Exodus 26

1

“Moreover you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, with cherubim. You shall make them with the work of a skillful workman.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

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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2

The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits: all the curtains shall have one measure.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

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.

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3

Five curtains shall be coupled together to one another, and the other five curtains shall be coupled to one another.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

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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4

You shall make loops of blue on the edge of the one curtain from the edge in the coupling, and you shall do likewise on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the second coupling.

5

You shall make fifty loops in the one curtain, and you shall make fifty loops in the edge of the curtain that is in the second coupling. The loops shall be opposite one another.

6

You shall make fifty clasps of gold, and couple the curtains to one another with the clasps. The tabernacle shall be a unit.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 6. Rings. Hooks or taches, verse 11.

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7

“You shall make curtains of goats’ hair for a covering over the tabernacle. You shall make eleven curtains.

8

The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits: the eleven curtains shall have one measure.

9

You shall couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and shall double over the sixth curtain in the forefront of the tent.

10

You shall make fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain that is outermost in the coupling, and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain which is outermost in the second coupling.

11

You shall make fifty clasps of bronze, and put the clasps into the loops, and couple the tent together, that it may be one.

12

The overhanging part that remains of the curtains of the tent—the half curtain that remains—shall hang over the back of the tabernacle.

13

The cubit on the one side and the cubit on the other side, of that which remains in the length of the curtains of the tent, shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle on this side and on that side, to cover it.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

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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14

You shall make a covering for the tent of rams’ skins dyed red, and a covering of sea cow hides above.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

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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15

“You shall make the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing upright.

16

Ten cubits shall be the length of a board, and one and a half cubits the width of each board.

17

There shall be two tenons in each board, joined to one another: thus you shall make for all the boards of the tabernacle.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 17. Mortises, (incastraturæ). Hebrew “tenons,” which corresponded with the former. Calmet.

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18

You shall make twenty boards for the tabernacle, for the south side southward.

19

You shall make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for its two tenons, and two sockets under another board for its two tenons.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

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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20

For the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, twenty boards,

21

and their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.

22

For the far side of the tabernacle westward you shall make six boards.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

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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23

You shall make two boards for the corners of the tabernacle in the far side.

24

They shall be double beneath, and in the same way they shall be whole to its top to one ring: thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two corners.

25

There shall be eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.

26

“You shall make bars of acacia wood: five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle,

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 26. Bars, 30 cubits long, on two sides, and ten on the western end, to fasten the boards.

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27

and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle, for the far side westward.

28

The middle bar in the middle of the boards shall pass through from end to end.

29

You shall overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings of gold for places for the bars. You shall overlay the bars with gold.

30

You shall set up the tabernacle according to the way that it was shown to you on the mountain.

31

“You shall make a veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cherubim. It shall be the work of a skillful workman.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

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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32

You shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold; their hooks shall be of gold, on four sockets of silver.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 32. Heads. Chaptrels of setim-wood, overlaid with gold,—(Vovim), not little hooks for curtains. Calmet.

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33

You shall hang up the veil under the clasps, and shall bring the ark of the covenant in there within the veil. The veil shall separate the holy place from the most holy for you.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

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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34

You shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the covenant in the most holy place.

35

You shall set the table outside the veil, and the lamp stand opposite the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south. You shall put the table on the north side.

36

“You shall make a screen for the door of the Tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of the embroiderer.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

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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37

You shall make for the screen five pillars of acacia, and overlay them with gold. Their hooks shall be of gold. You shall cast five sockets of bronze for them.