Miles de Libros Cristianos Gratis. Accede a nuestra Biblioteca Virtual

Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 26:1

Para un estudio avanzado de: “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 26:1” utilice nuestra app.

Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle [with] ten curtains [of] fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: [with] cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them.

1. the tabernacle ] the Dwelling, used here, as the passage itself clearly shews, in its stricter sense (see on Exo 25:9) of the structure formed by the tapestry hangings. Cf. Exo 40:2 (with the note), 3, Num 3:25.

fine twined linen ] i.e. linen of superior fineness: see on Exo 25:4.

blue, &c.] i.e. threads dyed with these colours (Exo 25:4).

cherubim ] the composite animal figures described on Exo 25:18.

the work of the designer ] or, of the pattern-weaver. ‘Cunning workman’ is not a good rendering; for it lacks the necessary distinctness. ‘Cunning’ (i.e. kenning, knowing) is an archaism for skilful or (Exo 31:4) skilfully made used often in AV., and retained mostly in RV., to denote various kinds of technical skill (Exo 38:23, Gen 25:27, 1Sa 16:16 , 2Ch 2:7, Jer 9:17 al.). Even ‘skilful workman’ would not however be sufficiently distinctive: the Heb. word means deviser or designer, viz. of artistic designs in weaving, and is one of three terms, used repeatedly in these chapters, to distinguish three different grades of textile work. We have viz.:

(1) the work of the weaver (Exo 28:32, Exo 39:22; Exo 39:27), i.e. simple weaving, work woven of one material only: as of blue, Exo 24:4 (the loops for the curtains), Exo 28:28 (the lace attaching the sacred pouch to the ephod), 31 (the robe of the ephod), 37 (the lace attaching the gold plate to the high priest’s turban); of white linen Exo 28:39 (the turban), Exo 39:27 f. (the priests’ tunics and caps); or of fine twined linen, Exo 27:9 (the hangings of the court), Exo 39:28 (the priests’ drawers).

(2) the work of the variegator (or embroiderer): Exo 26:36, Exo 27:16 (the screens for the entrances to the Dwelling and the court); Exo 28:39, Exo 39:29 (the sash of the high priest). There is no doubt that this term denotes work variegated in colours: but it is disputed whether it means work woven in colours, or embroidered in colours. According to Kn. Di. it is work woven of blue, purple, scarlet, and white yarns, arranged in stripes or checks, but without figures or gold thread (as No. 3): Kennedy ( EB. iv. 5289) thinks that it is embroidery proper, i.e. woven work, decorated afterwards by the needle with figures embroidered on it in colours. The cognate subst. variegated (or embroidered) work occurs Jdg 5:30, Eze 16:10; Eze 16:13; Eze 16:18; Eze 17:3 (of variegated plumage), Eze 26:16, Eze 27:7; Eze 27:16; Eze 27:24, Psa 45:14, 1Ch 29:2 ; and the verb in Psa 139:15 (‘curiously wrought’). When the white woollen carpet which separates the men’s from the women’s compartment in a Bedawi tent is ‘interwoven with patterns of flowers,’ it is denoted in Arabic by the corresponding partic. marm, ‘variegated’ (Burckh. Bedouins, i. 40).

(3) the work of the designer, i.e. work woven of blue, purple, scarlet, and white yarns, with figures (as here and v. 31), or gold thread (Exo 28:6; Exo 28:15), artistically interwoven: Exo 26:1 (the curtains of the Dwelling), 31 (the veil), Exo 28:6 (the ephod), 15 (the pouch for the Urim and Thummim).

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

1 6 (cf. Exo 36:8-13). The ornamented curtains, forming the Dwelling itself. These were ten in number, each 28 cubits (42 ft.) long, and 4 cubits (6 ft.) wide, all made of richly coloured tapestry, with figures of cherubim interwoven (the ‘work of the designer’). When joined together, they formed a single large curtain, 40 cubits (60 ft.) long, and 28 cubits (42 ft.) broad.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

(Compare Exo. 36:8-33.) The tabernacle was to comprise three main parts, the tabernacle Exo 26:1-6, more strictly so-called, its tent Exo 26:7-13, and its covering Exo 26:14 (Compare Exo 35:11; Exo 39:33-34; Exo 40:19, Exo 40:34; Num 3:25, etc.). These parts are very clearly distinguished in the Hebrew, but they are confounded in many places of the English Version (see Exo 26:7, Exo 26:9, etc.). The tabernacle itself was to consist of curtains of fine linen woven with colored figures of cherubim, and a structure of boards which was to contain the holy place and the most holy place; the tent was to be a true tent of goats hair cloth to contain and shelter the tabernacle: the covering was to be of red rams skins and tachash skins Exo 25:5, and was spread over the goats hair tent as an additional protection against the weather. On the external form of the tabernacle and the arrangement of its parts, see cuts at the end of the chapter.

Exo 26:1

The tabernacle – The mshkan, i. e. the dwelling-place; the definite article regularly accompanies the Hebrew word when the dwelling-place of Yahweh is denoted. But in this place the word is not used in its full sense as denoting the dwelling-place of Yahweh: it denotes only the tabernacle-cloth Exo 26:6. The word is, in fact, employed with three distinct ranges of meaning,

(1) in its strict sense, comprising the cloth of the tabernacle with its woodwork (Exo 25:9; Exo 26:30; Exo 36:13; Exo 40:18, etc.);

(2) in a narrower sense, for the tabernacle-cloth only (Exo 26:1, Exo 26:6; Exo 35:11; Exo 39:33-34, etc.);

(3) in a wider sense, for the tabernacle with its tent and covering (Exo 27:19; Exo 35:18, etc.).

With ten curtains – Rather, of ten breadths. Five of these breadths were united so as to form what, in common usage, we should call a large curtain Exo 26:3. The two curtains thus formed were coupled together by the loops and taches to make the entire tabernacle-cloth Exo 26:6.

Of cunning work – More properly, of the work of the skilled weaver. The colored figures of cherubim (see Exo 25:4, Exo 25:18) were to be worked in the loom, as in the manufacture of tapestry and carpets (see Exo 26:36 note). On the different kinds of workmen employed on the textile fabrics, see Exo 35:35.

Exo 26:3

Each curtain formed of five breadths (see Exo 26:1), was 42 feet in length and 30 feet in breadth, taking the cubit at 18 inches.

Exo 26:4

The meaning appears to be, And thou shalt make loops of blue on the edge of the one breadth (which is) on the side (of the one curtain) at the coupling; and the same shalt thou do in the edge of the outside breadth of the other (curtain) at the coupling. The coupling is the uniting together of the two curtains: (selvedge is the translation of a word signifying extremity or end).

Exo 26:5

The words in the edge, etc. mean, on the edge of the breadth that is at the coupling in the second (curtain).

Exo 26:6

Taches of gold – Each tache, or clasp, was to unite two opposite loops.

Couple the curtains – i. e. couple the two outside breadths mentioned in Exo 26:4.

Exo 26:7

A covering upon the tabernacle – A tent over the tabernacle. The Hebrew word here used, is the regular one for a tent of skins or cloth of any sort.

Exo 26:9

tabernacle – tent, not tabernacle. The passage might be rendered, thou shalt equally divide the sixth breadth at the front of the tent. In this way, half a breadth would overhang at the front and half at the back.

Exo 26:10

Or: And thou shalt make fifty loops on the edge of the outside breadth of the one (curtain) at the coupling, and fifty loops on the edge of the outside breadth of the other (curtain) at the coupling.

Exo 26:11

In the tent, clasps of bronze were used to unite the loops of the two curtains; in the tabernacle, clasps of gold, compare Exo 26:6, Exo 26:37.

Couple the tent together – Not covering, as in the margin. By the tent is here meant the tent-cloth alone.

Exo 26:13

The measure of the entire tabernacle-cloth was about 60 ft. by 42; that of the tent-cloth was about 67 ft. by 45. When the latter was placed over the former, it spread beyond it at the back and front about 3 ft. (the half-curtain, Exo 26:9, Exo 26:12) and at the sides 18 inches.

Exo 26:16

The board would therefore be about 15 ft. long, and 27 in. broad.

Exo 26:18

The entire length of the structure was about 45 ft. in the clear, and its width about 15 ft.

The south side southward – Or, the south side on the right. As the entrance of the tabernacle was at its east end, the south side, to a person entering it, would be on the left hand: but we learn from Josephus that it was usual, in speaking of the temple, to identify the south with the right hand and the north with the left hand, the entrance being regarded as the face of the structure and the west end as its back.

Exo 26:19

Sockets – More literally, bases, or foundations. Each base weighed a talent, that is, about 94 lbs. (see Exo 38:27), and must have been a massive block. The bases formed a continuous foundation for the walls of boards, presenting a succession of sockets or mortices (each base having a single socket), into which the tenons were to fit. They served not only for ornament but also for the protection of the lower ends of the boards from the decay which would have resulted from contact with the ground.

Exo 26:22

The sides of the tabernacle westward – Rather, the back of the tabernacle toward the west. See Exo 26:18.

Exo 26:23

In the two sides – Rather, at the back.

Exo 26:24

The corner boards appear to have been of such width, and so placed, as to add 18 in. to the width of the structure, making up with the six boards of full width Exo 26:22 about 15 ft. in the clear (see Exo 26:18). The ring was so formed as to receive two bars meeting beneath and above at a right angle.

Exo 26:27

For the two sides westward – For the back toward the west. Compare Exo 26:22,

Exo 26:28

In the midst of the boards – If we suppose the boards to have been of ordinary thickness Exo 26:16, the bar was visible and passed through an entire row of rings. In any case, it served to hold the whole wall together.

Exo 26:31

Vail – Literally, separation (see Exo 35:12 note).

Exo 26:33

Taches – Not the same as the hooks of the preceding verse, but the clasps of the tabernacle-cloth (see Exo 26:6).

Exo 26:34-35

See Exo 25:10-16, Exo 25:23, Exo 25:31.

Exo 26:36

The door of the tent – The entrance to the tent, closed by the hanging or curtain Exo 27:16.

Wrought with needlework. – The work of the embroiderer. The entrance curtain of the tent and that of the court Exo 27:16 were to be of the same materials, but embroidered with the needle, not made in figures in the loom (see Exo 26:1; Exo 35:35).

Exo 26:37

Rice pillars – These, it should be observed, belonged to the entrance of the tent, not, in their architectural relation, to the entrance of the tabernacle.

Sockets of brass – Their bases (see Exo 26:19) were of bronze (like the taches of the tentcloth, Exo 26:11), not of silver, to mark the inferiority of the tent to the tabernacle.

We are indebted to Mr. Fergusson for what may be regarded as a satisfactory reconstruction of the sanctuary in all its main particulars. He holds that what sheltered the Mishkan was actually a tent of ordinary form, such as common sense and practical experience would suggest as best suited for the purpose.

According to this view the five pillars at the entrance of the tent Exo 26:37 were graduated as they would naturally be at the entrance of any large tent of the best form, the tallest one being in the middle to support one end of a ridge-pole.

Such a ridge-pole, which must have been sixty feet in length, would have required support, and this might have been afforded by a plain pole in the middle of the structure. Over this framing of wood-work the tent-cloth of goats hair was strained with its cords and tent-pins in the usual way. (See cut.)

Above the tent-cloth of goats hair was spread the covering of red rams skins.

The five pillars, to reach across the front of the tent, must have stood five cubits (about 7 1/2 ft.) apart. Their heads were united by connecting rods (fillets Exo 27:10) overlaid with gold Exo 36:38. The spaces at the sides and back may have been wholly or in part covered in for the use of the officiating priests, like the small apartments which in after times skirted three sides of the temple. It was probably here that those portions of the sacrifices were eaten which were not to be carried out of the sacred precincts Lev 6:16, Lev 6:26. We may also infer that priests lodged in them. Compare 1Sa 3:2-3.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Exo 26:1-14

Curtains.

The curtains of the Tabernacle

I. That the glory of God is hidden to all who stand outside Jesus Christ. Man cannot surprise God and penetrate His secrets.

II. That in Christ the glory of God is most brightly revealed.

1. There is such a thing as regarding Christ from the outside; and then, as the Jews, we see no beauty in Him.

2. There is such a thing as knowing Christ as a great Teacher, a great Example; the goats hair curtains hooked with brass.

3. But it is only when we believe in Christ as the Son of God, and rest in Him as such, that we behold the fulness of His glory. The colours are the symbols of the different names of God; blue signifies the special revelation of God, being the colour of heaven and ether; red denotes the highest dignity, majesty, and royal power; crimson is that which fire and blood have in common, and symbolizes, therefore, life in its full extent. In Christ, the love, the life, the beauty, the majesty of God are most brightly expressed.

III. That in Christ is everlasting security and blessedness. (W. L. Watkinson.)

The curtains and the coverings

I. Let us look at the beautiful curtains that formed the Tabernacle.

1. If we view the Tabernacle as an emblem of Christ in His incarnation, the beautiful curtains of cunning work were emblematical of the attributes and perfections of Jehovah, In Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. Here every perfection meets and shines.

2. These beautifully-wrought curtains were emblems of the perfect graces which adorned the human nature of Jesus.

3. May we not see in this beautiful piece of tapestry the various characters of Christ? Here by faith we behold the Priest and His sacrifice, the King and His golden crown, the Prophet and His teaching, the Mediator and His fulness. Here by faith we behold the Shepherd and His watchful care, the Husband and His everlasting love, the Friend and His faithful counsel. Here in a mystery of grace we may discover the Root and the tree, the Vine and the branches, the Head and the members.

4. The curtains were the same in the holiest as in the holy place. The Church triumphant and the Church militant have the same Christ.

5. These curtains were fastened together by blue loops and taches of gold so as to form one Tabernacle. The loops and taches were exactly over the vail (Exo 26:33). This may teach us the connection between Christs work in heaven and His work on earth.

6. These curtains were full of cherubim. May not these cherubim be emblems of believers who are Christs mystical body? Christ and His members are one.

7. These curtains are emblems of the Churches of Christ adorned with the graces of the Holy Spirit.

8. The loops and golden clasps which united the curtains together show us the place for little deeds of kindness and little deeds of love. Kind words fitly spoken are golden clasps. There is far more power in kind words than some people think. Kind words are very uniting.

9. The Tabernacle was divided into two parts, but it was only one Tabernacle. The saints in heaven and the saints on earth make but one Church.

II. We may now look at the tent of goats hair, which formed a covering for the Tabernacle. The curtains of goats hair were emblematical of the righteousness of Christ, which is the justification of the Church. These curtains were joined together by clasps of brass. And he made fifty taches of brass to couple the tent together, that it might be one. Brass is an emblem of strength. In the Lord shall one say, have I righteousness and strength. In the Lord Jehovah –Jehovah Tsidkenu–is everlasting strength. May we not have an emblem in these two large goats hair curtains, of righteousness in its twofold aspect? Christs righteousness imputed is our justification. Christs righteousness imparted is our sanctification. We cannot have one without the other; they must be in our experience coupled together. Jesus Christ is our Righteousness and our Sanctification (1Co 1:30). Christ for us is our perfect righteousness. Christ in us is our perfect sanctification.

III. Over the tent was a covering of rams skins dyed red. Beautiful emblem of the protecting blood of Christ.

IV. Above the covering of rams skins dyed red was a covering of badgers skins. These skins were probably dyed blue. Perhaps a part were dyed purple. If so there would be seen on the outside, as well as the inside, the blue, purple, and scarlet. This outside covering teaches us that the Church is under the protection of heaven. The blue skins were over the red skins. Heaven only protects the blood marked. Kept by the power of God. (R. E. Sears.)

The beauty of holiness within

Observe:

1. As the outside of the Tabernacle was coarse and rough, the beauty all lying within, so those in whom God dwells must labour to be better than they seem to be. Hypocrites put the best side outward, like whited sepulchres, but the kings daughter is all glorious within (Psa 45:13); in the eye of the world black as the tents of Kedar, but in the eye of God comely as the curtains of Solomon (Son 1:5). Let our adorning be that of the hidden man of the heart which God values (1Pe 3:4).

2. Where God places His glory, He will create a defence; even on the habitations of the righteous there shall be a covert (Isa 6:5-6). The protection of Providence shall always be upon the beauty of holiness (Psa 27:5). (A. Nevin, D. D.)

The curtains

The materials used in the manufacture of this fabric were precisely the same as those which formed the vail; a different arrangement, however, is adopted as to the fine linen. In the vail, the blue first meets the eye; and the fine linen is last in the series. In these curtains, the fine linen stands, first, succeeded by the blue and the other colours. The vail, we know from Heb 10:20, was a type of the Lord Jesus in the days of His flesh, and was rent when He yielded up the ghost. The curtains, fastened together by golden taches, seem to foreshadow Christ in resurrection. The same glorious display of God and man, wondrously united, meets the eye of faith, whether the blessed Lord be contemplated when sojourning on this earth or raised to the right hand of the Majesty on high. Resurrection added to Him no new perfections; for He was, while on earth, the Resurrection and the Life. He was ever perfect. (H. W. Soltau.)

Analogies

The beautiful and costly cherub-curtained habitation bears some analogy to the believer, to the Church, to Christ, and to heaven.

I. To the believer. God, who dwelt within these curtains, condescends to dwell graciously in the heart of every true Israelite–saints are an habitation of God through the Spirit. As the Tabernacle was more beautiful within than without, so are Gods children. They are clothed with the spotless robe of Emmanuels righteousness, and adorned with humility, love, holiness, and heavenly-mindedness.

II. To the church. Believers, of whom the Church is composed, although scattered among many sects of professing Christians, are yet all one in Christ Jesus. As the curtains though woven separately were afterwards sewed together and formed two great curtains, which, when hung, were united into one by means of loops of blue and clasps of gold, so Gods children are knit together by the silver ties of affection and bound together by the golden clasps of love.

III. To christ. He was the true Tabernacle, which the Lord pitched and not man.

IV. To heaven. There angels and saints behold God-shining, not by a mere as symbol He did within the cherub-curtains, but in the face of Jesus Christ! There are those glorious beings who are mighty in strength (and whose perfections probably were shadowed forth in the cherubs that stood upon the mercy-seat and adorned roof and walls), even thousands and tens of thousands of holy angels, guardians of the saints while on earth, and their companions and fellow-worshippers for ever in the heavenly temple. (W. Brown.)

The golden and brazen taches

Fifty taches, or clasps of gold, linked together the innermost or beautiful curtains of the tabernacle. Fifty taches of brass coupled the goats-hair curtains. By the former one tabernacle–by the latter one tent was made. The vail, which divided the interior into two unequal portions, was hung up under the taches. As long as that vail remained entire, there might be said to be two tabernacles. At the same time, there was an intimation that the whole interior was but one holy place, in the fact of the curtains that covered, being connected by the taches, and forming one tabernacle, and one tent above it. All priestly service is now conducted in the holiest. Heaven itself is the place where Christ appears in the presence of God for us. The fifty taches of gold may be so many distinct presentations of the glories of Christ, expressed in His various names and titles, as seen crowned with glory and honour upon the throne of God. The taches of brass may exhibit the same names and titles as appertaining to Him when He was on earth, the Second Man, the Lord from heaven; as it will be found that the brass is used as a type of the Lord on earth in suffering and trial; while the gold has a resurrection aspect of the same glorious One. He has, as risen from the dead, retaken His own glorious titles; having, for the joy set before Him, endured the cross. The brazen taches seem appropriately to knit together the curtains of goats hair, which proclaim to us His sorrows and sufferings on the tree; while the golden taches, as appropriately coupled together the beautiful curtains, which manifest Him as received up in glory, because of the perfection of His labour and service in suffering on earth. (H. W. Soltau.)

