### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **ʼeden**, represented by `{{H134}}`, refers to a **basis**, **foundation**, or **socket**. It appears 57 times across 39 unique verses in the Bible. Derived from a word signifying strength, `{{H134}}` denotes a stable base for a building or column, a foundational element in both literal and figurative contexts.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{H134}}` is used overwhelmingly in the context of the Tabernacle's construction. These were not mere supports, but crucial, high-value components. Detailed instructions were given to make forty **sockets** of silver `{{H3701}}` for the boards `{{H7175}}` on one side of the Tabernacle [[Exodus 26:19]]. The immense value placed on these items is clear, as one hundred talents of silver were used to cast the **sockets** of the sanctuary `{{H6944}}` and the vail `{{H6532}}` [[Exodus 38:27]]. Beyond the Tabernacle, the term is used metaphorically to describe the very underpinnings of creation, as when God asks Job, "Whereupon are the **foundations** thereof fastened?" [[Job 38:6]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words provide a fuller picture of the structures that `{{H134}}` supported:
* `{{H5982}}` **ʻammûwd** (pillar): These vertical columns were set into **sockets** to form key parts of the Tabernacle's court and inner structure. For the court, twenty **pillars** were to be set in twenty **sockets** of brass `{{H5178}}` [[Exodus 27:10]].
* `{{H7175}}` **qeresh** (board): The primary walls of the Tabernacle consisted of wooden **boards** that were secured by being placed into the **sockets**. The instructions were highly specific: "two **sockets** under one **board** for his two tenons" [[Exodus 26:19]].
* `{{H3245}}` **yâçad** (to found): This verb, meaning to found or establish, is used to describe the placement of objects upon a firm base. It appears in a poetic description where legs are described as pillars of marble **set** upon **sockets** of fine gold `{{H6337}}` [[Song of Solomon 5:15]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H134}}` is tied to the establishment of a holy and stable place for God's presence.
* **Foundation of Sacred Space:** The **sockets** formed the base of the Tabernacle `{{H4908}}`, the dwelling place of God among His people. The entire structure, including its walls and pillars, rested on these foundations, signifying that a holy space requires a firm and sure base [[Exodus 40:18]].
* **Divine Order and Value:** The precise instructions regarding the materials (silver and brass) and numbers of **sockets** demonstrate God's meticulous design for worship. The casting of one hundred silver **sockets** from one hundred talents of silver, a talent for a **socket**, signifies that the foundation of God's sanctuary is of immense and prescribed value [[Exodus 38:27]].
* **Metaphorical Strength:** The term is elevated from architecture to cosmology and poetry. It is used to speak of the **foundations** of the earth, which only God himself established [[Job 38:6]]. It also serves as a picture of strength and beauty, as in the description of the beloved whose legs are like pillars on **sockets** of fine gold [[Song of Solomon 5:15]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H134}}` is far more than a simple architectural term. It is a cornerstone of the Tabernacle's design, defining stability, immense value, and adherence to a divine pattern. It illustrates how a single word can carry layers of meaning, from the literal **socket** of silver holding a Tabernacle board [[Exodus 26:19]] to the magnificent and unknowable **foundations** of the earth itself [[Job 38:6]].
TRV