What does פֹּרֶכֶת (pōreket) mean in the Bible?
The sanctuary veil divides the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place in Exodus 26:33. The surrounding instructions specify its woven materials, cherubim, supports and relationship to the ark.
Hebrew · H6532
פֹּרֶכֶת
The sanctuary veil divides the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place in Exodus 26:33. The surrounding instructions specify its woven materials, cherubim, supports and relationship to the ark.
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פֹּרֶכֶתH6532
Pronunciationpōreket
What does פֹּרֶכֶת (pōreket) mean in the Bible?
Reader summary
Full entry for פֹּרֶכֶת (H6532) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H6532?
The BSB source-word alignment has 25 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include the veil (17), of the veil (4), a veil (1), and the veil (1), So the veil (1).
Where does פֹּרֶכֶת (pōreket) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 26:31. Its strongest book concentrations include Exodus (15), Leviticus (7), Numbers (2), 2 Chronicles (1).
What This Word Actually Means
The sanctuary veil divides the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place in Exodus 26:33. The surrounding instructions specify its woven materials, cherubim, supports and relationship to the ark. It is a particular curtain within an appointed arrangement, not a generic synonym for all separation from God. The noun identifies the furnishing; the instructions explain its location and role.
Leviticus 16:2 restricts Aaron's approach behind the veil and introduces the prescribed high-priestly procedure. Numbers 4:5 also describes taking it down to cover the ark when the camp moves, giving the same furnishing another practical use. Christian teaching can read the torn temple veil in Matthew 27 and the access argument in Hebrews 10, but those passages state their own connections. The Hebrew word alone neither predicts every detail of Jesus' death nor grants a modern leader authority to recreate sanctuary barriers for other believers.
Passage contextCanonical parallel
How the Bible Uses It
The selected construction, dividing function, restricted approach and transport covering show a particular sanctuary furnishing in appointed use. New Testament veil and access accounts must be read as their own textual witnesses rather than hidden definitions of the Hebrew noun.
- Exod.26.31
Make a veil of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen, with cherubim skillfully worked into it.
The veil's colored yarn, linen and worked cherubim belong to its construction instructions. Material detail identifies the furnishing without assigning an unstated symbol to each color.
- Exod.26.33
And hang the veil from the clasps and place the ark of the Testimony behind the veil. So the veil will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.
The curtain separates the Holy Place and Most Holy Place, with the ark behind it. The stated dividing function gives the object its particular sanctuary setting.
- Lev.16.2
And the Lord said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron not to enter freely into the Most Holy Place behind the veil in front of the mercy seat on the ark, or else he will die, because I appear in the cloud above the mercy seat.
Aaron is warned against entering freely behind the veil before the ark's cover. The chapter specifies the authorized approach rather than making every reader an appointed high priest.
- Num.4.5
Whenever the camp sets out, Aaron and his sons are to go in, take down the veil of the curtain, and cover the ark of the Testimony with it.
Aaron and his sons take down the veil and cover the ark when the camp travels. This practical covering use should not be omitted in favor of an exclusively abstract separation gloss.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itthe veil17×Exodus 26:33, Exodus 26:35, Exodus 27:21, Exodus 36:35
of the veil4×Exodus 30:6, Exodus 38:27, Exodus 40:26, Leviticus 4:17
a veil1×Exodus 26:31
and the veil1×Exodus 35:12
So the veil1×Exodus 26:33
with the veil1×Exodus 40:3
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 26:31פָרֹ֗כֶתtoa veilNoun - feminine singularExodus 26:33הַפָּרֹכֶת֮tothe veilArticle | Noun - feminine singularExodus 26:33לַפָּרֹ֔כֶתtothe veilPreposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine singularExodus 26:33הַפָּרֹ֙כֶת֙toSo the veilArticle | Noun - feminine singularExodus 26:35לַפָּרֹ֔כֶתtothe veilPreposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine singularExodus 27:21לַפָּרֹ֜כֶתtothe veilPreposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine singularExodus 30:6הַפָּרֹ֔כֶתtoof the veilArticle | Noun - feminine singularExodus 35:12פָּרֹ֥כֶתtoand the veilNoun - feminine singular constructExodus 36:35הַפָּרֹ֔כֶתtothe veilArticle | Noun - feminine singularExodus 38:27הַפָּרֹ֑כֶתtoof the veilArticle | Noun - feminine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowExodus 26:31
Aligned rows25
Books represented4
Exodus15Leviticus7Numbers22 Chronicles1
Source forms
הַפָּרֹ֔כֶת3xhap·pā·rō·ḵeṯExodus 30:6, Exodus 36:35, 2 Chronicles 3:14
הַפָּרֹֽכֶת׃3xhap·pā·rō·ḵeṯExodus 40:3, Exodus 40:26, Leviticus 4:17
פָּרֹ֥כֶת3xpā·rō·ḵeṯExodus 35:12, Exodus 39:34, Leviticus 4:6
לַפָּרֹ֔כֶת2xlap·pā·rō·ḵeṯExodus 26:33, Exodus 26:35
לַפָּרֹ֑כֶת2xlap·pā·rō·ḵeṯLeviticus 16:2, Leviticus 16:15
לַפָּרֹֽכֶת׃2xlap·pā·rō·ḵeṯExodus 40:22, Leviticus 16:12
פָּרֹ֣כֶת2xpā·rō·ḵeṯExodus 40:21, Numbers 4:5
הַפָּרֹכֶת֮1xhap·pā·rō·ḵeṯExodus 26:33
Parsing patterns
Article | Noun - feminine singular10xExodus 26:33, Exodus 30:6, Exodus 36:35, Exodus 38:27
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine singular8xExodus 26:33, Exodus 26:35, Exodus 27:21, Exodus 40:22
Noun - feminine singular construct5xExodus 35:12, Exodus 39:34, Exodus 40:21, Leviticus 4:6
Noun - feminine singular1xExodus 26:31
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct1xLeviticus 24:3
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Teach reverence and access through the actual passages without using sanctuary imagery to control another believer's approach to God.
- Keep an illustration of restricted space subordinate to Hebrews' announced invitation rather than intensifying fear in a distressed reader.
Avoid claiming...
- H6532 does not mean every spiritual barrier or reveal an exhaustive Christian allegory in the curtain's materials.
- The ancient veil restriction does not itself authorize a modern minister to claim exclusive access on behalf of others.
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Separating veil between holy and most holy; marks boundary between human and divine realms
Source Gloss
a separatrix , i.e. (the sacred) screen
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Separating veil between holy and most holy; marks boundary between human and divine realms
a separatrix, i.e. (the sacred) screen BDB: curtain Usage: vail.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
sacred screen separating the holy place from the holy of holies
curtain marking boundary between accessible and most holy sanctuary spaces
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 25 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
פֹּרֶכֶת is built from this root:
For the Preacher and Teacher
Exodus makes the veil a carefully located furnishing: the ark is behind it, and two sanctuary spaces are distinguished. Leviticus addresses a prescribed approach, while Numbers records its use as a covering during travel. Those details are not obstacles to theological teaching; they keep teaching attached to the object and arrangement the text actually names.
Matthew records the temple veil tearing at Jesus' death, and Hebrews 10 speaks of confidence to draw near through Jesus' blood and the living way through the curtain of His body. The Christian connection should follow those statements rather than assign a hidden prediction to every strand or color. It should also preserve the difference between an ancient high-priestly restriction and the access Hebrews announces. The noun does not authorize a contemporary minister to claim exclusive approach or recreate a barrier that the later passage explains through Christ.
Anchor passage
Exod.26.33
Doctrinal connections
- Exodus 26:31-35 specifies construction, placement and the curtain's separation of the two sanctuary spaces.
- Leviticus 16:1-2 restricts the high priest's approach behind the veil before the ark's cover.
- Leviticus 16:11-16 describes incense and blood within the appointed approach rather than unrestricted entry.
- Numbers 4:4-6 records Aaron's household using the taken-down veil to cover the ark for travel.
- Matthew 27:50-54 records the temple veil tearing when Jesus dies, within the narrated surrounding signs.
- Hebrews 10:19-22 explains confidence and drawing near through Jesus' blood and priestly work.
Veil or curtain names a physical sanctuary furnishing whose dividing and covering roles are stated in context. The term should not be expanded into every kind of spiritual distance, and details of its workmanship require evidence before symbolic interpretation.
From Old to New Testament
Matthew 27:51 records the temple veil's tearing at Jesus' death. Hebrews 10:19-22 separately interprets access through Jesus with curtain and cleansing imagery. These explicit witnesses support Christian teaching without making each Hebrew furnishing detail a prediction or deriving a new ministerial barrier from the earlier sanctuary rule.
Passage contextCanonical parallel