The coverings of the Tabernacle

The coverings of the Tabernacle were four in number, viz., badgersskins, ramsskins dyed red, goatshair, and the embroidered covering. Much difficulty has been felt, and is still felt, as to the animal which in our translation is called a badger. Some think it was a seal, and that the entire Tabernacle, excepting the east end where the door was placed, was covered with sealsskin. Others think that this covering was made of the skins of a species of stag goat; but be this as it may, it is clear that the outer covering was made of some hard and durable substance; so hard was it that shoes were sometimes made of the same material (Eze 16:10). In this covering there was nothing beautiful or attractive. I can suppose a man to have stood at the top of some high hill, and to have looked down on the long, dark, coffin-like structure, and to have said, Well, I have heard much about the Tabernacle as being a very costly building, but I see no beauty at all in this long, dark tent; but the priests who had been within could tell of gold, and silver, and the richest embroidery to be seen there. It was all glorious within, but rough and unsightly without. This badger skin covering sets forth the humility of Christ when on earth among men, who, judging of Him according to the outward appearance, said, He hath no form nor comeliness; there is no beauty in Him that we should desire Him; so they despised and rejected Him (Isa 53:2-3). But we know there was much in Christ which did not meet the eye of men generally; and those who, taught of the Father, knew Him as the Christ the Son of the living God (Mat 16:16-17) were attracted to Him, for He was to them the chiefest among ten thousand and altogether lovely (Son 5:10; Son 5:16). The rough badger skin outside was as needful as was the beautiful covering underneath; and the humility of Christ was as needful for us, and for the glory of God, as was His exaltation. This covering of badgers skins was thick enough and hard enough to be an effectual protection from the rain, dew, and fine sand of the desert, and nothing could get through it to stain the fine linen or to dim the gold within. This shadows forth to us the holy determination of Christ to stand as a faithful and true witness for God on earth: the truth was in Him, and He kept it to the end. (G. Rodgers.)

The ramsskins dyed red

This red covering was probably made of the skins of rams which had been devoted to God, and had suffered death as burnt-offerings–not as sin-offerings. The skin of the sin-offering was burnt to ashes outside the camp (Lev 4:11-12), but the skin of the burnt-offering belonged to the priest who offered it to God (Lev 7:8). If the badger-skin covering sets forth the humility of Christ, this covering dyed red sets forth the depth of His humility. This blood-red skin reminds me of Him who when pressed, crushed, and distressed in the garden of Gethsemane, did sweat as it were great drops of blood. (G. Rodgers.)

The goats-hair covering

This was the only covering that was permitted to hang over any part of the east end of the Tabernacle. The eleventh breadth, hanging over the door, would meet the eye of the worshipper the moment he came within the gate of the court. The spiritual teaching of this I think to be of the greatest importance, as we shall see when we understand what particular aspect of our blessed Jesus this covering was designed to teach. Observe, first of all, that the sin-offering whose blood was carried into the holy of holies, and sprinkled on the mercy-seat, and before the mercy-seat, to make an atonement for the people of Israel, was a goat (Lev 16:15-16). This was the blood of sprinkling, of which we read so much in the Bible. With this blood in his hand, the high priest entered once a year, and stood in the presence of God. This was the blood which he offered for the errors of the people, and which made atonement for them. This was the blood at which God looked, and with which He was satisfied; it had a voice, and spoke better things than the blood of Abel. When it was sprinkled on the mercy-seat, which covered up the tables of the law, it seemed to speak to God of punishment which had been borne and of a life which had been given up. Observe again, the animal that bore away the sins of the people into the wilderness, where they were found no more, was a goat. I refer to the scapegoat, of which we read in Lev 16:1-34. This goat going away with the peoples sins would show those outside of the Tabernacle what the blood of the slain goat had done within the vail, viz., that it had put away sin and had set them free; and as they gazed on the folded part of goats-hair cloth, as it hung over the east end of the Tabernacle, it would seem to preach the gospel to them by reminding them how their sin was put away on the tenth day of the seventh month. It would speak of abounding grace, telling them that they had received double for all their sins. The first covering told us of the humility of Christ; the next told us of the depth of His humility; this tells us of the blessed results of His suffering and death, viz., that the sins of the Lords people are put away, for ever put away. (G. Rodgers.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

CHAPTER XXVI

The ten curtains of the tabernacle, and of what composed, 1.

Their length, 2, 3;

their loops, 4, 5;

their taches, 6.

The curtains of goats’ hair for a covering, 7;

their length and breadth, 8.

Coupled with loops, 9, 10,

and taches, 11.

The remnant of the curtains, how to be employed, 12, 13.

The covering of rams’ skins, 14.

The boards of the tabernacle for the south side, 15;

their length, 16,

tenons, 17,

number, 18,

sockets, 19.

Boards, c., for the north side, 20, 21.

Boards, c., for the west side, 22

for the corners, 23

their rings and sockets, 24, 25.

The bars of the tabernacle, 26-30.

The veil, its pillars, hooks, and taches, 31-33.

How to place the mercy-seat, 34.

The table and the candlestick, 35.

The hanging for the door of the tent, 36;

and the hangings for the pillars, 37.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXVI

Verse 1. Thou shalt make the tabernacle] mischan, from shachan, to dwell, means simply a dwelling place or habitation of any kind, but here it means the dwelling place of Jehovah, who, as a king in his camp, had his dwelling or pavilion among his people, his table always spread, his lamps lighted, and the priests, c., his attendants, always in waiting. From the minute and accurate description here given, a good workman, had he the same materials, might make a perfect fac simile of the ancient Jewish tabernacle. It was a movable building, and so constructed that it might be easily taken to pieces, for the greater convenience of carriage, as they were often obliged to transport it from place to place, in their various journeyings. For the twined linen, blue, purple, and scarlet, See Clarke on Ex 25:4, c.

Cherubims] See Clarke on Ex 25:18.

Cunning work] chosheb probably means a sort of diaper, in which the figures appear equally perfect on both sides this was probably formed in the loom. Another kind of curious work is mentioned, Ex 26:36, rokem, which we term needle-work this was probably similar to our embroidery, tapestry, or cloth of arras. It has been thought unlikely that these curious works were all manufactured in the wilderness: what was done in the loom, they might have brought with them from Egypt; what could be done by hand, without the use of complex machinery, the Israelitish women could readily perform with their needles, during their stay in the wilderness. But still it seems probable that they brought even their looms with them. The whole of this account shows that not only necessary but ornamental arts had been carried to a considerable pitch of perfection, both among the Israelites and Egyptians.

The inner curtains of the tabernacle were ten in number, and each in length twenty-eight cubits, and four in breadth; about sixteen yards twelve inches long, and two yards twelve inches broad. The curtains were to be coupled together, five and five of a side, by fifty loops, Ex 26:5, and as many golden clasps, Ex 26:6, so that each might look like one curtain, and the whole make one entire covering, which was the first.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

The tabernacle, or tent; a little house wherein the ark, table, and candlestick were to be placed. And scarlet, i.e. with materials of these colours, to wit, wool, as may be gathered from hence, that it is opposed to linen. Compare Exo 25:4. Of cunning work, either woven, or rather wrought with needle, wherein is most skill and curiosity.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

1. cunning workthat is, ofelegant texture, richly embroidered. The word “cunning,” inold English, is synonymous with “skilful.”

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Moreover, thou shalt make the tabernacle,…. Which he was ordered to make before, the pattern of which was shown him in the mount: this was an habitation for God to dwell in, as the word properly signifies, and into which the furniture before described was to be put; this tabernacle was a type both of the human nature of Christ, which is the true tabernacle which God pitched, and not man, the greater and more perfect one, Heb 8:2 in which the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily, where the glory of God is seen, in whom he grants his gracious presence to his people, and accepts of them and their sacrifices of prayer and praise; and also of the church of God,

Ps 43:3. Here Jehovah dwells, grants his presence to his people, and comes and blesses them; here he is worshipped, and spiritual sacrifices are offered up to him with acceptance: the tabernacle of Moses was made

[with] ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet; the ground of these curtains was fine linen, twined or doubled: and the Jewish writers, as Maimonides, Ben Gersom, and others, say it was six times doubled, the word “Shesh”, here used, signifying six; and this was interwoven with threads of yarn dyed blue, purple, and scarlet; according to Jarchi, the threads of which this tapestry was made were twenty four times doubled: he observes,

“there were four sorts in every thread, one thread of fine linen, and three of wool, and every thread was doubled six times; lo, the four sorts, when they were twined together, there were twenty four double to a thread;”

which if so, must make a stuff of a very great consistence and stiffness. This, as applied to the human nature of Christ, the fine linen may denote the purity of it; the various colours the different graces of the Spirit, with which it is adorned; or else the wounds, bruises, bloodshed, sufferings and death he endured in it: as applied to the church, may signify the clothing of the saints with the righteousness of Christ, that fine linen clean and white, and their being washed in his precious blood, and beautified with the graces of his Spirit:

with cherubim of cunning work shall thou make them; that is, with figures like those of the cherubim on the mercy seat, so disposed by the curious art and contrivance of the weaver, as to appear on both sides of this tapestry; for this was not wrought by a needle, which only shows the figure on one side, but by weaving, as Jarchi observes; and who says, that there was one figure on one side, and another on another; as, for instance, a lion on one side, and an eagle on the other; or, which is more likely, the same figure was seen on both sides, as Maimonides affirms, who says e, the work called Chosheb (which is what is here spoken of) is that whose figures appear on both sides, before and behind: this in the mystical sense may point either to the ministration of angels to Christ in his human nature, and to his people the heirs of salvation; or else to the service of Gospel ministers, done for the honour and glory of Christ, and the good of his church and people: Josephus f thinks these curtains had a mystical meaning in them, and represent the nature of the elements, and so Philo g.

e Hilchot Cele Hamikdash, c. 8. sect. 15. f Antiqu. l. 3. c. 7. sect. 7. g De Vita Mosis, l. 3. p. 667.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(cf. Ex 36:8-38). The Dwelling-Place. – This was to be formed of a framework of wood, and of tapestry and curtains. The description commences with the tapestry or tent-cloth (Exo 26:1-14), which made the framework (vv. 15-30) into a dwelling. The inner lining is mentioned first (Exo 26:1-6), because this made the dwelling into a tent (tabernacle). This inner tent-cloth was to consist of ten curtains ( , ), or, as Luther has more aptly rendered it, Teppiche, pieces of tapestry, i.e., of cloth composed of byssus yarn, hyacinth, purple, and scarlet. twisted, signifies yarn composed of various colours twisted together, from which the finer kinds of byssus, for which the Egyptians were so celebrated, were made (vid., Hengstenberg, Egypt, pp. 139ff.). The byssus yarn was of a clear white, and this was woven into mixed cloth by combination with dark blue, and dark and fiery red. It was not to be in simple stripes or checks, however; but the variegated yarn was to be woven (embroidered) into the white byssus, so as to form artistic figures of cherubim (“cherubim, work of the artistic weaver, shalt thou make it”). (lit., work or labour of the thinker) is applied to artistic weaving, in which either figures or gold threads (Exo 28:6, Exo 28:8, Exo 28:15) are worked into the cloth, and which is to be distinguished from variegated weaving (Exo 26:36).

Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

The Tabernacle and Its Furniture.

B. C. 1491.

1 Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them. 2 The length of one curtain shall be eight and twenty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and every one of the curtains shall have one measure. 3 The five curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and other five curtains shall be coupled one to another. 4 And thou shalt make loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling; and likewise shalt thou make in the uttermost edge of another curtain, in the coupling of the second. 5 Fifty loops shalt thou make in the one curtain, and fifty loops shalt thou make in the edge of the curtain that is in the coupling of the second; that the loops may take hold one of another. 6 And thou shalt make fifty taches of gold, and couple the curtains together with the taches: and it shall be one tabernacle.

I. The house must be a tabernacle or tent, such as soldiers now use in the camp, which was both a mean dwelling and a movable one; and yet the ark of God had not better, till Solomon built the temple 480 years after this, 1 Kings vi. 1. God manifested his presence among them thus in a tabernacle, 1. In compliance with their present condition in the wilderness, that they might have him with them wherever they went. Note, God suits the tokens of his favour, and the gifts of his grace, to his people’s wants and necessities, according as they are, accommodating his mercy to their state, prosperous or adverse, settled or unsettled. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee, Isa. xliii. 2. 2. That it might represent the state of God’s church in this world, it is a tabernacle-state, Ps. xv. 1. We have here no continuing city; being strangers in this world, and travellers towards a better, we shall never be fixed till we come to heaven. Church-privileges are movable goods, from one place to another; the gospel is not tied to any place; the candlestick is in a tent, and may easily be taken away, Rev. ii. 5. If we make much of the tabernacle, and improve the privilege of it, wherever we go it will accompany us; but, if we neglect and disgrace it, wherever we stay it will forsake us. What hath my beloved to do in my house? Jer. xi. 15.

II. The curtains of the tabernacle must correspond to a divine pattern. 1. They were to be very rich, the best of the kind, fine twined linen; and colours very pleasing, blue, and purple, and scarlet. 2. They were to be embroidered with cherubim (v. 1), to intimate that the angels of God pitch their tents round about the church, Ps. xxxiv. 7. As there were cherubim over the mercy-seat, so there were round the tabernacle; for we find the angels compassing, not only the throne, but the elders; see Rev. v. 11. 3. There were to be two hangings, five breadths in each, sewed together, and the two hangings coupled together with golden clasps, or tacks, so that it might be all one tabernacle, v. 6. Thus the churches of Christ and the saints, though they are many, are yet one, being fitly joined together in holy love, and by the unity of the Spirit, so growing into one holy temple in the Lord,Eph 2:21; Eph 2:22; Eph 4:16. This tabernacle was very strait and narrow; but, at the preaching of the gospel, the church is bidden to enlarge the place of her tent, and to stretch forth her curtains, Isa. liv. 2.

Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary

EXODUS – CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Verses 1-6:

This chapter gives the description of the tabernacle, ohel, “tent,” the portable house of worship which consisted of four main parts:

I. A rectangular enclosure, ten cubits (15′) by thirty cubits (45′), open at one end and enclosed on three sides by boards of acacia wood overlaid with gold. This was the mishkan, “dwelling place,” usually translated “tabernacle.”

2. “Ten curtains,” designed to link together to form one covering, to be placed over the mishkan.

3. A tent, ohel, of goat’s hair, supported on poles, and stretched in the ordinary manner over the mishkan (boards).

4. A covering, mikseh, of rams’ skins dyed red, and seals’ skins, to be placed over the ohel.

Ancillary parts were: sockets or bases of silver, to support the upright boards; bars used to hold the boards together; the veil, stretched on pillars and separating the two rooms of the tabernacle; and the curtain or “hanging” for the open end of the enclosure where there were no boards.

Each of the “ten curtains” was to be 4 cubits (6 feet) wide, and 28 cubits (6 feet) long. Five curtains were to be sewn together, forming a section 30′ x 42′. The two sections thus formed were joined together to form one continuous curtain 42′ x 60′. On the selvedge of each section, fifty loops of blue fabric were to be affixed. These loops were to match with fifty loops on the other section. They were then joined by means of gold “taches” (clasps or pins).

The “ten curtains” were to be made of “fine twined linen.” This fabric was woven from linen threads formed by several fine strands of linen twisted together. The colors: blue, purple, and scarlet (see Ex 25:4).

“Cherubims of cunning work.” lit. “cherubim, the work of a skilled weaver.” Figures of cherubim were to be woven into the curtain in the loom; they were not to be embroidered on them.

The length of the curtains allowed them to hang down over the boards which formed the sides of the tabernacle.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

1. Moreover, thou shalt make the tabernacle. In the whole construction of the tabernacle we must remember what we have already seen, that the Israelites were instructed by external figures how precious a thing is the worship of God, and therefore that they must diligently beware lest it should be polluted by any meanness. For all this richness and magnificence of ornament was the very contrast to meanness. They were also reminded that, if they would be accounted pure worshippers of God, they must avoid all uncleanness, for the tabernacle was the type of the Church. Thus it is certain that by its external ornaments the excellency of spiritual gifts was designated. On this ground Isaiah, discoursing of the perfect glory of the Church as it would be under the reign of Christ, says,

“I will lay thy stones with fair colors, and lay thy foundations with sapphires; and I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones,” (Isa 54:11😉

by which words he plainly signifies that the Church would be adorned with heavenly beauty, since all kinds of graces shone forth in her But the chief excellency of her adornment must be referred to the instruction which renews us into the image of God. Thus David, when he celebrates the beauty of God’s house, assigns this honor chiefly to the exercises of faith and piety:

“One thing have I desired of the Lord,” he says, “that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.” (Psa 27:4.)

Was this that he might feed his eyes with empty pictures, with its costly materials, and with the exquisite workmanship of it? Assuredly he does not speak of gazing inquisitively at it, but thus alludes to its visible workmanship, that with the spiritual eyes of faith he may consider the glory more excellent than the whole world, which was there represented. Nor indeed did anything magnificent appear in the tabernacle to delight men’s eyes, but rather was all its richness and excellence covered up with goats’ hair and paltry leather, in order that believers beneath that hidden beauty might reflect on something higher than the carnal sense.

It will suffice to have given these general hints; I now descend to particulars, in which let not my readers expect of me any conceits which may gratify their ears, since nothing is better than to contain ourselves within the limits of edification; and it would be puerile to make a collection of the minutiae wherewith some philosophize; since it was by no means the intention of God to include mysteries in every hook and loop; and even although no part were without a mystical meaning, which no one in his senses will admit, it is better to confess our ignorance than to indulge ourselves in frivolous conjectures. Of this sobriety, too, the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews is a fit master for us, who, although he professedly shews the analogy between the shadows of the Law and the truth manifested in Christ, yet sparingly touches upon some main points, and by this moderation restrains us from too curious disquisitions and deep speculations. In the first place, curtains are made of twilled linen, and blue, purple, and scarlet, which, when coupled together, made an inclosure of forty cubits; for they were ten in number, and the breadth of each was four cubits. By “cunning work,” commentators are agreed that embroidery is meant, especially when God commands that cherubim should be made in them. But some translate the word cherubim by the general name of pictures, (140) which, although it is not grammatically incorrect, yet, since we have before seen that angels were designated by this word, it; is more probable that figures of angels were everywhere scattered over them; for, when the majesty of God is represented to the life by Dan 7:10, “ten thousand times ten thousand” are said to stand around His judgment-seat, Ridiculous is it of the Papists (141) to infer from hence that churches would be empty and unsightly unless they are adorned with images; for in order that the similitude should hold good, they must needs hide their images under a triple covering, lest the people should be able to see them; and then, how would they be “the books of the unlearned” ( idiotarum), as they call them? (142)

Now, since the seraphim, of which Isaiah makes mention, (Isa 6:2,) signify the same as the cherubim, and are said “with twain of their wings to cover their faces, and with twain their feet,” their images must be veiled, in order to correspond with them. Besides, it is preposterous, as I have said, forcibly to transfer these rudiments, which God delivered only to His ancient; people, to the fullness of time, when the Church has grown up and has passed out of its childhood. But how far the Jews were from worshipping the cherubim, the heathen poets bear them witness; for Juvenal, speaking of them, said,

” Qui puras nubes, et coeli numen adorant;” (143)

and God extorted these words from an impure and licentious man, that all might know that the Law of Moses lifted his disciples to things above. A threefold covering is then described, the inner one of goats’ hair, another of rams’ skins dyed red, and the outer one of badgers’ skins; a wooden frame is then added, to strengthen the tabernacle within by its firmness, since otherwise the curtains would have got out of place at the slightest motion. The boards were of shittim-wood, overlaid with gold, either only gilt or covered with gold plates; each of them was supported by two silver bases, (144) like feet, and they were joined together by bars, passed through rings of gold. In this space the whole tabernacle was contained, which then was distinguished into the outer sanctuary and the Holy of holies. Besides these there was the court in which the people were to stand, because it was not lawful for them to enter the sanctuary, to which the priests alone had access, and they only when clean. Thus David, after having exclaimed, “How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts,” immediately adds, “My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord;” and again, “for a day in thy courts is better than a thousand,” (Psa 84:1😉 and again, “Worship the Lord in his holy court.” (145) (Psa 29:2.) But on so plain a matter there is no need of the abundant proofs which he furnishes. The disposition of the tabernacle is said again, in Exo 26:30, to have been shewn in the mount, that the people should not rest their attention on the visible tabernacle, but with the understanding of faith should penetrate to heaven, and direct their minds to the spiritual pattern, the shadows and types of which they beheld. Neither here must we philosophize too curiously. The allegory will please the ears of many, that by the two bases are meant the Old and New Testament, or the two natures of Christ, because believers rest on these two supports. But with no less probability we might say, that two bases were placed beneath each of the boards; either because godliness hath the promise of this life and of that which is to come; or because we must resist on both sides the temptations which assail us from the right and from the left; or because faith must not limp nor turn to the right or left: thus there would be no bounds to trifling. They allegorically explain that the covering of the tabernacle was made of rams’ skins, (146) because the Church is protected by the blood of Christ, who is the spotless lamb; but I ask, what do the badgers’ skins, which were above, mean? Why was the covering of goats’ hair put below? Wherefore, sobriety is our best course.

(140) S. M. is the translator who has here rendered cherubim, pictures. V. renders it, paraphrastically, “ pulchra varietate contextum.” — W.

(141) See Institutes, vol. 1, p. 122, et seq.; see also Petr. Martyr, Loci. Com. Cl. Sec., cap. 5; and Becon, Catechism, Part 3; Parker Soc. Edit., pp. 61, 62.

(142) “ Idcirco enim pictura in ecelesiis adhibetur, ut hi, qui literas nesciunt, saltem in parietibus videndo legant, quae legere in codicibus non valent.” — Greg. Magni, lib. 9, indict, 2, epist, 105, ad Serenum Massil. Episc.

(143) The actual words of Juvenal, Sat. 14:97, are: —

” Nil proeteter nubes, et coeli numen adorant ;” Nought but the clouds, and heaven’s God adore.

(144) A. V., “ sockets.”

(145) C. quotes the translation of the V. , “ in atrio sancto ejus.” See note on Psa 29:2, in C. Society’s Commentary, vol. 1, p. 476.

(146) Arietes rubricati, Christus sanguine passionis cruentatus; significantur etiam martyres, etc. — Gloss. Ord.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

CRITICAL NOTES.

Exo. 26:1. Of cunning work] = Msey CHOSHEB represents workmanship of a more skilful and costly kind, such as was used in the in working of the figures of the cherubim upon the inner covering of the roof of the tabernacle, the vail before the Holy of Holies, and upon toe ephod and the breast-plate of the High priest. Another peculiarity of this covering of this cunning work was, that its texture exhibited figures on both sides, while the needle-work= msey rokemwas without figures of the cherubim, and exhibited the pattern only on one side. The workmanship of the former, maasey chosheb = cunning work, being employed for decoractions of the interior of the tabernacle only, may be taken as symbolising the presence of God in the tabernacle.

MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.Exo. 26:1-15

THE CURTAINS OF THE TABERNACLE

In its highest meaning the Tabernacle is the symbol of Christ, in whom God is revealed to His people. What practical truths, then, do these curtains suggest?

I. That the glory of God is hidden to all who stand outside Jesus Christ. These elaborate curtains were to veil the sacred furniture and services of the sanctuary from the vulgar or profane eye. Only such as entered the Tabernacle saw the glory; those who remained outside knew it not. God is only known in Christ. The people of Israel were face to face with nature; as they gazed on the pillar of fire and cloud, they were face to face with Providence; but it was only as they penetrated the Tabernacle that they felt themselves in the peculiar presence of God. The lights of the candlestick, the table of shewbread, the ark speaking of reconciling truth, the mercy-seat and the glory which lighted it, declaring the love and friendship of God,all these were hidden from the careless and unbelieving outside the Tabernacle. The truth for us is, that the knowledge of God, the righteousness of God, the love of God, the beauty of God, are hidden from all who stand outside Christ. The bright stars are clouds which God has spread on His throne; the heavens He has spread out as a curtain; the course of history is full of mysteries, that is to say, God hides Himself in darkness; the nature of man is a darkened glass, through which filter perplexing gleams of the great Creator. The world by wisdom knew not God. In the ancient world man felt that God had hidden Himself in nature and the worlds government, and in the modern world all who reject Christ find the curtains between man and God, heaven and earth, denser than the ancients found them to be. There were many curtains; the curtains were closely linked to each other; they were fastened to the pillars by nails; there was curtain behind curtain. There was no possibility of any of the interior glories being witnessed by any outside the tent. Man cannot surprise God and penetrate His secrets.

II. That in Christ the glory of God is most brightly revealed. The innermost curtains were very beautiful. Of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and the cherubim worked in with golden thread. These curtains were hooked with golden hooks. Then came the second curtains, of goats hair, hooked with brass. Then the outermost curtains, of rams skins and badgers skins.

1. There is such a thing as regarding Christ from the outside; and then, as the Jews, we see no beauty in Him.
2. There is such a thing as knowing Christ as a great Teacher, a great Example; the goats hair curtains hooked with brass.
3. But it is only when we believe in Christ as the Son of God, and rest in Him as such, that we behold the fulness of His glory. The colours are the symbols of the different names of God; blue signifies the special revelation of God, being the colour of heaven and ether; red denotes the highest dignity, majesty, and royal power; crimson is that which fire and blood have in common, and symbolises, therefore, life in its full extent.Kalisch. In Christ, the love, the life, the beauty, the majesty of God are most brightly expressed. The Tabernacle was a very different place seen from the outside, with its badgers skins, and seen within, where the richly-coloured curtains shone with their golden broideries; and it is only when we are in Christ that we behold the glory of the only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Let us penetrate to the heart of the Gospel; let us go beyond the curtains of goats hair, and of rams skins, and badgers skinsthe letter and circumstance of Christianityto gaze with open face on the glory of the spiritual and redeeming Jesus.

III. That in Christ is everlasting security and blessedness. These are sheltering curtainssafety within the tent of the King. One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life; to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion: in the secret of His Tabernacle shall He hide me. And everlasting blessedness: And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, &c. (Rev. 21:3-4). Here we are secure beyond all the tempests of life or death.

SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS ON THE VERSES

The curtains on which we have been dwelling were covered with other curtains of goats hair, Exo. 26:7-14. Their beauty was hidden from those without by that which bespoke roughness and severity. This latter did not meet the view of those within. To all who were privileged to enter the hallowed enclosure nothing was visible save the blue, the purple, the scarlet, and fine twined linen, the varied yet combined exhibition of the virtues and excellencies of that divine Tabernacle in which God dwelt within the vailthat is, of Christ, through whose flesh, the antitype of all these, the beams of the divine nature shone so delicately, that the sinner could behold without being overwhelmed by their dazzling brightness.

As the Lord Jesus passed along this earth, how few really knew Him! How few had eyes anointed with heavenly eye-salve to penetrate and appreciate the deep mystery of His character! How few saw the blue, the purple, the scarlet, and fine twined linen! It was only when faith brought man into His presence that He ever allowed the brightness of what He was to shine forthever allowed the glory to break through the cloud. To natures eye there would seem to have been a reserve and a severity about Him which were aptly prefigured by the covering of goats hair. All this was the result of His profound separation and estrangement, not from sinners personally, but from the thoughts and maxims of men.

C. H. M.

ILLUSTRATIONS

BY
REV. WILLIAM ADAMSON

Tabernacle-Thoughts! Exo. 26:1-30.

1. Rosenmuller says that the portable temple of the Israelites had in its whole arrangement a resemblance with the temples of antiquity. Lachemacher states that in many of the Grecian temples the back part was not to be entered by anybody; and here the statue of the deity was placed. Spencer shows that in the Egyptian temples the inner or sacred part was shrouded in darkness, and divided from the front or outer portion by a curtain embroidered with gold.

2. Law sees in the Tabernacle a type of Christa sketch of that fair frame of Christ, which God the Holy Spirit wrought and planted in this earth. He is the true Tabernacle of Heb. 8:2, the greater and more perfect Tabernacle of Heb. 9:11. It points to a mystic fabric which human hands produce notwhich human skill erects notwhich human imperfection taints not. Christ is discerned, the end and excellence of the predictive house.

3. Macmillan suggests that it is an emblem of man indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Mans body is a tabernacle sojourning in the wilderness of the world. In his constitution God has wrought out in higher form the great truths which were symbolised in the Jewish tabernacle. But what constituted its glory! The Shekinahthe token and symbol of Gods Presence. Without this, its golden furniture and priceless jewels were meaningless, as our world without the shining of the sun. So what constitutes the glory of man is Christ dwelling in the heart.

As some rare perfume in a vase of clay

Pervades it with a fragrance not its own,

So when Thou dwellest in a mortal soul,

All heavens own sweetness seems around it thrown.

Divine stheticism! Exo. 26:1-37.

(1.) Henry Martyn wrote, Since I have known God in a saving manner, painting, poetry, and music have had charms unknown to me before. I have received what I suppose is a taste for them; or Religion has refined my mind and made it susceptible of impressions from the sublime and beautiful. Oh, how Religion secures the heightened enjoyment of those pleasures which keep so many from God by their becoming a source of pride!
(2.) Win-slow says that to the new creature in Christ Jesus even the world of nature seems as a newborn creation, now that he has passed from death unto life. The sun shines brighterthe air breathes softerthe flowers smell sweeterthe landscape is clad with deeper verdure and richer loveliness. In a word, the whole creation appears in newborn beauty and sublimity.
(3) Even so Christ is not seen to be full of loveliness outside. Once in Him, the soul perceives His exquisite beauty; My Beloved is fair and ruddy, the chiefest amongst ten thousand; yea, He is altogether lovely. Once, he could perceive no beauty in Him that He should desire Him; now he exclaims, Thou art all my salvation, and all my desire!

All over glorious is my Lord,
Must be beloved, and yet adord;
His worth if all the nations knew,
Sure the whole earth would love Him too.

Erskine.

Fair Colours! Exo. 26:6. They shall make the ephod of gold, blue, and purple. Thou shalt make the breastplate of gold, blue, and purple. Taches of gold were inserted into loops of blue, connecting together the curtains of the tabernacle. Laces of blue, passing through rings of gold. fastened the ephod to the breastplate; and a lace of blue bound the golden plate to the mitre of the high priest. The golden vessels of the sanctuarywith the exception of the arkwere all covered with a cloth of blue. A veil of blue separated the holy place from the Holy of Holies. Every Israelite wore a fringe of blue ribbon to his garments to remind him of the commandments of the Lord. These the Pharisees afterwards enlarged in order that men might praise their scrupulous adherence to the letter of the law. Jesus Himself carried this blue hem to His raiment; and from it, on one memorable occasion, the touch of faith drew out healing virtue.

Theres nothing blue, above, below,
From flowers that bloom to stars that glow,
But in its hue my faith can see
Some feature of Thy SYMPATHY,Moore.

Tabernacle-Unity! Exo. 26:6.

1. It was necessary that the tabernacle should consist of many parts, on account of its
(1) Movable and
(2) Mystical character. Yet though of many parts, particular emphasis is laid on its essential unity: It shall be one tabernacle. It does not mean that only one tabernacle was to be erected to His name. The oneness spoken of here is not singlenessnot uniquenessbut UNITY.

2. If, as some say, the tabernacle is a type of the Church of God, built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, we see the importance of this typical unity. Jews and GentilesBarbarians and ScythiansBritons and Red IndiansGermans and Japanese, are all different nationalities, and the Christian converts form themselves into different churches; but all are parts of one whole, and are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit (Eph. 2:22).

Like a double cherry, seeming parted,
But yet a union in partition,
Two lovely berries moulded on one stem;
So, with two seeing bodies, but ONE HEART.

Shakespeare.

Curtain-Weaving! Exo. 26:7-14. According to the Greek idea, the ancient art of weaving curtains was gathered from the web of the spider. The mythologies of the ancients relate how the goddess Minerva changed Arachne into a spider, because she surpassed the goddess in weaving; and hence we have a spider-species called Arachnida. So far as can be traced, weaving first assumed the form of mattingi.e., simple interlacings of shreds of bark, lacustrine plants, vegetable stalks, &c. By and by, skill employed fibres, such as flax, hemp, and silk. These were in turn supplemented by the introduction of wool and hair, if we credit Homer. These wools were dyed all colours, as here described by Moses. Homer, to whom we have already referred, narrates how Alcandria, the Queen of Egypt, presented Helen, the consort of Menelaus, with such gifts on their return from the siege of Troy:

And that rich vase, with living sculpture wrought,
Which, heapd with wool, the beauteous Phyle brought;

The silken fleece, empurpled for the loom,

Rivalld the hyacinth in vernal bloom.

Homers Odyssey.

Curtain-Coupling! Exo. 26:3-11.

(1.) The tabernacle had two divisions, called respectively the holy place and the Holy of Holies, the one being separated from the other by a very thick veil. But the utmost care is taken to couple the curtains and tenons and taches. Under one covering, overshadowed by the same cloud, and filled by the same glory, were these two compartments, until the veil that separated them was rent (Mat. 27:51).

(2.) This curtain-coupling signifies the essential oneness of the Hebrew and Christian Churches. The Great High Priest Himself declared that the saints of the Old Testament dispensation desired to penetrate the veil which concealed from them the mysteries within. Yet were they one, coupled together by the mystic bonds of faith and hope and love; and when the veil was rent, the new compartments of Hebrew and Christian became one in Christ Jesus.

(3.) In Hebrews 9 St. Paul says further that the outer room typified not only the Hebrew but the Visible Church, the world-sanctuary, and that the inner room was a peculiar type of heaven, whither the Forerunner hath for us entered; and if so, the twice-repeated caution to couple the curtains, taches, &c., plainly indicates the essential unity of the Church Militant and Church Triumphant. Over both is the covering of Gods omnipresence. Over both is the banner of His love waving. Between them and us hangs the veil, but each Christian has his turn to pass within. And as at His first advent the veil was rent, so in His second advent will the other veil be riven.

One family, we dwell in Him,

One Church above, beneath,

Though now divided by the stream,

The narrow stream of death.

Wesley.

Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell

THE TEXT OF EXODUS
TRANSLATION

26 Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains; of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, with cher-u-bim the work of the skilful workman shalt thou make them. (2) The length of each curtain shall be eight and twenty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits: all the curtains shall have one measure. (3) Five curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and the other five curtains shall be coupled one to another. (4) And thou shalt make loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling; and likewise shalt thou make in the edge of the curtain that is outmost in the second coupling. (5) Fifty loops shalt thou make in the one curtain, and fifty loops shalt thou make in the edge of the curtain that is in the second coupling; the loops shall be opposite one to another. (6) And thou shalt make fifty clasps of gold, and couple the curtains one to another with the clasps: and the tabernacle shall be one WHOLE.

(7) And thou shalt make curtains of goats hair for a tent over the tabernacle: eleven curtains shalt thou make them. (8) The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits: the eleven curtains shall have one measure. (9) And thou shalt couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and shalt double over the sixth curtain in the forefront of the tent. (10) And thou shalt make fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain that is outmost in the coupling, and fifty loops upon the edge of the curtain which is outmost in the second coupling. (11) And thou shalt make fifty clasps of brass, and put the clasps into the loops, and couple the tent together, that it may be one. (12) And the overhanging part that remaineth of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remaineth, shall hang over the back of the tabernacle. (13) And the cubit on the one side, and the cubit on the other side, of that which remaineth 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. (14) And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams skins dyed red, and a covering of sealskins above.

(15) And thou shalt make the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing up. (16) Ten cubits shall be the length of a board, and a cubit and a half the breadth of each board. (17) Two tenons shall there be in each board, joined one to another: thus shalt thou make for all the boards of the tabernacle. (18) And thou shalt make the boards for the tabernacle, twenty boards for the south side southward. (19) And thou shalt 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: (20) and 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) And for the hinder part of the tabernacle westward thou shalt make six boards. (23) And two boards shalt thou make for the corners of the tabernacle in the hinder part. (24) And they shall be double beneath, and in like manner they shall be entire unto the top thereof unto one ring: thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two corners. (25) And there shall be eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.
(26) And thou shalt make bars of acacia wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle. (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 hinder part westward. (28) And the middle bar in the midst of the boards shall pass through from end to end. (29) And thou shalt overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings of gold for places for the bars: and thou shalt overlay the bars with gold. (30) And thou shalt rear up the tabernacle according to the fashion thereof which hath been showed thee in the mount.
(31) And thou shalt make a veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined line: with cher-u-bim the work of the skilful workman shall it be made: (32) and thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold; their hooks shall be of gold, upon four sockets of silver. (33) And thou shalt hang up the veil under the clasps, and shalt bring in thither within the veil the ark of the testimony: and the veil shall separate unto you between the holy place and the most holy. (34) And thou shalt put the mercy-seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place. (35) And thou shalt set the table without the veil, and the candlestick over against the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south: and thou shalt put the table on the north side.

(36) And thou shalt make a screen for the door of the Tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined line, the work of the embroiderer. (37) And thou shalt make for the screen five pillars of acacia, and overlay them with gold; their hooks shall be of gold: and thou shalt cast five sockets of brass for them.

EXPLORING EXODUS: CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
QUESTIONS ANSWERABLE FROM THE BIBLE

How many curtains were made for the first covering of the tabernacle? Of what material? With what colors and decorations were they to be made? (Exo. 26:1)

What were the dimensions of these curtains? (Exo. 26:2)

How were the ten curtains joined together? (Exo. 26:3-6)

What other items in the tabernacle did these curtains resemble in material, decoration, and in color? (Exo. 26:31; Exo. 26:37; Exo. 27:16)

What was the number of goats hair curtains? (Exo. 26:7)

What were the dimensions of the goats hair curtains? (Exo. 26:8)

How were the goats hair curtains joined together? (Exo. 26:9-11)

How was the additional goats hair curtain (one more than the linen curtains) arranged and positioned? (Exo. 26:12)

What were the other two tabernacle coverings made from? (Exo. 26:16)

10.

What materials were the tabernacle boards (frames?) made of? (Exo. 26:15)

11.

What were the dimensions of each board? (Exo. 26:16)

12.

What material was used for sockets (bases or pedestals) under the boards? (Exo. 26:19)

13.

How many sockets were under each board? (Exo. 26:19)

14.

How many boards were on the south (and north) side of the tabernacle? (Exo. 26:18)

15.

What were made to hold the boards into their sockets?

(Exo. 26:17; Exo. 26:19)

16.

How were the rear (west) corners of the tabernacle walls strengthened? (Exo. 26:23)

17.

How many bars on each side held the tabernacle boards together? (Exo. 26:26-27)

18.

How did the middle bar differ from the upper and lower ones? (Exo. 26:27-28)

19.

Of what material were the rings on the boards for the bars to be made? (Exo. 26:29)

20.

According to what plan was the tabernacle to be erected? (Exo. 26:30)

21.

What were the materials and colors of the veil? (Exo. 26:31)

22.

Upon how many pillars was the veil hung? (Exo. 26:32)

23.

Of what material were the sockets under these pillars to be made? (Exo. 26:32)

24.

Why was the ark called the ark of the testimony? (Exo. 26:33; Exo. 32:15; Exo. 40:20)

25.

What covered the ark? (Exo. 26:35)

26.

Draw a rough sketch of the tabernacle floor layout, showing the position of all items of furniture. Indicate directions. (Exo. 26:35; Exo. 40:2-8)

27.

What was hung at the doorway of the tabernacle building? (Exo. 26:37)

28.

How many pillars were at the tabernacle door? (Exo. 26:37)

29.

Of what material were the sockets under the pillars at the tabernacle door made? (Exo. 26:37)

Exodus 26 : ENCLOSINGS!

(The architectural items described in Exodus 26 enclosed the tabernacle building completely.)

Curtains; Exo. 26:1-14.

– Furnished beauty, worshipful atmosphere (Exo. 26:1), unity (Exo. 26:6; Exo. 26:11), and protection (Exo. 26:12-14).

Boards and Bars; Exo. 26:15-30.

– Furnished strength (not seen by men) (Exo. 26:15-16), portability (so it could always be with men), and beauty (Exo. 26:29).

Veil and Screen; Exo. 26:31-37.

– Showed a separation between earth and heaven (Exo. 26:33).

– Showed a separation between the world and the church. (Only the priests served in the holy place [Num. 4:18-20; Num. 3:38]).

CURTAINS! (Exo. 26:1-14)

Glory hidden from those on the outside.

Glory revealed to those on inside.

Unity produced from many parts (Exo. 26:6; Exo. 26:11)

Protection for the sanctuary (Exo. 26:12-14).

