking diverse believers into harmonious service.
3. Hidden Service: The חֹבֶרֶת was mostly concealed, yet essential. Many ministry roles are likewise unseen but vital to the church’s stability.
4. Guarding Doctrine: As the loops aligned precisely “opposite one another” (Exodus 26:10), sound teaching must align with the whole counsel of God, preventing doctrinal gaps.

Summary

חֹבֶרֶת, though mentioned only four times, teaches enduring lessons on unity, craftsmanship, and covenant harmony. The humble coupling strips of the tabernacle reflect the divine intention that all the redeemed, like the curtains they joined, be securely held together in the dwelling place of God.

בַּחֹבָ֑רֶת בחברת הַחֹבֶ֖רֶת החברת ba·ḥō·ḇā·reṯ bachoVaret baḥōḇāreṯ ha·ḥō·ḇe·reṯ hachoVeret haḥōḇereṯInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts