Verse 1. Twisted, for greater strength, with double threads. D.—Diversified, and so forth Hebrew “cherubim wrought by a skilful workman.” A cherubic work is one extremely diversified, and wonderful; representing birds, flowers, monsters; either in gold, wood, painting, or tapestry. When it is done with a needle, it is styled rokom, “feathers,” (plumarium opus.) But when the variety of colours is done with the loom, being more ingenious, the Hebrew call it essob “of an inventor.” Such were these curtains.
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Verse 3. Five curtains, which would cover half the tabernacle, or 20 cubits. Calmet.—Being joined together, they remind us of fraternal charity and union; which ought to adorn the members of the church. Worthington.
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Verse 6. Rings. Hooks or taches, verse 11.
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Verse 13. A cubit. As these curtains were two cubits longer, and four broader, than those more precious ones below, they hung down to the ground. Josep. iii. 5.
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Verse 14. Skins. These two were probably as large as the last, to keep out rain; ( Menochius.) though the text only specifies the roof.
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Verse 17. Mortises, (incastraturæ). Hebrew “tenons,” which corresponded with the former. Calmet.
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Verse 19. Corners. Hebrew tenons, lit. “hands,” which has the same meaning as the Vulg. Some think, the sockets or bases rested on the ground, and had a point which entered into the boards, to keep them in their places. Lyran.—The ornaments on the north and south were the same.
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Verse 22. Six, at the western end, with two other strong boards, or pillars, to connect the whole, as they were placed at the two corners, and were half a cubit each. Menochius.
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Verse 26. Bars, 30 cubits long, on two sides, and ten on the western end, to fasten the boards.
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Verse 31. A veil, to hang before the entrance of the tabernacle, at the east side, which had no boards. Within was the ark, verse 33. Bible.
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Verse 32. Heads. Chaptrels of setim-wood, overlaid with gold,—(Vovim), not little hooks for curtains. Calmet.
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Verse 33. The sanctuary, and so forth That part of the tabernacle, which was without the veil, into which the priests daily entered, is here called the sanctuary, or holy place; that part which was within the veil, into which no one but the high priest ever went in, and he but once a year, is called the holy of holies, (literally, the sanctuaries of the sanctuary,) as being the most holy of all holy places. Challoner.—It occupied only one-third of the tabernacle. Menochius.
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Verse 36. Hanging, or veil, suspended on five pillars, before the sanctuary. Bible.—It was the other veil, which was rent at the death of Christ. Baronius observes, that Christian temples were formerly built in imitation of the Jewish tabernacle. It was a figure of the Catholic church. 1 Timothy 3:15.
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A cubit is the length from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow on a man’s arm, or about 18 inches or 46 centimeters.