BOARDS! (Exo. 26:15-25)

The boards provided great STRENGTH. (This strength could not be seen from the outside because the boards were concealed behind curtains.)

The boards provided great BEAUTY. (They were gold-covered, but this gold could only be seen from the inside.)

The boards provided great ACCESSIBILITY. (The tabernacle was always accessible to the people because its board framework was easily disassembled, carried about, and reassembled wherever the people moved.)

FURNITURE OF THE HOLY PLACE For Priests Only!

(Num. 3:10; Num. 3:38)

The showbread Gods people in Gods presence!

The lampstand A perfect light, fueled by the oil of Gods Spirit.

The incense altar The prayers of saints (Rev. 5:8).

(All Christians are priests unto God [1Pe. 2:5; 1Pe. 2:9]. They have free access to those things symbolized by the holy place and its furniture!)

THE HOLY OF HOLIES Gods Throne Room!

(The Holy of Holies was a type of heaven. Heb. 9:11-12; Heb. 9:23-24)

God was enthroned in both. (Psa. 99:1; Rev. 4:1-2)

Both have divine light and glory, (Lev. 16:2; Rev. 21:23)

Both have worshipping cherubim. (Exo. 25:18; Rev. 4:6-8)

Both are golden. (Exo. 25:11; Exo. 25:17; Exo. 26:29; Rev. 21:18)

Both are foursquare. (Exo. 26:16; Rev. 21:16)

Both have Gods law in them. (Exo. 40:20; Psa. 119:89; Psa. 89:14)

Both are places where blood atonement is made. (Lev. 16:15-16; Heb. 9:11-12; Heb. 9:24-25)

THE VEIL A Type of Christs Flesh! (Heb. 10:19-20)

The unbroken veil showed that the way into the Holiest place (heaven) was not yet clear. (Heb. 9:8)

The rent veil shows the way into Gods presence is now open. (Mat. 27:51; 2Co. 5:6; 2Co. 5:8)

EXPLORING EXODUS: NOTES ON CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

What is in Exodus twenty-six?

The chapter contains Gods instructions to Moses about how to make the ENCLOSINGS of the tabernacle the curtains and coverings over it (Exo. 26:1-14), the boards of its walls (Exo. 26:26-30), the veil that separated the two rooms (Exo. 26:31-35), and the screen that closed the entrance (Exo. 26:36-37).

Tabernacle building showing boards, bars, sockets, pillars, and the two rooms

Tabernacle building showing its four coverings and the hanging across the front

Floor planshowing its boards

A tabernacle board with its tenons and sockets.

The innermost (linen) curtains of the Tabernacle. Note that it was formed of two groups of five curtains decorated with cherubim, and joined by loops and taches (or clasps).

What was the material of the innermost curtains? (Exo. 26:1; Exo. 36:8-13)

They were made of fine linen. The threads were prepared by twisting many strands of linen fibre together. These were woven together with blue, purple, and scarlet thread (Exo. 35:25). Cherubim figures were woven into the fabric by a skilled weaver. The expression work of the skillful workman literally says work of a thinker. (It does refer to a weaver.) Regarding the cherubim, see notes on Exo. 25:19. The material of these curtains was the same as that of the veil (Exo. 26:31), the screen (Exo. 26:36), and the screen at the entrance of the court (Exo. 27:16).

Note that the linen curtains formed a covering called the tabernacle (Heb. mishkan, meaning dwelling). The same limited technical use of the term tabernacle is found in Exo. 26:6 and Num. 3:25. However, the term also refers to the entire structure of the tabernacle building in such passages as Exo. 25:9; Exo. 26:12; Exo. 26:30. In Exo. 27:19 it even refers to the tabernacle and the court around it.

The word tabernacle is derived from the verb shakan, meaning to dwell temporarily, suggesting the brevity of Israels sojourn. The earthly sojourn of all of Gods people is brief.

How many linen curtains were joined together, and in what way? (Exo. 26:2-6)

Ten curtains, each four by twenty-eight cubits (six by forty-two feet), were joined together. Five were joined together into one set by sewing them together along their long sides.[376] These formed two very large sets of curtains twenty by twenty-eight cubits. Then along one edge of each set fifty loops of blue thread were attached. These rows of loops were placed side by side, and then gold clasps (K.J.V., taches) were used to couple the two large sets of curtains into a single covering. The loops would have been spaced slightly over one-half cubit apart. (Selvedge in Exo. 26:4 means end, border, or extremity.)

[376] To describe how the curtains were placed side by side, the Hebrew uses the idion a woman to her sister.

What is the significance of the linen curtains?

The scripture does not state that they had a specific significance. Some interpreters seek to find symbolism in all their colors and numbers. But those who do this produce widely different interpretations, and show how futile speculative interpretation is. It may be edifying to meditate about such matters, but our conclusions must always remain private opinions.

Probably we are not speculating too much to say that the beauty of the curtains suggests the beauty of Gods divinely revealed religion. The cherubim figures suggest the presence of God, because they are always associated with Gods presence in scripture. (Note that the inside walls of Solomons temple were decorated with cherubim. 1Ki. 6:29).

What material comprised the second tabernacle covering? (Exo. 26:7; Exo. 36:14-18)

Goats hair (literally, just goats). This was the usual material of nomads tents, and still is. It is black (or nearly so), strong, and gives good protection from the weather. The goats hair was spun (twisted) into yarn by wise (skilled) women, and then woven into cloth (Exo. 35:26).

The goats hair coverings are called the Tent (Heb. ohel). See Exo. 26:11; Exo. 26:13; Exo. 36:14; Exo. 40:19 for other examples of this specialized use of the term tent. However, Exo. 26:36 uses tent to refer to the entire tabernacle building. Also Num. 24:5; Isa. 54:2, and Jer. 30:18 use the terms tent and tabernacle as synonyms referring to dwelling places generally.

How many goats hair curtains were joined, and in what way? (Exo. 26:8-11)

Eleven curtains, each four by thirty cubits, were made and then coupled together along their long sides in sets of five and six curtains. Fifty loops were set in one edge of each set and the sets were joined by placing bronze clasps in the loops that lay side by side. Note that the clasps were bronze, not gold as with the linen curtains. (The material of the loops is not indicated. Probably it was goats hair cord) The clasps joined the two sets into one huge covering, thirty by forty-four cubits.

The coupling together of the sets of curtains produced ONE tent (Exo. 26:11). The unity of the tabernacle was a significant feature of it, just as the unity of the church should be a significant quality about it.

How were the first two coverings over the tabernacle positioned? (Exo. 26:12-13)

Apparently they were draped flat over the tabernacle, the linen curtains first and the goats hair curtains over them.
Some interpreters have proposed that this flat-roofed design does not form a tent. They feel the coverings must have been suspended on a slope from a ridge pole running lengthwise over the tabernacle. The lower ends of the curtains would then have been tautly staked down. The presence of five pillars at the west end of the tabernacle is thought to strengthen this view, because the middle pillar of the five was possibly higher than the rest and served as one support for the ridgepole.
We feel that the flat roof arrangement is more probably the actual one used. Among the desert dwellers tent did not usually suggest a sloping roof. Their tents were (and are) generally flat-roofed, except for the spots where the interior stakes hold small areas of the black curtains up in points.
There is no indication that the middle pillar at the front was taller than those about it. The scripture does not mention any ridgepole. And it mentions no pole at the back end of the tabernacle to support that end of a ridgepole.
It is hard to see how the goats hair coverings could have hung down over the backside of the tabernacle if they had been suspended high enough over a ridgepole to have formed a sloping roof. They would have formed many uneven folds as they hung down from the angle of the sloping roof.

The clasps of the linen curtains were placed directly over the veil separating the holy place from the Holy of Holies. See Exo. 26:33. This position would cause the linen curtains to extend exactly to the front edge of the tabernacle boards on the east (the entrance), and to extend westward clear back to the end of the Holy of Holies, and then drape down to the very bottoms of the tabernacle boards on the west end.

With their length of twenty-eight cubits the linen curtains would span the open top of the tabernacle (ten cubits) and hang down over both sides to within one cubit of the bottoms of the tabernacle boards on the north and south.[377]

[377] Keil and Delitzsch (Op. cit., Vol. II, p. 176) suggest that the linen curtains hung down inside the boards of the holy place, so that the cherubim figures would be visible on the side walls inside, as well as on the ceiling above. They feel that the elaborate cherubim embroidered on the curtains would be largely needless if they were never seen on the outside of the boards. We do not deny that this might have been the position of the linen curtains. The presence of cherubim figures on the walls of Solomons temple is a possible parallel. Nonetheless, the text in Exodus does not clearly state that the linen curtains hung inside the walls. And no reference is made to any supports at the tops of the boards from which the curtains may have hung down on the inside.

The goats hair curtains were draped flat over the top of the tabernacle boards and over the linen curtains. Being two cubits longer, they completely covered them on the sides, and indeed hung down to the very bottoms of the tabernacle boards on the north and south, extending one cubit lower than the linen curtains.
The set (or coupling) of the six goats hair curtains was placed over the east (front) part of the tabernacle. It was so positioned that the sixth curtain (which would appear to be the first as one approach the tabernacle) was doubled over at the forefront.[378] This doubling over (or doubling back) would reduce its width to two cubits. Thus the second curtain from the tabernacle forefront started just two cubits from the forefront edge. In this position it would cause the clasps joining the two large sets (couplings) to lie two cubits behind the clasps joining the sets of linen curtains. Having the joints (the clasps) staggered in this way would be helpful in keeping out wind and rain from the tabernacle. (Rain was not much of a problem in the Sinai peninsula, but infrequent cloudbursts do occur in winter.)

[378] Cassuto, op. cit., p. 352, suggests that the folded-back goats hair curtain was folded beneath the front edge of the linen curtain in order to cover its edge well and give it thorough protection. We find neither proof nor disproof of this idea.

Since the clasps joining the sets of goats hair curtains came two cubits behind the clasps of the linen curtains, there would have been eight cubits from the point of the clasps of the goats hair to the back edge of the tabernacle. But there were twenty cubits of goats hair extending back from the clasps. This would cause the goats hair to cover the tabernacle top completely and then dangle down to the ground (ten more cubits), and still have half a curtain (two cubits) to remain over at the back, lying on the ground (Exo. 26:12). Cassuto quotes a passage from the Talmud which said that the two cubits of goats hair trailed on the ground like a woman walking in the street with her train trailing behind her.[379]

[379] Op. cit., p. 353.

The dark goats hair curtains gave no hint of the brilliant colors beneath and within it. The tabernacle materials were so chosen that there was a consistent movement from less valuable materials to more valuable as one moved closer to the most holy place from the outer areas. In a similar way, the nearer that one draws to God and Christ, the greater are the riches that he finds.

What were the two outer tabernacle coverings? (Exo. 26:14; Exo. 36:19; Exo. 39:34)

Coverings of rams skins dyed red and of sealskins were placed over the goats hair curtains. Regarding these materials, see notes on Exo. 25:5.

Sacred tent-shrines, some with red coloring, are known to have been used by Moslems; and also even farther back, into the third-first centuries B.C. at Palmyra; and in the seventh century B.C. in Phoenicia.[380] Certainly this does not necessarily indicate that either the pagans or the Israelites borrowed the idea of a red-covered sacred tent from one another.

[380] Frank M. Cross, Jr., The Priestly Tabernacle, reprinted in The Biblical Archaeologist Reader, edited by G. Ernest Wright and David Noel Freedman (Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday & Co., 1961), pp. 217219.

The ancient rabbis held that the covering of red rams skins was ten by thirty cubits, only large enough to have covered the top area of the tabernacle. Cassuto (also Jewish) feels that it may have hung down a little over the walls.[381] These opinions are hardly solid evidence.

[381] Op. cit., p. 353.

The R.S.V. translation of Exo. 26:14 suggests that the two coverings of rams skins and sealskins were actually just ONE covering made of the two materials. However, the Hebrew text uses the words for a covering of skins before both the terms translated rams skins and sealskins. Also the sealskins are said to be above the other covering. These facts argue strongly for two separate coverings.

There is, however, a bit of uncertainty about whether the rams skins and sealskins were one or two coverings. In the account of the erection of the tabernacle in Exo. 40:19, the word for covering is in the singular, possibly indicating that only the covering of rams skins was placed over the tabernacle when it was set up. Certainly the two outer coverings would have been very heavy and unwieldy. Some authors suggest that possibly the sealskins were used only as a tent bag or wrapping to. protect the outer coverings when they were being moved.[382] Compare Num. 4:6; Num. 4:8; Num. 4:11-12.

[382] Cole, op. cit., p. 194. Cassuto, op. cit., p. 354.

We still think the tabernacle was covered with separate coverings of rams skins and sealskins.

From the standpoint of outward beauty the tabernacle could not be considered attractive. In a similar way, even Christ Jesus had no outward beauty that we should desire him (Isa. 53:2). The preciousness is seen by those who believe (1Pe. 2:7).

What formed the walls of the tabernacle? (Exo. 26:15-18)

Boards of acacia wood overlaid with gold (Exo. 26:29), stood on end like pillars, and held together by rods through gold rings, formed the walls. The boards were ten cubits (fifteen feet) long and a cubit and a half wide (twenty-seven inches). Twenty such boards were on the south side,[383] and twenty were on the north, but only six with these dimensions were on the west (back) side. Two extra corner boards were also on the west.

[383] For the south side in Exo. 26:18 is literally to the side of the Negev, southward. Similarly westward in Exo. 26:22 is literally to the sea. Some critics have argued that the use of these geographical orientations as indicators of directions reveals that the writer of Exodus lived in Canaan, probably long after Moses time, but inasmuch as the Hebrew language was used even before Israel sojourned in Egypt (Gen. 42:22-23), these geographical expressions indicating directions had probably become established idiomatic usages before the sojourn, and continued to be used by the Hebrews even when they were in areas that did not have the Negev at the south and the Great Sea to the west.

The thickness of the boards is not stated. Josephus (Ant. III, vi, 3) says that they were four fingers thick, about three inches. This seems very reasonable, but is hardly conclusive evidence. Some Jewish commentators have said that the walls were one cubit thick! This would make the boards into impossibly heavy beams. (This thick dimension was proposed because of a desire to make the tabernacles inside measurements exactly ten cubits. By assuming that all of the eight boards [Exo. 26:22-25] on the west side were one and a half cubits wide, they calculated that this side was twelve cubits wide. To reduce this to ten cubits, it was proposed that the side boards were each one cubit thick, and their outside faces were even with the ends of the west wall.)

Cassuto comments that most probably the thickness of the boards was small, and hence the question as to whether the tabernacle dimensions (the ten cubits width) were external or internal is of little consequence, since there was no appreciable difference.
Each board of the walls had two tenons (Heb. hands) in the lower end of it. These were joined one to another (literally the woman to her sister). It seems that the tenons, though side by side in the ends of the boards, were also joined to one another, perhaps by another short board (or piece of metal) into which they were mortised. This combination of the two tenons and their coupling-pieces could then be attached to the bottom of each board. This design would make the tenons more rigid and less likely to break out of the boards when under strain.
It is widely held that the boards of the tabernacle were not boards but hollow frames made of two upright pieces and two or more cross pieces at the ends, and perhaps in between, making them somewhat like ladders. The R. S. V. translates the Hebrew word qeresh (board) as frame. However, it renders the same word as deck (of a ship) in Eze. 27:6, demonstrating that the Hebrew word does not always have the meaning of frame.

Several arguments have been advanced for the use of frames rather than solid boards. (1) Acacia trees were not large enough to yield such large boards. (See our notes on Exo. 25:5 on the size of acacia trees. Even if one tree were not large enough for a whole board, wood from several of them could be spliced together.) (2) The solid boards would be so heavy they could hardly have been handled. (This argument depends upon how thick the boards were.) (3) The fact that the cherubim decorations on the linen curtains on the side walls could not be seen if draped on the outside of walls of solid wood argues that the walls were of frames, through which the wall decorations could be seen. This is based on the assumption that everything beautiful in the tabernacle had to be visible. This is hardly the case. The curtains in the Holy of Holies were seen only once a year. The gold overlay inside the ark of the covenant was never to be seen. The gold overlay on the outside of the tabernacle walls was covered by the goats hair curtains. The beauty was seen by God, even if it was invisible to men. Men would be aware of its beauty even though it did not always hang in plain sight. Certainly the decorations on the curtains were visible above, on the tabernacle ceiling.

(4) The Hebrew word translated board is from a root word meaning cut off in other Semitic languages, and in the Ugaritic language the noun is used of a pavilion of the Canaanite god El, which might suggest framework here.[384] Also Canaanite and Assyrian buildings were made of wooden framework. To this we reply that the example of Assyrian buildings is irrelevant since they date from centuries after the Israelite tabernacle. Furthermore, there is no evidence that the Israelites patterned Gods tabernacle after Canaanite architecture. Also the fact that the word for board is derived from a word meaning to cut off hardly proves the boards were frames. The boards themselves were also cut off.

[384] Cole, op. cit., pp. 194195.

We agree with Cassuto, who says it is hard to suppose that the boards were not actually boards.[385]

[385] Op. cit., p. 351.

10.

What supported the boards? (Exo. 26:19-21)

Two sockets, or pedestals, or bases, of silver supported each board. Each socket was of one talent (about seventy-five pounds) of silver (Exo. 38:27). The presence of two sockets under each board with each mortised to receive the tenons under a board, would keep the boards from rotating, as they might have done if each board had had only one tenon at top and bottom. We do not know the shape of the sockets, but they probably were wider at the bottom than at the top.

Altogether one hundred sockets supported the tabernacle boards and the pillars holding up the veil (Exo. 38:27). Wagons were used to transport these heavy silver sockets. See Num. 4:31; Num. 7:3; Num. 7:6-8.

11.

How were the back corners of the tabernacle designed? (Exo. 26:22-25)

The boards for the two back corners are mentioned separately, as if they had different dimensions or designs from the other boards. Their width is not stated. We find ourselves in agreement with various authors who feel that they were only half a cubit wide. Two of them with this width would add only one cubit to the nine-cubit width of the other six boards at the west end of the tabernacle, making ten cubits.

Exo. 26:24 is a difficult verse. We have not found any two commentators in agreement about its meaning. The verse says that the corner boards were in some way doubled (paired, or twinned) together beneath, that is, at the bottom. Possibly this means that the boards were made of two thicknesses of board for a few cubits at the bottom. Perhaps each of the two thicknesses was stuck into one of the sockets. Then the boards extended on up entire (or whole, unbroken, perhaps meaning unspliced) to its [singular] top (or head), unto the one ring. This suggests to us that at the top of the boards some type of a ring clamped each corner board to the adjoining end boards of the south and north sides. (The meaning of the Hebrew technical term translated doubled is not fully known.)

12.

What bound the tabernacle boards together? (Exo. 26:26-30; Exo. 36:31-34)

Five bars of acacia wood overlaid with gold were thrust through rings of gold attached to the tabernacle boards. Five such bars were placed on the north side and on the south side, and the west end of the tabernacle. The middle bar on each side was in the midst of the boards and passed through from the end to the end.

This design made the tabernacle easy to assemble and disassemble as the Israelites moved from place to place. How cleverly designed it was![386]

[386] Noth, op. cit, p. 211, fails to sense the reasonableness and efficiency of this design. Instead he imagines that a priestly writer (P) living a thousand years after the time of Moses, fused together two disparate story elements, first of a tent sanctuary such as nomads use; and then the pattern of the Jerusalem temple, which the priestly writer transformed into a wooden structure capable of being dismantled. Such daring, dogmatic assertions of unproven and destructive theories never cease to amaze us.

The statement about the middle bar reaching from end to end causes most interpreters to feel that the other four bars did not reach from end to end along the sides of the tabernacle, but probably only half way. These four bars were probably arranged into just two rows, one above and one below the long middle bar. Thus there were only three rows of bars, even though there were five bars, because the top and bottom rows consisted of two bars, each only extending half the length of the walls. We feel this is a probability, but by no means a certainty.
Some have felt that the long middle bar was inserted not through rings, but through holes bored in a straight line through the midst of the boards from edge to edge. However, the text surely sounds as though all the bars were thrust through rings.
Cassuto felt that the rings and bars were on the inside of the tabernacle walls. Noth felt that the bars were presumably on the outside. We think they were on the outside.

The obscurity in the instructions about the boards and bars in our Bibles was cleared up for Moses, because God had showed him exactly how he was to set up the tabernacle (Exo. 26:30). Observe that even the manner of setting up the tabernacle was not left to human judgment. God has given careful directions to his children on all matters wherein exact obedience is required.

13.

What separated between the two tabernacle rooms? (Exo. 26:31-33; Exo. 36:35-38)

A beautiful veil separated the rooms called the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place (Holy of Holies). The word veil (Heb. paroketh) means that which separates. Its dimensions seem to have been ten cubits square. It is called the veil of the screen in Exo. 40:21; Exo. 35:12; Exo. 39:34, although the term screen is usually associated with the hanging at the entrance to the Holy Place.

The description of the material and decorations of the veil is almost identical to that of the linen curtains over the tabernacle. (See Exo. 26:1.)

The veil was hung on four pillars of acacia wood overlaid with gold. These pillars were supported on four sockets (pedestals) of silver. See Exo. 26:19. The pillars had hooks of gold at their tops, and the veil was hung upon these hooks, hanging directly below the clasps (taches) that joined the two large sets of linen curtains. (See section 7 of the notes on this chapter.)

The ark of the testimony (see Exo. 25:10-16) was to be brought into the innermost room (the Holy of Holies). Exo. 40:20-21 indicates that when the tabernacle was erected, the ark was put into its position in the tabernacle first and then after that the pillars and veil were set up. Thus Exo. 26:33 does not set forth a sequence of acts to be followed in erecting the tabernacle.

14.

What was the significance of the veil?

The New Testament clearly identifies the veil as a symbol, or type, of Christs FLESH, which was broken on the cross of Calvary (Heb. 10:19-22).

The Holy of Holies was Gods throne room, a type of heaven. See Heb. 9:11; Heb. 9:24. The Holy of Holies was closed off by the veil, and no one went past it except the high priest, and he only one day of each year (Heb. 9:7; Lev. 16:2; Lev. 16:34). The Holy Spirit signified to men by this visual means that the way into the true holiest place (heaven!) was not yet made open and plain as long as the tabernacle of Moses was still standing with its veil intact. The same condition continued on into the times of Solomons temple (which replaced the tabernacle) and later temples. The way into heaven was at that time simply NOT made manifest (open, plain)!

Thus in the O.T. times there was some uncertainty about the future life and immortality. Job cried, If a man die, will he live again? (Job. 14:14), In later times God revealed the promise of the resurrection of mens dead bodies (Dan. 12:2), but it was still a matter of future hope and not present assurance.

At the hour our Lord Jesus died, the veil in the temple in Jerusalem was ripped in two from top to bottom (Mat. 27:51). This veil corresponded to the one in the tabernacle. It separated the two innermost rooms of the temple, which corresponded to the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies.

When Christs fleshly body died, the true veil (his flesh!) was torn apart. The barrier between God and man, between earth and heaven, between death and immortality, was swept aside for ever!

Now men may approach boldly to Gods heavenly throne. Let us draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace (Heb. 4:16). We can now KNOW that we have eternal life (1Jn. 5:13). We are of good courage, knowing that even when we are absent from the body (dead!) we are AT HOME WITH THE LORD (2Co. 5:8). We depart from this world and are WITH CHRIST (Php. 1:23). More than that, our mortal bodies will themselves be resurrected at the end to become immortal (1Co. 15:50-53).

Thanks be to God for sending the Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel! (2Ti. 1:10)

Thanks be to God for a mighty savior, who rent the veil in two through the death of himself, and then rose again from the dead!

15.

How was the tabernacle furniture arranged? (Exo. 26:34-35)

In the Holy of Holies there was only the ark and its mercy-seat covering. See Exo. 25:16-21. Outside the veil, in the Holy Place, was the lampstand on the south side, the table of showbread on the north and the altar of incense up near the veil at the west part of the Holy Place (Exo. 30:6; Exo. 40:23-26).

The Holy Place was probably a type of the church. As the Holy of Holies was entered only from the Holy Place, so heaven is entered only from the church. As the Holy Place was for priests only, so the church is for priests (Christians) only.

The tabernacle building was a surprisingly small building, only ten by ten by thirty cubits (fifteen by forty-five feet floor size). But it did not need to be extremely large, since no one entered it but the priests. The congregation worshipped at the door of each mans tent. See Exo. 33:8. Probably only a small portion of the people ever even entered the courtyard, since even it was small (fifty by a hundred cubits, seventy-five by one hundred fifty feet). On feast days they could view the sacrifices from just outside the court, or from further distance.

16.

What closed the entrance to the door of the tent? (Exo. 26:36-37; Exo. 36:37-38; Exo. 38:18-19)

A screen (hanging, curtain) of cloth hung at the door of the Holy Place. Its colors and fabric were like those of the veil and the linen curtains (Exo. 26:1; Exo. 26:31), except that it had no cherubim figures woven into it. Cherubim were present only in those places immediately associated with Gods presence. The colors of the screen were embroidered into it.

The screen was supported by five pillars, one more than held up the veil. Five pillars were probably used here because additional support was needed at the entrance, on account of the frequency with which the screen would be drawn aside for priests to enter.

The five pillars were overlaid with gold, and had gold hooks at the top. See Exo. 26:32. Its sockets (pedestals) were of bronze, unlike the silver sockets of the rest of the tabernacle.

Exo. 36:37-38 speaks of the pillars at the entrance having capitals and fillets of gold. We read of no capitals nor fillets on the pillars holding up the veil. The word capital here is simply the word meaning top or head. It does not suggest the presence of a fancy top piece on the pillar.

Fillet in Exo. 36:38 is a word meaning a junction rod, or something which is attached or fastened together. It possibly refers to rods connecting the pillars. Whether the screen was hung from these fillets, as from a curtain rod, or just hung on the hooks like the veil, is not clearly indicated.

Keil and Delitzsch felt that the fillets formed a sort of architrave, a solid wooden (but gold-overlaid) section above the pillars.[387] Cassuto says that the fillets formed a pole lying on the hooks, and that this prevented the side boards from inclining inwards because of the weight of the curtains suspended over them.[388]

[387] Op. cit., Vol. II, p. 182.

[388] Op. cit., p. 361.

We cannot tell whether the pillars were inside or outside the screen. We are of the opinion that they were inside, because they were covered with gold. Gold was reserved for the things inside the tabernacle, except for the outside of the side boards, and even they were covered by the curtains. However, the fact that the pillars had bronze sockets shows that they were regarded as near or part of the items in the court, which were of bronze.

Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

1. THE FINE LINEN COVERING.

(1) The tabernacle.Literally, the dwelling (see Exo. 25:9, where mishkn first occurs). It is a derivative from shakan, translated by dwell in the preceding verse.

Ten curtains.The same word (yriah) is used for the constituent parts of the covering, and for the entire covering, or, at any rate, for each of the two halves into which it was divided (Exo. 26:4-5). In the first use, it corresponds to what we should call a breadth.

Fine twined lineni.e., linen thread formed by twisting several distinct strands together. Egyptian thread was ordinarily of this character.

Blue, and purple, and scarlet.See the Notes on Exo. 25:4.

Cherubims of cunning work.Rather, cherubim, the work of a cunning weaver. Maash khoshb and maash rokm (Exo. 26:36) seem to be contrasted one with the other, the former signifying work where the patterning was inwoven, the latter where it was embroidered with the needle. The inweaving of patterns or figures was well understood in Egypt (Herod, iii. 47; Plin. H. N., viii. 48).

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

XXVI.
THE TABERNACLE.

(1-37) The sacred tent which was to form the House of God, or temple, for Israel during the continuance of the people in the wilderness, and which in point of fact served them for a national sanctuary until the construction of the first temple by Solomon, is described in this chapter with a minuteness which leaves little to be desired. It is called ham-mishkn, the dwelling, and ha-ohel, the tent (Exo. 26:36)the former from its purpose, as being the place where God dwelt in a peculiar manner (Exo. 25:22); the latter from its shape and general construction, which resembled those of other tents of the period. The necessary foundation was a framework of wood. This consisted of five pillars, or tent-poles, in front (Exo. 26:37), graduated in height to suit the slope of the roof, and doubtless five similar ones at the back, though these are not mentioned. A ridge-pole must have connected the two central tent-poles, and over this ridge-pole the covering of the tent, which was of goats-hair (Exo. 26:7), was no doubt strained in the ordinary way by means of cords and pins, or tent-pegs (Exo. 35:18). Thus an oblong square space was roofed over, which seems to have been sixty feet long by thirty broad. Within this tent (ohel) was placed the dwelling (mishkn). The dwelling was a space forty-five feet long by fifteen broad, enclosed on three sides by walls of boards (Exo. 26:18-25), and opening in front into a sort of porch formed by the projection of the tent beyond the dwelling. Towards the open air this porch was closed, wholly or partially, by a curtain (Exo. 26:36). The dwelling was roofed over by another curtain, or hanging, of bright colours and rich materials (Exo. 26:1-6). It was divided into two portions, called respectively the Holy Place, and the Holy of Holiesthe former towards the porch, the latter away from it. These two places were separated by a vail hung upon four pillars (Exo. 26:31-32). Their relative size is uncertain; but it may be suspected that the Holy of Holies was the smaller of the two, and conjectured that the proportion was as one to two, the Holy of Holies being a square of fifteen feet, and the Holy Place an oblong, thirty feet long by fifteen. The whole structure was placed within an area called the Court of the Tabernacle, which is described in the next chapter.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

1. The tabernacle The word here is , and denotes more strictly the board structure described below, Exo 26:15-30, but came to be used of the entire structure, including the curtains . These golden plated boards were to be securely covered above, and the coverings are first described .

Ten curtains Or, hangings, so called, according to Gesenius, from their tremulous motion . Of the fabrics and colours of which they were made see Exo 25:4, notes . Here it is noted that the fine linen was twined, or twisted . The material, in various colours, was twisted or woven together, by the most skilful workmanship, and upon the whole cherubim of cunning work, that is, figures of the cherubim, the skilful work of a weaver, were to be embroidered. These highly ornamental curtains were to form the visible ceiling of the sanctuary.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

The Dwelling-place Itself ( Exo 26:1 to Exo 27:19 ).

Having described the main contents of the Sanctuary which represented the permanent blessing which came from Him in His presence, we now move on to the Dwellingplace proper.

The Dwellingplace was to be splendid in beauty. Its glory represented the glory of its King and His supreme righteousness. But it had to be patterned according to how God revealed it (Exo 26:30). Nothing mundane must enter into its construction, and no ideas of man. It had to be kept pure in what it represented. The fine detail of its construction was a reminder of God’s detailed activity on behalf of His own (compare Eph 2:21).

The Dwelling-place was to be about thirty cubits by ten cubits made of large curtains flung over a framework, the Most Holy Place being a perfect cube, ten cubits by ten cubits by ten cubits, symbolising the perfection of God, and the Holy Place twenty cubits by ten cubits. These were then covered by goats’ hair, and then by rams’ skins dyed red and finally by dolphin or dugong skins.

The Tabernacle/Temple would finally be dispensed with when God found a more splendid and more fitting Dwellingplace, the living temple of His people (2Co 6:16; Eph 2:20-22) who would submit at His throne, and receive the bread and light of life. And it would finally find its fulfilment in Heaven (Heb 8:2; Heb 9:24).

The Curtains of the Dwellingplace and the Outer Tent ( Exo 26:1-14 )

The making of these may be analysed as follows:

a The Dwellingplace to be made of ten curtains of fine-twined linen, and bluey-purple and purpley-red, and scarlet worked with pictures of cherubim, and made by skilful workmen (Exo 26:1).

b Length and breadth of the curtain in cubits (Exo 26:2).

c Two sets of five curtains to be coupled together (Exo 26:3).

d Loops to be made on the edges of the curtains (Exo 26:4).

e Fifty loops on one set of curtains and fifty loops on the other, the loops to be opposite one another (Exo 26:5).

f Fifty clasps of gold are to be made to couple the curtains and make the Dwellingplace one (Exo 26:6).

g Curtains of goats’ hair to be made to form a tent over the Dwellingplace, there are to be eleven curtains (Exo 26:7).

g The length and breadth of the eleven curtains of the outer tent is described (Exo 26:8).

f The method of coupling the curtains for the outer tent is described (Exo 26:9).

e Fifty loops on one set of curtains and fifty loops on the other, the loops to be opposite one another, on the curtains for the outer tent (Exo 26:10).

d Fifty clasps of brass are to be put in the loops to bring the curtains together (Exo 26:11).

c The overhanging of the curtains is described (Exo 26:12).

b Description of the overhanging in cubits (Exo 26:13).

a The tent covering is to be made of rams’ skins dyed red and a covering of porpoise skins (Exo 26:14).

It will be noted that in ‘a’ the making of the Dwellingplace is described and in the parallel the making of the outer tent. In ‘b’ the curtains are measured in cubits, and in the parallel the overhanging is measured in cubits (apart from in verse 8 the only mention of cubits in the narrative). In ‘c’ the curtains are described, in the parallel the overhanging of the curtains is described. In ‘d’ the loops are described and in the parallel the clasps that utilise the loops. In ‘e’ we have fifty loops on each set of curtains opposite each other, and in the parallel the same. In ‘f’ fifty clasps of gold join the loops and make the Dwellingplace one, and in the parallel the method of coupling for the outer tent is described. In ‘g’ the overtent of goats’ hair is composed of eleven curtains, while in the parallel the length and breadth of the eleven curtains are described.

We would suggest that the way in which the making of the two sets of curtains is described in such a way that we have a chiasmus by using keywords is very clever and quite remarkable, while if we compare each section verse by verse they would not wholly fit.

Exo 26:1-3

“Moreover you shall make the Dwelling-place with ten curtains. You shall make them as the work of a skilful craftsman of fine twined linen, and of blue, and purple, and scarlet, with cherubim woven in. The length of each curtain shall be twenty eight cubits and the breadth of each curtain four cubits. All the curtains shall have one measure. Five curtains shall be coupled together, the one to the other, and the other five curtains shall be coupled together the one to the other.”

The first procedure in making the Dwelling-place is to make ten curtains of the same size, of different colours, of which two are then to be made each consisting of five of the ten curtains joined together. They are to be made of fine twined linen and multicoloured cloth (sections consisting of the different colours having been attached together) with cherubim patterned in. Thus the final large curtains would appear to be twenty eight cubits by twenty cubits (about thirteen metres by ten metres or forty foot by thirty foot). It appears that the edge was then woven making a selvedge.

It has been suggested that bluey-purple represents its heavenly connections, purpley-red its royal connections, red symbolises the shedding of blood and the fine linen represents purity (but see above on Exo 25:4). The cherubim, symbolising a heavenly reality, were a reminder of the spiritual beings who attended on the throne of Yahweh. The size of the curtains was limited both for practical purposes and by their methods of manufacture.

Exo 26:4-6

“And you shall make loops of bluey-violet on the edge of the one curtain along the woven edge in the set, and in the same way you shall make loops on the outmost edge of the curtain in the second set. You will make fifty loops on the one curtain, and you will make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain in the second set. The loops shall be opposite one another. And you will make fifty clasps of gold and couple the curtains one to another with the clasps, and the Dwelling-place shall be one.”

The use of loops and clasps was a popular method of joining curtains together in the Ancient Near East and is still used today. The two curtains were joined by fifty loops. They could thus be split apart for travelling. When fitting together the whole would be flung over the framework described below forming the Dwelling-place. This would then be protected by a goat-hair covering so that the curtains were only seen from the inside.

Paul uses these fittings and framework of the Tabernacle as a picture of God’s careful concern for His people (Eph 2:21).

Exo 26:7-13

“And you shall make curtains of goats’ hair for a tent over the Dwelling-place. You shall make eleven curtains. The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits and the breadth of each curtain four cubits. The eleven curtains shall have one measure. And you shall join five curtains by themselves and six curtains by themselves. And you will double over the sixth curtain at the front of the tent. And you will make fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain that is on the outside of the first set, and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain which is on the outside of the second set. And you shall make fifty clasps of copper, and put the clasps into the loops and couple the tent together that it may be one. And the overhanging part that remains of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remains, shall hang over the rear of the Dwelling-place, and the cubit on the one side and the cubit on the other side of what remains in the length of the curtains in the tent, shall overhang the sides of the Dwelling-place on this side and on that to cover it.”

The goats’ hair covering was to be made in the same way but was to be larger than the inner curtains so that it overhung and could be tucked in at the front and would protect the inner curtains at front, rear and at both sides from the weather.

Note that the goat’s hair is ‘a tent over the Dwelling-place’. Thus the Dwelling-place strictly consists of the framework plus the inner curtains. These latter are overhung by the goats’ hair by two cubits (twenty eight cubits compared with thirty cubits).

Exo 26:14

“And you shall make a covering for the tent of rams’ skins dyed red and a covering of dolphin (or dugong) skins above.”

These were the final weatherproofing and protected the whole. The red rams’ skins over portable religious tents are witnessed later among the Bedouin.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Exo 26:1-37 The Building to House the Articles of the Tabernacle Exo 26:1-37 gives a description of the construction of the building which is to house the articles of the Tabernacle.

Exo 26:17 Word Study on “tenon” – Hebrew ( ) (H3027). Webster says a tenon is “a projecting part cut on the end of a piece of wood for insertion into a corresponding hole.” The NIV reads, “a projection.” The RSV reads, “a tenon.”

Exo 26:19 Word Study on “sockets” – Strong says the Hebrew word “sockets” ( ) (H134) means, “a base of a building or column etc, foundation, socket.” Holladay says it means, “socket pedestal (bottom support a column).”

Exo 26:24 Word Study on “coupled together beneath” Strong says the Hebrew word “coupled together beneath” ( ) (H8382) means, “duplicate or jointed.”

Exo 26:24 Word Study on “coupled together above” – Strong says the Hebrew word “coupled together above” ( ) (H8535) means, “coupled together.”

Exo 26:26 Word Study on “bars” – Strong says the Hebrew word “bars” ( ) (H1280) means, “a bolt, bar, fugitive.” Holladay says it means, “a cross piece joining wooden frames.”

Exo 26:32 Word Study on “hooks” – Strong says the Hebrew word “hooks” ( ) (H2053) means, “a hook.” Holladay says it means, “a nail from which the curtains hang in the tent of meeting.”

Exo 26:33 Word Study on “taches” – Holladay says the Hebrew word “taches” ( ) (H7165) means, “hook.” The NIV and RSV read, “clasps.”

Exo 26:33 Comments – Juanita Bynum said that the Lord told her the reason the vail was hung to cover the holy of holies is that if it had been made visible to them the children of Israel would have begun to worship the beauty of the mercy seat and the ark rather than the Lord Himself. [91]

[91] Juanita Bynum, Weapons of Power, on Trinity Broadcasting Network (Santa Ana, California), television program.

Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures

Exo 24:9 to Exo 31:18 Instructions to Build Tabernacle (Ceremonial Law) In Exo 24:9 to Exo 31:18 God instructs Moses on the details of the building of the Tabernacle. In the description of the building of the articles, the Lord begins with those of the inner sanctuary, the ark of the covenant and mercy seat, then the altar of incense, followed by the table of showbread and the candlestick. Thus, the construction of these articles are arranged in a logical order, from the innermost sanctuary to the outermost. Perhaps one reason for this order is the fact that the order of the erection of the Tabernacle begins with the innermost articles and expands outward to the hangings of the outer court, as described in Exo 40:1-33. Thus, the order of the construction of the Tabernacle follows the order of its erection.

Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures

Instructions Concerning the Building of the Tabernacle – In Exo 25:1 to Exo 31:18 the Lord gives Moses instructions concerning the building of the Tabernacle and its articles, as well as the priestly garments. According to Heb 8:5, the Lord showed to Moses this pattern visually, probably while he was on the Mount, for God told Moses to make everything according to the pattern that He showed Moses on the mount. The Lord revealed it to him audibly as recorded in this section of the book of Exodus.

Heb 8:5, “Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount .’

It is important to note that God gave Moses general instructions on the building of this Tabernacle and of the making of the priestly garments. But God left it up to the creativity of the craftsmen, being inspired under their anointing, to design the details of each item they made. In the same way, God will give us instructions for our lives, but He often allows us to make the decisions about many of the details as we are inspired by the Holy Spirit each day.

Here is a proposed outline of Exo 25:1 to Exo 31:18:

The Offerings for the Sanctuary Exo 25:1-9 The Furniture of the Tabernacle Exo 25:10-40 The Ark of the Covenant, Mercy Seat & Cherubim Exo 25:10-22 The Table of Shewbread & its Accessories Exo 25:23-30 The Candlestick Exo 25:31-39 Concluding Statement Exo 25:40 The Building to House the Articles of the Tabernacle Exo 26:1-37 The Altar of Burnt Offering Exo 27:1-8 The Court of the Tabernacle Exo 27:9-19 The Care of the Lampstand Exo 27:20-21 The Garments for the Priesthood Exo 28:1-43 Introduction Exo 28:1-4 The Ephod Exo 28:5-14 The Breastplate of Judgment Exo 28:15-30 The Robe, Mitre, Girdle & Linen Breeches Exo 28:31-42 Concluding Statement Exo 28:43 The Consecration of Aaron and His Sons Exo 29:1-35 The Consecration & Service of the Burnt Altar Exo 29:36-46 The Altar of Incense Exo 30:1-10 The Ransom Money Exo 30:11-16 The Bronze Laver Exo 30:17-21 The Holy Anointing Oil Exo 30:22-33 The Incense Exo 30:34-38 The Appointment of Craftsmen Exo 31:1-11

Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures

The Covering of the Tent

v. 1. Moreover, thou shalt make the Tabernacle with ten curtains, long pieces, or strips, corresponding to the canvas of modern tents, of fine twined linen, the silky byssus cloth, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, Exo 25:4; with cherubim of cunning work shalt thou make them. The work was to be that of an artist in weaving, the meaning evidently being that the white, shiny byssus threads were to be woven with similar fine yarns of hyacinth, purple, and crimson, to form figures of cherubim, the appearance of the cloth afterward being that of a heavy damask.

v. 2. The length of one curtain shall be eight and twenty cubits and the breadth of one curtain four cubits; and everyone of the curtains shall have one measure, be exactly of the same size.

v. 3. The five curtains shall be coupled together one to another, five strips should be sewed together side by side to form a large piece twenty-eight cubits long and twenty cubits wide; and other five curtains shall be coupled one to another.

v. 4. And thou shalt make loops of blue, of hyacinth-colored material, upon the edge of the one curtain from the selvage in the coupling, along the seam where they were to be attached to each other; and likewise shalt thou make in the uttermost edge of another curtain, in the coupling of the second, at the place where the two should be joined together.

v. 5. Fifty loops shalt thou make in the one curtain, and fifty loops shalt thou make in the edge of the curtain that is in the coupling of the second, where it is attached to the first; that the loops may take hold one of another, be placed so exactly as to be just opposite one another by pairs.

v. 6. And thou shalt make fifty taches of gold, clasps to hold the loops together, and couple the curtains together with the taches; and it shall be one tabernacle, these fine curtains forming the inner covering.

v. 7. And thou shalt make curtains of goats’ hair to be a covering upon the Tabernacle, the outside covering, or tent proper ; eleven curtains shalt thou make.

v. 8. The length of one curtain shall be thirty cubits and the breadth of one curtain four cubits; and the eleven curtains shall be all of one measure, of the same size.

v. 9. And thou shalt couple five curtain. by themselves and six curtains by themselves, just as it was done in the case of the fine inner covering, the extra length and width serving for the protection of the cherubim cloths, and shalt double the sixth curtain in the forefront of the Tabernacle, which consequently formed a projection or gable over the entrance.

v. 10. And thou shalt make fifty loops on the edge of the one (large) curtain that is outmost in the coupling, along the edge where the curtains were to be attached to each other, and fifty loops in the edge of the curtain which coupleth the second, the loops likewise being just opposite one another by pairs.

v. 11. And thou shalt make fifty taches of brass, copper or brass clasps, and put the taches into the loops, and couple the tent together, this covering being the tent proper, that it may be one.

v. 12. And the remnant that remaineth of the curtains of the tent, after the covering of the roof had been provided for, the half curtain that remaineth, shall hang over the back side of the Tabernacle, to form its rear wall.

v. 13. And a cubit on the one side and a cubit on the other side of that which remaineth in the length of the curtains of the tent, there being a total difference of two cubits between the inner and the outer covering, it shall hang over the sides of the Tabernacle on this side and on that side, to cover it. Thus the north, the south, and the west side of the Tabernacle received its tent-covering.

v. 14. And thou shalt make a covering for the tent, a protecting curtain, of rams’ skins dyed red, of a tawny color, and a covering above of badgers’ skins, of leather made from the skins of some marine animal, probably of the sea-cow. These outer coverings served to shield the tent against wind and weather. Just as God made the Tabernacle His dwelling in the midst of His people in the Old Testament, so His presence is with us to this day in His Word and Sacraments.

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

EXPOSITION

Exo 26:1-37

THE TABERNACLE. The sacred furniture which the tabernacle was to contain having been described, with the exception of the “altar of incense” the description of which is reserved for Exo 30:1-38. (Exo 30:1-10)-directions were next given for the sacred structure itself. This was to consist of three main things

1. A quadrangular enclosure thirty cubits long by ten broad, open at one end, and on the other three sides enclosed by boards of acacia-wood overlaid with goldcalled the mishkan, or “the dwelling-place,” in our version usually translated “tabernacle.”

2. A tent of goat’s hair, supported upon poles, and stretched by means of ropes and tent-pegs in the ordinary manner over the mishkan. This is called the ‘ohelwhich is the usual word for a “tent” in Hebrew, and is so translated generally (Gen 4:20; Gen 9:21; Gen 13:1-18 :31; Gen 18:1, etc.), though in this chapter, unfortunately, “covering” (Exo 30:7); and

3. A “covering”mikseh, to be placed over the ‘ohel, composed of rams’ skins dyed red, and seals’ skins (Exo 30:14). Subordinate parts of the structure were

(a) The sockets, or bases, which were to receive and support the upright boards (Exo 30:19-25);

(b) The bars which were to hold the boards together (Exo 30:26-29);

(c) The veil, stretched on pillars, which was to be hung across the” dwelling-house,” and to separate it into two parts, the “holy place” and the “holy of holies” (Exo 30:31-33); and

(d) The curtain or “hanging” at the open end of the “dwelling-place,” where there were no boards, which was intended to close that side of the structure when necessary (Exo 30:36, Exo 30:37).

Exo 26:1

The fine linen covering (Exo 26:1-6).

Thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains. These “ten curtains” are explained in the verses which follow to be ten “breadths,” so fastened together as to form practically a single curtain or awning, which constituted the cieling or inner covering of the tabernacle. The mode of its arrangement is not quite certain. Some suppose that it was really a part of the “tent,” being laid over the same framework as the goats’ hair curtain (Fergusson, Cook); others believe it to have been strained across the mishkan and fastened to the top of the boards on either side, thence depending, either inside or outside (Bahr, Keil). The former supposition appears the more probable. Fine twined linen is linen the threads of which are formed of several fine strands twisted together. This is often the case with Egyptian linen. On blue and purple and scarlet, see the comment upon Exo 25:4. Cherubims of cunning work. Rather, “cherubim, the work of a skilled weaver.” Figures of cherubs were to be woven into the hangings in the loom itself, not embroidered upon them afterwards.

Exo 26:2

Eight and twenty cubits. This is the exact length required for a rectangular tented roof over such a space, which should descend (as tent roofs usually do) within about seven feet of the ground. The comparison made in Exo 26:12, Exo 26:13, between the fine linen covering of the mishkan and the goats’ hair covering of the “tent,” implies that the one was directly under the other, and that both were arranged in the same way. The breadth of four cubits. This gives for the entire length of the curtain (4 by 10), 40 cubits, or ten cubits more than the length of the boarded space. The roof must thus have been advanced some distance in front of the tabernacle proper, or rectangular boarded space. Every one of the curtains shall have one measure. They shall all, i.e; have the same measure.

Exo 26:3

When the ten “breadths” had been woven, five were to be sewn together to form one portion of the awning, and the other five to form another portion, the reason for this being, probably, that if all the ten breadths had been sewn together, the awning would have been too cumbrous to have been readily folded together, or easily conveyed when the people journeyed.

Exo 26:6

The Authorised Version gives the sense fairly. The two curtains, each composed of five “breadths,” were to be united by means of one hundred loops, fifty on each curtain, which were to be coupled together by fifty “taches” or clasps. The loops were to be of the “blue” material used generally in the textile fabrics of the tabernacle (Exo 25:4; Exo 26:1, Exo 26:31, Exo 26:36), and the “taches” or clasps were to be of gold. In this way the covering of the mishkan was to be completed.

Exo 26:7

The goat‘s skin tent-cloth (Exo 26:7-13).

From the inner covering of the tabernacle the directions proceed to the external covering, or rather coverings, which constituted the real strength of the structure, and its protection from wet or stormy weather. Curtains of goats’ hair, such as the Arabs still use, as the ordinary covering of their tents, were to form a true “tent” (‘ohel) above the tabernacle, being supported by tent-poles, and kept taut by means of cords and pegs (Exo 27:19; Exo 35:18). See the representation in Dr. W. Smith’s Dictionary of the Bible, vol. 3. p. 1454, which is reproduced in the Speaker‘s Commentary, vol. 1. p. 376. To be a covering. In Exo 36:14, we have”he made curtains of goats’ hair for the tent over the tabernacle,” which is far better. The word used in both places is the same (‘ohel). Eleven curtainsi.e; “eleven breadths.” Compare Exo 36:1.

Exo 26:8

The length shall be thirty cubits. A tent with a rectangular roof, over such a chamber as the mishkan, brought down, as tents usually are, within six or seven feet of the ground, would have required a covering of this length. If the slope of the roof had been greater, the covering must have been longer. The breadth four cubits. This gives for the entire covering, when made up, a width of forty-four cubits, or sixty-six feet. As the entire length of the mishkan was only thirty cubits, or forty-five feet, it is evident that the tent projected considerably beyond the tabernacle, either at both ends, or, at any rate, at one end. Probably the projection was at one end onlyviz; in front; where it constituted a porch, eighteen or twenty feet deep. The temple, which was modelled after the tabernacle, had a porch fifteen feet deep.

Exo 26:9

Thou shalt couple, etc. As with the inner awning of linen, so with the goats’ hair tent-cloth. The whole when made up was to be in two pieces, for convenience of transport. (See the comment on Exo 26:3.) The number of breadths in the tent-cloth being uneven, the two pieces were to be of different sizes, one containing five, and the other six, “breadths.” Thou shalt double the sixth curtain in the forefront of the tabernacle. “Tabernacle” here is a mistranslation; since the Hebrew word is ‘ohel, “tent.” The meaning may be, either that the sixth breadth was to be doubled back upon the fifth, or that half of it was to be doubled back upon the other half. The latter view is to be preferred, since otherwise the extra breadth would have been superfluous.

Exo 26:10

Fifty loops in the edge of the curtain that coupleth the second. Rather, “fifty loops at the edge of the second curtain of coupling.” The two portions of the goats’ hair covering were to be united in exactly the same way as those of the inner awning of linen. Fifty loops were to be sewn on to the edge of the extreme, or outermost, breadth of each portion, and these loops were to be connected by clasps or links. The outermost breadth on which the loops are sewn, is called the curtain of coupling.”

Exo 26:11

Fifty taches of brass. Rather “of bronze.” The links of the inner curtain were of gold (Exo 26:6).

Exo 26:12

The remnant which remaineth, etc. Both this and the next verse presume a very close connection between the fine linen covering of the mishkan and the goats hair tent-cloth which protected it. “The remnant that remaineth” is the half-breadth by which the tent-cloth would overlap the linen covering at the back of the tent, when at the front half of the eleventh breadth had been turned back upon the other half (see comment on Exo 26:9). This “remnant” was to be ‘allowed to hang down over the back part of the tabernacle.

Exo 26:13

And a cubit. Rather, “And the cubit.” The cubit by which the goats’ hair tent-cloth, which was thirty cubits across (Exo 26:8), would exceed the linen covering, which was twenty-eight cubits (Exo 26:2), on either side of the tabernacle, was to be allowed to hang down, like a valance, hiding so far the golden boards of the tabernacle.

Exo 26:14

The outer protection (Exo 26:14).

And thou shalt make a covering for the tent. Nothing is said of the size of this covering; but, as its object was clearly to protect the roof of the tent from penetration by wet, it seems reasonable to suppose that it extended at least as far as the boards of the tabernacle. To do this, it must have been thirty cubits long, and fourteen broad.

Exo 26:15

The boarding of the tabernacle (Exo 26:15-30).

Boards of shittim wood. These boards were to be fifteen feet long by two feet three inches broad, and, if they were each of a single plank, can scarcely have been furnished by any of the acacias which now grow in the Sinaitic peninsula. It is possible, however, that they were made up of two or more planks, since the name by which they are designated, kereth, is thought to be applied in Eze 27:6, to the “deck of a ship.” Standing up. The way in which they were to be made to “stand up” is explained in Eze 27:17 and Eze 27:19. They were not to have one end sunk in the ground, but to be fitted by means of “tenons” into silver “sockets.”

Exo 26:17

Two tenons. Literally, “hands.” Projecting rods, such as those common in our dinner tables, seem to be meant. They may have been of metal, let into the boards to a certain depth, and projecting several inches beyond them. Or, possibly, they may have been of acacia wood. In one boardi.e. “In each board”no doubt, at the bottom of each. Set in order one against the other. Arranged, i.e; at regular intervals, the position of each corresponding to the position of its fellow.

Exo 26:18

Twenty boards. Each board being a cubit and a half in width (Exo 26:16), the length of the chamber was, necessarily, thirty cubits. On the south side southward. Literally, “On the south side, to the right.” The Orientals regarded it as natural to look to the east, and spoke of the east as “in front,” the west as “behind,” the north as “on the left,” and the south as “on the right hand.”

Exo 26:19

Forty sockets of silver. Nothing is said of the shape of these “sockets.” They were certainly very massive, as each contained a silver talent (Exo 38:27), and thus weighed from eighty to ninety pounds. It has been supposed that they stood on the ground, and formed a sort of continuous base, out of which the planks rose. But this would have constituted a very unsafe structure. Kalisch is probably right in his view, that the sockets were let into the ground resembling those at the bottom of a gate, into which the bolt is pressed down. Each socket received one of the “tenons.”

Exo 26:20

The second side the north side. The north side, or left hand, was always regarded as less honourable than the south side or right hand (see Gen 48:13-20), probably because in the northern hemisphere the sun illumines the south side. It showed the superior dignity of the south side that the golden candlestick was set against it (Exo 40:24).

Exo 26:22, Exo 26:23

For the sides of the tabernacle westward. Rather, “for the back” ( LXX.). Here there were to be six boards only, which would give the abnormal and improbable width of nine cubits. The additional cubit required was no doubt obtained from the corner boards, or posts, each of which added to the (internal) width half a cubit (see Exo 26:23).

Exo 26:24

They shall be coupled together beneath unto one ring. This is very obscure, and might be explained in several ways. Perhaps it is best to suppose that the coupling was by the “bars,” cf. Exo 26:26-29, the ends of which fitted into a sort of double ring, like the figure 8, attached to the corner posts. Above the head. Rather “at” or near the head.”

Exo 26:25

And they shall be eight boards. Counting in the two comer boards, or posts, the boards of the back would be eight. Each of them was to have two “tenons,” like the boards of the sides, and every “tenon” was to have its own silver “socket.” Thus the “sockets” would be sixteen, two under each board.

Exo 26:26-28

Bars of shittim wood. To give greater stability to the structure, to keep the boards in their places, and to prevent there being any aperture between them, five bars were to be made for each side, and the same number for the end, of the mishkan, which were to be passed through rings attached to the boardsone at least to eachand thus to hold the boards firmly together. The middle bar in each case was to extend the whole length of the enclosure (Exo 26:28), and thus in two cases to be thirty cubits, or forty-five feet long. The exact length, and the disposition of the other bars is not indicated; but it is with reason conjectured that two were above and two below the “middle bar” that all were horizontaland that each coupled together one half of the boards of each side. The length of each was probably fifteen cubits; and the ends which reached the two comer posts at the back ran into the corner rings, which were shaped so as to receive the two bars (see Exo 26:24). It is not said whether the bars were inside or outside the mishkan; but the best authorities suppose them to have been outside.

Exo 26:29

The rings were to be of solid gold; the boards and the bars of acacia wood overlaid with gold.

Exo 26:30

According to the fashion. Where the description was incomplete (and it could not but be incomplete in many points), Moses was to follow his recollection of the “pattern,” which either in vision, or otherwisehe had seen in the mount This would be his best guide, for

“Segnius irritant animum demissa per aures,

Quam quae sunt oculis subjecta fidelibus.”

Exo 26:31-35

The veil and the ordering of the holy places.

Exo 26:31

A vail. The veil was to be of the same material and workmanship as the inner covering extended over the mishkan, and like that, was to have figures of cherubim woven into its texture by a skilled weaver.

Exo 26:32

Four pillars. The contrast between these four pillars of the interior, and the “five pillars” at “the door of the tent” (Exo 26:36, Exo 26:37), is striking, and justifies the supposition that the veil in the tabernacle did not completely divide the holy of holies from the holy place, but formed a screen, above which the space was open. If the veil had been hung from the top of the tented roof, so as completely to separate the two places, there must have been fire pillars, or at any rate an odd number, m the interior. Their hooks shall be of gold. These are hooks attached to the pillars, for the purpose of their having the curtains hung upon them. Upon the four sockets. The word “sockets” has no article. Translate”Thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold, with their hooks of gold, and standing upon four sockets of silver. The pillars probably had “tenons,” like the boards (Exo 26:17), which were inserted into silver sockets, let into the ground.

Exo 26:33

Thou shalt hang up the veil under the taches. If the “taches” of Exo 26:6 or even of Exo 26:11, are intended, and” under” is to be taken strictly as” immediately under,” the mishkan must have been divided by the veil into two equal, or very nearly equal parts; and the tabernacle must in an important particular have completely differed from the temple. In the temple the holy place was twice the length of the holy of holies (1Ki 6:16, 1Ki 6:17). It is possible that “under “may be used vaguely, or that the “taches” of this verse are the “hooks” of Exo 26:32. That thou mayest bring in. Rather, “And thou shalt bring in.” The clause is directive. The most holy. Literally, “the holy of holies”the inner chamber, that within the veil, which constituted the adytum, or innermost recess of the tabernacle. The ark and the mercy-seat were the special furniture of this inner sanctuary. To these is added later (Exo 30:1-10) the altar of incense.

Exo 26:35

The table here is, of course, “the table of shew-bread” described in the preceding chapter (Exo 26:23-30), immediately after the mercy-seat It was to be set “without the veil,” in the holy place or outer chamber, against the north wall. The candlestick is the seven-branched lamp-stand described in Exo 25:31-39. It was to be placed over against the table, and consequently on the south side (Exo 40:24).

Exo 26:36, Exo 26:37

The entrance to the tent.

Exo 26:36

Thou shalt make a hanging. A curtain which could draw up and. down, seems to be intended. When let down, it probably covered the entire eastern side, or front of the tabernacle. When raised, it allowed the eye to penetrate into the holy place.

Exo 26:37

Five pillars. The central pillar was, no doubt, as Mr. Fergusson long ago pointed out, one of two tent-poles, which supported between them a ridge-pole, over which were thrown the coverings that formed the roof of the tent. Its height was probably fifteen cubits, so as to give a due slope to the roof. The two pillars nearest to the central one probably measured ten cubits, and stood in line with the two walls of the mishkan. The outer pair would then have a height of five cubits, and support the two extremities of the goats’ hair covering. Their hooks. The hooks whereby the “hanging” was attached to the pillars. Compare Exo 26:32. Sockets of brassi.e; of bronze. These were probably let into the ground, like the other sockets.

HOMILETICS

Exo 26:1-37

The symbolism of the tabernacle structure.

I. That the HOLY OF HOLIES typified heaven itself is declared in the Epistle to the Hebrews (Heb 9:7-12). In it were the forms of cherubim, representing the angelic choir, and between them was the manifestation of the presence of God himself. It was cut off from the rest of the sanctuary by the veil, which none was to lift save the High Priest once a year: “the Holy Ghost thus signifying, that the way into the holiest of all”i.e; into heaven”was not made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing” (Heb 9:8).

II. THE VEIL thus typified and represented the separation between man and Godthe awful barrier which shuts out from the Divine presence all, even the holiest, unless they have with them the blood of expiation, “that speaketh better things than that of Abel.” The veil was covered with cherubic forms, reminding men of those watchers at the gate of Eden, who with “a flaming sword that turned every way, kept the way of the tree of life” (Gen 3:24). Men saw in the thick curtain that hid the holiest from view, that heaven was shut to them, unless a “new and living way” could be found, whereby they might enter. They had impressed upon them the awful holiness and inaccessibility of the Supreme Being, and their own unworthiness to approach him. They learnt that God had hidden himself from them, until some “better time,” When the veil would be rent, and in and through their true High Priest, and through faith in his blood, they might “have boldness to enter into the holiest.”

III. The tabernacle outside the veilTHE HOLY PLACE, as it was calledrepresented the church militant. Here was perpetual worship offered to the God behind the veil. Hither were all who had received the holy anointing, and so been made “priests to God” (Rev 1:6) privileged to enter. Here was a perpetual thank-offering presented to God in the shew-bread that lay always upon the table. Here was illumination from the sevenfold lamp which typified the Holy Spirit (see above on “the symbolism of the candlestick “). The place was “all glorious within” (Psa 45:13)on the wails “clothing of wrought gold,”above, a canopy of fine twined linen, and blue and purple and scarlet, with cherubim of cunning work” interwoven into itat either end a curtain of nearly similar materials. Those who looked on the tabernacle from without saw the goats’ hair, and the rams’ skins, and seals’ skins, and perceived in it no beauty that they should desire it. The beauty was revealed to those only who were within. So now, the Church is despised and vilified by those without, valued as it deserves only by those who dwell in it. Again, the structure seems weak, as does the structure of the Church to worldlings. A few boards, an awning, a curtain or twowhat more frail and perishable! But, when all is “fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every joint supplieth” (Eph 4:16), when by a machinery of rings and bars, and tenons and solid sockets, and pillars and hooks, the whole is welded into one, under Divine direction and contrivance, the fragility disappears. “God’s strength is made perfect in weakness.” A structure is produced which continues, which withstands decay, which defies assaults from without, which outlasts others seemingly far stronger, and bids fair to remain when all else is shattered and destroyed. “Behold! I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” The tabernacle, frail as it was, lasted from the exodus until the time when Solomon expanded it into the temple. Our tabernacle, the Church, will endure until it shall please God to merge it in a new and wonderful creation”the new Jerusalem” (Rev 21:2, Rev 21:10-27; Rev 22:1-5).

IV. THE CURTAIN AT THE ENTRANCE symbolises the fact, that there is a division between the Church and the world. The curtain may be lifted at times; but the world has only glimpses of the real inner life of the Church, does not fully see it, does not comprehend it. The life consists in worshipin contemplation, prayer, and praise. The world “cares for none of these things.” It may glance curiously at the external fabric, and scoff a little at the contrast between the homely goats’ hair that shows itself in one part, and the “blue and purple and scarlet, and fine twined linen wrought with needlework” that is seen in another; it may be angered at the sight of “pillars overlaid with gold,” and ask scornfully, “Wherefore this waste?” But it does not care to consider seriously the fitness of these things, or to weigh the reasons for them. The only interest which it feels is one arising from cupidity: the Church, it thinks, would be worth plundering; and it looks forward hopefully to the time when it will “divide the spoil.”

V. The support of the entire fabric upon TENONS and SOCKETS indicates that the Church is detached from earth, has here no resting-place, no continuing abode, awaits removal to heaven. What is of the earth, is earthy. If the Church were of the earth, if it were a human institution, if it rested on human wisdom, or power, or affection, it would be swayed by human emotions; it would seek those things which are the main objects of human desire; it would cease to witness for God; it would be powerless to raise man above himself and fit him for the life which is to come. But the Church is not of man’s building. Christ built it. It is his. He is its “chief corner-stone;” and therefore, “while it touches earth, it belongs altogether to heaven.”

HOMILIES BY J. ORR

Exo 26:1-37

Jehovah’s dwelling.

Instructions are now given for the making of the “dwelling-place,” of that sacred house or tent which was to be the special abode of Jehovah, and within which, when reared according to the fashion shown to Moses in the mount (Exo 26:30), the sacred articles described in the previous chapter were to be deposited. We need not encumber our homily with the minutiae of construction. It will suffice to direct attention to the general arrangement of parts, and to the costly and beautiful character of the erection as a whole.

1. General arrangement. The tabernacle may be described as a quadrangular enclosure of boards, sumptuously overlaid with gold, and fitted beneath into sockets of silver (Exo 26:15-30). Over this were placed

(1) the tabernacle-cloth propera finely-woven double curtain of byssus, glowing all over with figures of cherubim, in blue, and purple, and scarlet (Exo 26:1).

(2) A tent cloth of goats’ hair (Exo 26:7).

(3) Exterior coverings. These consisted of rams’ skins dyed red, and of skins of seals (Exo 26:14). Loops and taches united the two divisions of the tabernacle and tent-cloths. The clasps in the one case were of gold (Exo 26:6), in the other of brass (Exo 26:11). Internally, four pillars supported a magnificent veil, also wrought in blue, and purple, and scarlet with figures of cherubim (Exo 26:31, Exo 26:32). This divided the sacred enclosure into two apartments, the outer, the holy place, and the inner, the holy of holies, the true dwelling of Jehovah. The division, as already seen, “corresponded to the design of the tabernacle, where Jehovah desired not to dwell alone by himself, but to come and meet with his people’ (Keil). The holy of holies, accordingly, contained the ark; the holy place, the symbols of the vocation of the people. It was the place of the people’s approach to God. Another curtain, “wrought with needlework,” and, like the veil, suspended from pillars by hooks of gold, hung before the entrance in front. The pillars, in this case, were five in number (Exo 26:36, Exo 26:37). For details, dimensions, and theories of arrangement, consult the exposition. No scheme yet propounded is entirely free from difficulties. The general measurements, and the mention of “pins” in Exo 27:19, point strongly in the direction of a tent form such as that suggested by Mr. Fergusson (Dict. of Bible, art. Temple). A difficulty, on this theory, arises from the statement that the veil was to be hung” under the taches” (verse 33). But the expression, “under the taches,” may be used of a high-roofed structure with some degree of latitude, otherwise we must suppose that the veil originally divided the sanctuary into two apartments of equal size.

2. Glory and beauty of the dwelling-place. Within the limits of its dimensions, the tabernacle was really a place of great splendoura costly and magnificent erection. We should err, however, in going much beyond the general effect to be produced in seeking for symbolical meanings. The shittim wood, the precious metals, the colours, the finely-embroidered linen fabrics, have significance only as adding to the beauty and richness of the place designed for Jehovah’s abode. The end was, as far as possible, to rear a residence worthy of” the King of glory,” or, from another point of view, to set forth, by the external splendour of the dwelling, the surpassing glory and magnificence of him who dwelt in it. Thus also was enhanced the idea of the singular honour enjoyed by those who were permitted to minister before him (see Fairbairn). The cherubic figures woven into the tabernacle drapery, point, if our interpretation of these figures is correctto the host of angels who continually attend Jehovah, who are his willing servants in all that relates to his kingdom, who take so deep an interest in its progress, who furnish to his people a constant model of obedience (Mat 6:10), and who may be viewed as joining with them, in all their services, in the worship of their King. They are part of the heavenly community, to which, as citizens in God’s kingdom, we belong (Heb 12:22). The chapter suggests the following general reflections:

1. Whatever glory or beauty the tabernacle possessed was derived ultimately from God. Man could but work up materials furnished to him by the Maker of all. So with the “beauties of holiness” in the Church. It is God who gives us of his grace, and who works in us to will and to do of his good pleasure (Php 2:13).

2. The tabernacle, in another aspect of it, was a product of human art and skill. The plan was Divine; the materials were from God; but the workmanship was man’s. It is a characteristic of the “spiritual house” which God is now building on earth, that it also is being reared by human agency, and that each individual has it in his power to contribute something to its beauty. Every holy life that is being lived is the weaving of a beautiful fabric for the adornment of this house.

3. God’s condescension is seen in his willingness to dwell with Israel in this wilderness-made abode. Magnificent as it was, it was but a paltry abode to offer to the maker of heaven and earthto the possessor of all things. Yet Jehovah did not spurn it. He sought an abode with men. His dwelling in the tabernacle was, in some aspects of it, a grander thing than his inhabitation of the infinities of space. It told of a God who does not spurn to enter into personal relations with his creatures. He will stoop as far as holiness permits, in his endeavour to reach them, and to lift them up to communion with himself.

4. The tabernacle, glorious as it was, was but the type of dwelling-places more glorious than itself. We have found the antitypes in the once abased, but now glorified, humanity of Christ; in the renewed heart of the believer; in the redeemed Church as a whole. God prefers the temple of the humble and contrite heart to the grandest building ever reared by hands of man (Isa 57:15).J.O.

HOMILIES BY D. YOUNG

Exo 26:1-37

The tabernacle itself.

Consider here

I. GOD‘S COMMANDMENT THAT A DWELLING–PLACE SHOULD BE PROVIDED FOR HIM. Against even the least degree of image-making there was a stern edict; and we might also have expected that there would be equal sternness in forbidding the creation of aught in the shape of a holy house. For what on the face of it would seem more probable than this, that the erection of a holy house would be a strong inducement towards the fashioning of some visible representation of Deity? Thus we might conjecture; but our conjectures soon get swept away as we are made clearly to understand that it was a good thing for Israel that Jehovah their God, their guide, and their unfailing support, should have a dwelling-place in the midst of their dwelling-places. Such a dwelling-place was no necessity for him, but to the people it was a help so great, that it became a necessity; and so we see they were more than permitted, they were even commanded, to construct an enclosure which should be reckoned the house of God. When we want to find one of our fellow-men, we reckon that it is at his house we shall find him easiest; and just as it is possible, by going and making proper request at the palace-gates, to get a great favour from a king without even a momentary vision of his face, so an Israelite was to be taught that by going to the holy dwelling of Jehovahwhom no man had seen or could seehe might unquestionably secure Divine benefits. As there was a condescension in the new dispensation, so there was in the old. He who became to a certain extent circumscribed in the limits of a human body, only carried out into a more abiding and far-reaching mystery, the circumscribing which first became a fact at Sinai. He who has the heaven for his throne and the earth for his footstool, chose to make the narrow limits of the tabernacle his peculiar dwelling-place. He meant Israel to understand that he was there, as he was nowhere else.

II. THE PECULIAR FORM WHICH THIS DWELLING–PLACE ASSUMED. Ever as the people dwelt in tents, easily set up and easily taken down, so God, in the midst of them, likewise dwelt in a tent. There was of course an elaboration and costliness about the tent of Jehovah, such as could not be found in the tents of even the noblest and wealthiest of the people; but still it was essentially a tent. A correspondence obtained between this tabernacle with all its splendid adornments which could not have obtained, if even the plainest of true buildings had taken its place. It is most needful for us to remember that the house of God in the midst of his people was not a building that had foundations. It was strictly suited to their wants. It was more suited to their immediate future than they themselves had any apprehension of; and we cannot but feel that for one thing, God had in view their forty years’ wandering. They had not yet sinned the sin which led to this penalty; but that sin was before the mind of him who knew their expectations and their instability. Then it would appear also that God had nothing else than a tabernacle in view, even after his people secured each one their place in the lot of their temporal inheritance. It is not perhaps too much to say that the erection of the splendid temple which glorified Solomon’s reign was no part of the Divine intent. God made the erection of that imposing mass to work in with his intent; but in the end it proved to have no more stability than the tabernacle which preceded it. Bear in mind what Jesus said of the temple which was standing in his time. His disciples in admiration pointed to the great stones which went to compose it; hut Jesus in the discernment of his heart nevertheless was able to point out that not one stone should be left on another. The temple seemed more stable than the tabernacle; but it was only a seeming. Well-meaning men, not able to escape from carnal notions, may make God’s house to take the temple-form, but God himself will take care that it has the tabernacle-reality. It is not in what we can make with our hands, be we ever so liberal, be we ever so diligent, that God can find a real abode. His real abode is in ourselves, in each of us who are holy and perfected individuals through our believing connection with Christ, and still more in the midst of his perfected people, joined together in the inexpressible, indestructible harmony of heaven.Y.

HOMILIES BY G. A. GOODHART

Exo 26:30

God dwelleth not in temples made with hands.

An idea, to be realised, must be embodied; e.g; thoughts must be expressed in words; the vision of the artist must take form on canvas or in marble. So, too, with the Divine ideas; they also must be embodied, and as presented for man’s instruction, they must be so embodied that man may apprehend them. The unseen must be made visible; the pattern on the mount must be modelled and reared up upon the plain. Notice

I. THE DIVINE IDEAL. Moses was shown the original Divine embodiment, not a mere toy model which he was to enlarge, but the actual God-fashioned tabernacle, in all the perfection of its related parts. So far as man was concerned, it might be a purely ideal structure; but the ideals of earth are the realities of heaven. The holy of holies, and the holy place, and the outer courtall these must exist, or Moses could not have been shown them. May we not also discern dimly that reality which Moses saw? The holy of holies, where God’s throne is setheaven in its innermost recesses, screened off from earth by the blue sky-curtain, which no unaided eye can pierce. The holy place and the outer court, God’s earthly sanctuary, his Church in this world, related on the one side to heaven, and on the other to the world around it; the visible heavens are, in some sort, an expression of this Divine idea, illuminated by the sun (cf. Psa 19:1-14.), and with the earthfrom man’s standpointforming a kind of outer court. Even this true tabernacle (cf. Heb 8:2) is only an embodiment of the Divine idea; but then it is the Divine embodiment, the expression found for it by God himself.

II. THE HUMAN COPY. The divine ideal as divinely embodied is still beyond man’s understanding; it needs to be translated for men into language with which they are familiar. The child must be spoken to as a child (Isa 28:11), “with stammering lips and a feigned tongue.” The tabernacle of nature expresses God’s idea in polysyllables; the tabernacle which Moses reared translates it into easier language. Notice

1. The holy of holies.

(1) The sanctity of the Divine dwelling-place emphasises the sanctity of its Divine inmate. “Clouds and darkness are round about him.” “Holiness becometh his house for ever.”

(2) “Righteousness and judgment are the establishment of his throne;” it is founded upon a guarded law.

(3) Mercy rejoiceth over judgment. God is just, or righteous, but also the justifier who makes righteous. “Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.”

2. The holy place. God has made it possible for man to approach him. They who may not bear the presence may yet be admitted to the ante-chamber. The Church is the link between heaven and earth, as the high priest is the link between the Divine and human. Notice

(1) The golden altar. The fumes of the incense may penetrate the veil, which shuts out the priest who offers it. Prayer can go where the worshipper cannot go.

(2) The golden candlestick. No lamp needed in the holiest place (cf. Rev 21:23). Here, when man meets with God, for man’s sake the lamp is needed. The light derived from God must be guarded by man, so only is the required illumination to be secured.

(3) The golden table. Furnished week by week with food satisfying alike to God and man. Such the Churcha heaven on earth. Prayer ascending towards the unseen holy; light from God carefully guarded; offerings wherein God and man both find satisfactionsuch are the notes of a true Church, one wherein man may have communion with his Maker, holy as preluding to the holy of holies.

(4) The outer court. Here we have the first stage in man’s progress from the world God-wards. The altar and the laver, sacrifice and purification, must come before communion. Consecration and cleansing precede intercourse and fellowship, and these again prepare for the beatific vision.

Conclusion.What is the central thought thus shadowed forth? Is it not this:God’s holiness can only be approached step by step, whilst the road by which we must approach it is that which will ensure for us growth in holiness. “The pure in heart shall see God;” the beatific vision is for those only whose spiritual eyesight has been prepared for its reception. We cannot come up to the throne of God save through the outer court and through the sanctuary; sacrifice and cleansing, illumination and communion; then, for those who can receive it, the open vision and the presence of God.G.

Fuente: The Complete Pulpit Commentary

Exo 26:1-6. Moreover, thou shalt make the tabernacle The word which we render tabernacle, signifies a place to dwell in: and as this was to be an habitation of the Deity, it is therefore called the tabernacle, where Jehovah dwelt, [ shachen] and manifested his presence; thence called Shechinah: see the last note on Gen 3:24. The more sacred and important part of the furniture of this tabernacle having been appointed, the Lord now proceeds to describe to Moses the form of the tabernacle itself; with the inner curtains or coverings whereof he begins first, which were to be ten in number, and each in length twenty-eight cubits, and in breadth four cubits, i.e. according to Bishop Cumberland’s measure of the cubit, about sixteen yards and twelve inches long, and two yards and twelve inches broad. The matter whereof they were to be made, was fine twined, that is, spun or woven linen; embroidered, as I conceive, with the blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, which were appointed, ch. Exo 25:4 as part of the people’s offering; and in which embroidery, cherubical forms were inwoven; for the Hebrew, literally, is, and thou shalt make the tabernacle, ten curtains, twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: cherubims, the work of an embroiderer, or embroidery, thou shalt make them. We may just again remind our readers, with respect to the cherubims, that, as no description of their form is given, that form must, doubtless, have been familiar to Moses. These curtains of this tapestry-work were to be coupled together, five and five of a side, by fifty loops of blue tape, Exo 26:5 and as many golden clasps, Exo 26:6 so that each might look like one curtain, and the whole make one entire covering. The learned reader will find some accurate observations in Houbigant’s notes on this chapter.

REFLECTIONS.The furniture being described, the covering is ordered. There must be a tabernacle or tent made, with curtains richly embroidered, and united by loops and clasps of gold. Note; (1.) We dwell at present in tabernacles of clay, whose foundation is in the dust; but if God be with us, his presence shall comfort us, till he bring us to the promised inheritance. (2.) All true Christians, whatever their denomination may be, are united in love to Jesus Christ and one another, like these curtains of the tabernacle, and make one truly glorious catholic and apostolic church.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

H.The vision or the ideal of the tabernacle. The ordering of the ark and of the house of the covenant; of the living presence of the law and of the dwelling-place of the law-giver

Exodus 25-31

I. Contributions for the Building. Preliminary Condition

1And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, 2Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart 3[whose heart maketh him willing] ye shall take my offering. And this is the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass, 4And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats hair, 5And rams skins dyed red, and badgers [seals] skins, and shittim [acacia] wood, 6Oil for the light, spices for anointing [the anointing] oil, and for sweet [the sweet] incense, 7Onyx stones, and stones to be set in [set, for] the ephod, and in [for] the breast-plate. 8And let them make me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them. 9According to all that I shew thee, after [thee,] the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments [furniture] thereof, even so shall ye make it.

II. The Structure itself. The Place of Worship
1. The Ark

10And they shall make an ark of shittim [acacia] wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. 11And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown [moulding] of gold round about. 12And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in the four corners [feet] thereof; and two rings shall be in [on] the one side of it, and two rings in [on] the other side of it. 13And thou shalt make staves of shittim 14[acacia] wood, and overlay them with gold. And thou shalt put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, that the ark may be borne with them [to bear the ark with]. 15The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it. 16And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee. 17And thou shalt make a mercy-seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof. 18And thou shalt make two cherubims [cherubim] of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them in [at] the two ends of the mercy-seat. 19And make one cherub on [at] the one end, and the other cherub on [at] the other end: even of [of one piece with] the mercy-seat1 shall ye make the cherubims [cherubim] on [at] the two ends thereof. 20And the cherubims [cherubim] shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy-seat with their wings, and their faces shall look [with their faces] one to another: toward the mercy-seat shall the faces of the cherubims [cherubim] be. 21And thou shalt put the mercy-seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. 22And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy-seat, from between the two cherubims [cherubim] which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.

2. The Table

23Thou shalt also make a table of shittim [acacia] wood: two cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. 24And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make thereto a crown [moulding] of gold round about. 25And thou shalt make unto it a border of an [a] hand breadth round about, and thou shalt make a golden crown [moulding] to the border thereof round about. 26And thou shalt make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings in [on] the four 27corners that are on [belong to] the four feet thereof. Over against [Close by] the border shall the rings be for places of [for] the staves to bear the table. 28And thou shalt make the staves of shittim [acacia] wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be borne with them. 29And thou shalt make the dishes [plates] thereof, and spoons [the cups] thereof, and covers [the flagons] thereof, and bowls [the bowls] thereof, to cover [pour out] withal: of pure gold shalt thou make them. 30And thou shalt set upon the table shew-bread before me alway.

3. The Candlestick

31And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers shall be of the same [of beaten work shall be made the candlestick, its base and its shaft: its cups, its knobs, and its flowers shall be of one piece with it].2 32And six branches shall come out [coming out] of the sides of it: three branches of the candlestick out of the one side [one side of it], and three branches of the candlestick 33out of the other side [side of it]: Three bowls [cups] made like unto almonds [almond-blossoms] with a knop and a flower in one branch [in one branch, a knob and a flower]; and three bowls [cups] made like almonds [almond-blossoms] in the other branch, with [branch,] a knop [knob] and a flower: so in 34[for] the six branches that come out of the candlestick. And in the candlestick shall be four bowls [cups] made like unto almonds, with [almond-blossoms,] their 35[its] knops [knobs] and their [its] flowers. And there shall be a knop [knob] under two branches of the same [of one piece with it], and a knop [knob] under two branches of the same [of one piece with it], and a knop [knob] under two branches of the same [of one piece with it], according to [for] the six branches that proceed 36[come] out of the candlestick. Their knops [knobs] and their branches shall be of the same [of one piece with it]: all it [all of it] shall be one beaten work of pure gold. 37And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof; and they shall light [set up] the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it. 38And the tongs [snuffers] 39thereof, and the snuff-dishes thereof, shall be of pure gold. Of a talent of pure 40gold shall he make it [shall it be made], with all these vessels [instruments]. And look [see] that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.

4. The Dwelling (the Tent)

Exo 26:1. Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of [curtains: of] fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with [scarlet, with] cherubims [cherubim] of cunning work [the work of a skilful weaver] shalt thou make them. 2The length of one [each] curtain shall be eight and twenty cubits, and the breadth of one [each] curtain four cubits: and every one of the 3[all the] curtains shall have one measure. The five [Five of the] curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and other [the other] five curtains shall be coupled one to another. 4And thou shalt make loops of blue upon the edge of the one [first] curtain from the selvedge [at the border] in the coupling [the set of curtains]; and likewise shalt thou make in [so shalt thou do with] the uttermost edge of another curtain [the edge of the outmost curtain] in the coupling of the second [in the second set of curtains]. 5Fifty loops shalt thou make in the one curtain, and fifty loops shalt thou make in the edge of the curtain that is in the coupling of the second [in the second set of curtains]; that the loops may take hold one of [the loops shall be opposite one to] another. 6And thou shalt make fifty taches [clasps] of gold, and couple the curtains together [one to another] with the taches [clasps]; and it shall be one tabernacle [the tabernacle shall be one]. 7And thou shalt make curtains of goats hair to be a [for a] covering [tent] upon [over] the tabernacle: eleven curtains shalt thou make. 8The length of one [each] curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of one [each] curtain four cubits: and [cubits:] the eleven curtains shall be all of [shall have] one measure. 9And thou shalt couple five curtains by themselves and six curtains by themselves, and shalt double [fold together] the sixth curtain in the forefront [front] of the tabernacle [tent]. 10And thou shalt make fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain that is outmost in the coupling [first set of curtains], and fifty loops in the edge of the curtain which coupleth the second 11[is the second set]. And thou shalt make fifty taches [clasps] of brass, and put the taches [clasps] into the loops, and couple the tent together, that it may [and it shall] be one. 12And the remnant [excess] that remaineth of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remaineth, shall hang over the back-side [back] of the 13tabernacle. And a [the] cubit on the one side, and a [the] cubit on the other side of that which remaineth in the length of the curtains of the tent, it [tent,] shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle on this side and on that side, to cover it. 14And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams skins dyed red, and a covering above of badgers skins [of seal-skins above]. 15And thou shalt make boards 16[the boards] for the tabernacle of shittim [acacia] wood standing up. Ten cubits shall be the length of a board, and a cubit and a half shall be the breadth of one 17[each] board. Two tenons shall there be in one [each] board, set in order one against [equally distant from one] another: thus shalt thou make for [do unto] all the boards of the tabernacle. 18And thou shalt make the boards for the tabernacle, twenty boards on [for] the south side southward. 19And thou shalt make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for his [its] two tenons, and two sockets under another board for his [its] two tenons. 20And for the second side of the tabernacle on [for] the north side there shall be twenty boards: 21And their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board. 22And for the sides [rear] of the tabernacle westward thou shalt make six boards. 23And two boards shalt thou make for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides [in the rear]. 24And they shall be coupled together [be double] beneath, and they shall be coupled together3 above the head of it unto one ring [and together they shall be whole up to the top of it, unto the first ring]: 25thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two corners. And they [there] shall be eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board and two sockets under another board. 26And thou shalt make bars of shittim [acacia] wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle, 27And 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 two sides [the rear] westward. 28And the middle bar in the midst [middle] of the boards shall reach [pass through] from end to end. 29And thou shalt overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings of gold for places for the bars: 30and thou shalt overlay the bars with gold. And thou shalt rear [set] up the tabernacle according to the fashion thereof which was [hath been] shewed thee in the mount.

5. The Veil

31And thou shalt make a veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims [linen: with cherubim, the work of a skilful workman] shall it be made. 32And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim [acacia] wood overlaid with gold: their hooks shall be of gold, upon four sockets of silExo Exo 25:33 And thou shalt hang up the veil under the taches [clasps], that thou mayest bring [and shalt bring] in thither within the veil the ark of the testimony: and the veil shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy [the holy of holies]. 34And thou shalt put the mercy-seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place [holy of holies]. 35And thou shalt set the table without the veil, and the candlestick over against the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south: and thou shalt put the table on the north side. 36And thou shalt make an hanging [a screen] for the door of the tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needle-work 37[the work of the embroiderer]. And thou shalt make for the hanging [screen] five pillars of shittim [acacia] wood, and overlay them with gold; and their hooks shall be of gold: and thou shalt cast five sockets of brass for them.

6. The Altar of Burnt-offering

Chap. Exo 27:1 And thou shalt make an [the] altar of shittim [acacia] wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be four-square: and the height thereof shall be three cubits. 2And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof: his [its] horns shall be of the same [of one piece with it]: 3and thou shalt overlay it with brass. And thou shalt make his [its] pans [pots] to receive his [to take away its] ashes, and his [its] shovels, and his [its] basins, and his [its] fleshhooks, and his [its] firepans: all the vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass [copper]. 4And thou shalt make for it a grate [grating] of network of brass [copper]; and upon the net shalt thou make four brazen [copper] rings in 5[on] the four corners thereof. And thou shalt put it under the compass of the altar beneath [below, under the ledge of the altar], that the net may be even to the midst [and the net shall reach up to the middle] of the altar. 6And thou shalt make staves for the altar, staves of shittim [acacia] wood, and overlay them with brass [copper]. 7And the staves [staves thereof] shall be put into the rings, and the staves shall be upon the two sides of the altar, to bear it [in bearing it]. 8Hollow with boards shalt thou make it: as it was [hath been] shewed thee in the mount; so shall they make it.

7. The Court

9And thou shalt make the court of the tabernacle: for the south side southward there shall be hangings for the court of fine-twined linen of an hundred [linen a hundred] cubits long for one side: 10And the twenty pillars thereof and their twenty sockets shall be of brass [copper]; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets [rods] shall be of silExo Exo 25:11 And likewise for the north side in length there shall be hangings of an hundred [hangings a hundred] cubits long, and his [its] twenty pillars and their twenty sockets of brass 12[copper]; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets [rods] of silver. And for the breadth of the court on the west side shall be hangings of fifty cubits [hangings fiftycubits long]: their pillars ten, and their sockets ten. 13And the breadth of the court on the east side eastward shall be fifty cubits. 14The hangings of one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits [Fifteen cubits of hangings shall be on one side of the gate]: their pillars three, and their sockets three. 15And on the other side shall be hangings fifteen cubits [fifteen cubits of hangings]: their pillars three, and their sockets three. 16And for the gate of the court shall be an hanging [a screen] of twenty cubits, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine-twined linen, wrought with needle-work [linen, embroidered work]: and their pillars shall be four, and their sockets four. 17All the pillars round about the court [of the court round about] shall be filleted with silver [joined with rods of silver]; their hooks shall be of silver, and their sockets of brass [copper]. 18The length of the court shall be an [a] hundred cubits, and the breadth fifty everywhere, and the height five cubits, of fine-twined linen, and their sockets of brass [copper]. 19All the vessels [furniture] of the tabernacle in all the service thereof, and all the pins thereof, and all the pins of the court shall be of brass [copper].

III. The Persons and Things occupying the Building. The Ritual Worship
1. The Oil for the Lamp

20And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten [beaten olive oil] for the light, to cause the [a] lamp to burn always [continually]. 21In the tabernacle of the congregation [tent of meeting] without the veil, which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order [trim] it from evening to morning before Jehovah: it shall be a statute forever unto [throughout] their generations on the behalf of [on the part of] the children of Israel.

2. The Clothing of the Priest and of his Sacerdotal Assistants

Exo 28:1 And take thou [bring thou near] unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priests office [that he may be a priest unto me], even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aarons sons. 2And thou shalt make holy [sacred] garments for Aaron thy brother for glory [honor] and for beauty. 3And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise-hearted [all the skilful-hearted], whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom [skill], that they may make Aarons garments to consecrate [sanctify] him, that he may minister unto me in the priests office [that Hebrews 4 may be a priest unto me]. And these are the garments which they shall make: a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered [checkered] coat, a mitre [turban], and a girdle: and they shall make holy [sacred] garments for Aaron thy brother, and [and for] his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priests office 5[that he may be a priest unto me]. And they shall take gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen. 6And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, and of purple, of scarlet, and fine-twined linen, with cunning work [linen, the work of askilful weaver]. 7It shall have the two shoulder-pieces thereof joined at [have two shoulder-pieces joined to] the two edges thereof: and so it [and it] shall be joined together. 8And the curious girdle of the ephod [the embroidered belt for girding it], which is upon it, shall be of the same [same piece], according to the work thereof; even of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine-twined linen. 9And thou shalt take two onyx stones and grave [engrave] on them the names of the children of Israel: 10Six of their names on one stone, and the other six names of the rest [and thenames of the six remaining ones] on the other stone, according to their birth. 11With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, shalt thou engrave the two stones with [according to] the names of the children of Israel: thou shalt make them to be set [inclosed] in ouches [settings] of gold. 12And thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders [shoulder-pieces] of the ephod for stones of memorial unto [as memorial stones for] the children of Israel: and Aaron shall bear their names before Jehovah upon his two shoulders for a memorial. 13And thou shalt make ouches [settings] of gold; 14And two chains of pure gold at the ends; of wreathen work shalt thou make them [pure gold; like cords shalt thou make them, of wreathen work]: and fasten [and thou shalt put] the wreathen chains to the ouches 15[on the settings]. And thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment, with cunning work [the work of a skilful weaver]; after [like] the work of the ephod thou shalt make it; of gold, of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twined linen, shalt 16 thou make it. Four square it shall be being doubled [It shall be square and double]; a span shall be the length thereof, and a span shall be the breadth thereof. 17And thou shalt set in it settings of stones, even four rows of stones: the first row shall be a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this shall be [stones: a row of sardius, topaz, and emerald shall be] the first row. 18And the second row shall be an emerald, [carbuncle], a sapphire, and a diamond. 19And the third row a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst. 20And the fourth row a beryl [chrysolite], and an onyx, and a jasper: they shall set in gold in their inclosings. 21And the stones shall be with [according to] the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like [names: like] the engravings of a signet; every [signet, every] one with [accordingto] his name shall they be according to [be for] the twelve tribes. 22And thou shalt make upon the breast-plate chains at the ends [like cords] of wreathen work of pure gold. 23And thou shalt make upon the breast-plate two rings of gold, and shalt put the two rings on the two ends of the breast-plate. 24And thou shalt put the two wreathen 25chains of gold in [on] the two rings which are on the ends of the breast-plate. And the other two ends of the two wreathen chains thou shalt fasten in the two ouches [put on the two settings], and put them on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod before it [onthe front of it]. 26And thou shalt make two rings of gold, and thou shalt put them upon the two ends of the breast-plate, in [on] the border thereof which is in [toward] 27the side of the ephod inward. And two other rings of gold thou shalt make, and shalt put them on the two sides [shoulder-pieces] of the ephod underneath, toward [on] the fore-part thereof, over against [close by] the other coupling [the coupling] thereof, above the curious girdle of the ephod [the embroidered belt of theephod]. 28And they shall bind the breast-plate by the rings thereof unto the rings of the ephod with a lace [cord] of blue, that it may be above the curious girdle [the embroidered belt] of the ephod, and that the breast-plate be not loosed from the ephod. 29And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breast-plate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before Jehovah continually. 30And thou shalt put in the breast-plate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aarons heart, when he goeth in before Jehovah: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before Jehovah continually. 31And thou shalt make the robe of the ephod all of blue. 32And there shall be an hole in the top of it, in the midst thereof [And its opening for the head shall be in the middle of it]: it shall have a binding of woven work round about the hole of it [its opening], as it were the hole 33of an habergeon [like the opening of a coat of mail], that it be not rent. And beneath upon [And upon] the hem of it [its skirts] thou shalt make pomegranates of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, round about the hem [skirts] thereof; and bells of gold between them round about: 34A golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem [skirts] of the robe round about. 35And it shall be upon Aaron to minister [for ministering]: and his sound [the sound thereof] shall be heard when he goeth in unto [goeth into] the holy place before Jehovah, and when he cometh out, that he die not. 36And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave [engrave] upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO JEHOVAH. 37And thou shalt put it on a blue lace [cord], that it may be [and it shall be] upon the mitre [turban]; upon the forefront [front] of the mitre 38[turban] it shall be. And it shall be upon Aarons forehead, that Aaron may [and Aaron shall] bear the iniquity of the holy [sacred] things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy [sacred] gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before Jehovah. 39And thou shalt embroider [weave] the coat of fine linen, and thou shalt make the mitre [turban] of fine linen, and thou shalt make the [a] girdle of needle-work [embroidered work]. 40And for Aarons sons thou shalt make coats, and thou shalt make for them girdles, and bonnets [caps] shalt thou make for them, for glory [honor] and for beauty. 41And thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him; and shalt anoint them, and consecrate [ordain] them, and sanctify them, that they may minister unto me in the priests office [and they shall be priests unto me]. 42And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their [the flesh of their] nakedness; from the loins even unto [loins unto] the thighs they shall reach: 43And they shall be upon Aaron, and upon his sons, when they come in unto [come into] the tabernacle of the congregation [tent of meeting], or when they come near unto the altar to minister in the holy place; that they bear not iniquity, and die: it shall be a statute for ever unto him and his [and unto his] seed after him.

3. The Consecration of the Priests

Exo 29:1 And this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them to hallow them, to minister unto me in the priests office [to be priests unto me]: Take one young bullock, and two rams without blemish, 2and unleavened bread, and cakes unleavened tempered [mingled] with oil, and wafers unleavened anointed with oil: of wheaten flour shalt thou make them. 3And thou shalt put them into one basket, and bring them in the basket, with the bullock and the two rams. 4And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation [tent of meeting], and shalt wash them with water. 5And thou shalt take the garments, and put upon Aaron the coat, and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breast-plate, and gird him with the curious girdle [embroidered belt] of the ephod. 6And thou shalt put the mitre [turban] upon his head, and put the holy crown upon the mitre [turban]. 7Then shalt thou [And thou shalt] take the anointing oil, and pour itupon his head, and anoint him. 8And thou shalt bring his sons, and put coats upon them. 9And thou shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and put the bonnets [bind caps] on them: and the priests office [priesthood] shall be theirs for [by] a perpetual statute: 10and thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons. And thou shalt cause a bullock to be brought [bring the bullock] before the tabernacle of the congregation [tent of meeting]: and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the bullock. 11And thou shalt kill the bullock before Jehovah, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation [tent of meeting]. 12And thou shalt take of the blood of the bullock, and put it upon the horns of the altar with thy finger, and pour all the blood beside the bottom [at the base] of the altar. 13And thou shalt take all the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul that is above [lobe above] the liver, and the two kidneys and the fat that is upon them, and burn themupon the altar. 14But the flesh of the bullock, and his skin, and his dung, shalt thou burn with fire without the camp: it is a sin-offering. 15Thou shalt also take one [the one] ram; and Aaron and his sons shall put [lay] their hands upon the head of the ram. 16And thou shalt slay the ram, and thou shalt take his blood, and sprinkle it round about upon the altar. 17And thou shalt cut the ram in pieces, and wash the inwards of him [his inwards], and his legs, and put them unto his pieces, and unto his head. 18And thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar: it is a burnt-offering unto Jehovah: it is a sweet savor, an offering made by fire [a fire-offering] unto Jehovah. 19And thou shalt take the other ram; and Aaron and his sons shall put [lay] their hands upon the head of the ram. 20Then shalt thou kill the ram, and take of his blood, and put it upon the tip of the right ear of Aaron, and upon the tip of the right ear of his sons, and upon the thumb of their right hand, and upon the great toe of their right foot, and sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about. 21And thou shalt take of the blood that is upon the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon the garments of his sons with him: and he shall be hallowed, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons garments with him. 22Also thou shalt take of the ram the fat and the rump [the fat tail], and the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul above [lobe of] the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon upon them, and the right shoulder; for it is a ram of consecration: 23And one loaf of bread, and one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer out of the basket of the unleavened bread that is before Jehovah: 24And thou shalt put all [the whole] in the hands of Aaron, and in the hands of his sons; and shalt wave them for a wave-offering before Jehovah. 25And thou shalt receive [take] them of [from] their hands, and burn them upon the altar for a [upon the] burnt-offering, for a sweet savor before Jehovah: it is an offering made by fire [a fire-offering] unto Jehovah. 26And thou shalt take the breast of the ram of Aarons consecration [of Aarons ram of consecration], and wave it for [as] a wave-offering before Jehovah: and it shall be thy part. 27And thou shalt sanctify the breast of the wave-offering, and the shoulder of the heave-offering, which is waved, and which is heaved up, of the ram of the [of] consecration, even of that which is for Aaron, and of that which is for his sons: 28And it shall be Aarons and his sons by a statute for ever from the children of Israel; for it is an [a] heave-offering: and it shall be an [a] heave-offering from the children of Israel of the sacrifice of their [Israel of their] peace-offerings,even their heave-offering unto Jehovah. 29And the holy garments of Aaron shall be 30his sons after him, to be anointed therein, and to be consecrated in them. And that son that is priest in his stead shall put them on seven days [Seven days shall he of his sons who is priest in his stead put them on], when he cometh into the tabernacle of the congregation [tent of meeting] to minister in the holy place. 31And thou shalt take the ram of the [of] consecration, and seethe [boil] his flesh in the 32[a] holy place. And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation [tentof meeting]. 33And they shall eat those things wherewith the [wherewith] atonement was made, to consecrate and to sanctify them; but a stranger shall not eat thereof, 34because they are holy. And if aught of the flesh of the consecrations [consecration], or of the bread, remain unto [until] the morning, then thou shalt burn the remainder with fire: it shall not be eaten, because it is holy. 35And thus shalt thou do unto Aaron and to his sons, according to all things which [all that] I have commanded thee: seven days shalt thou consecrate them.

4. Consecration and Design of the Altar of Burnt-offering

36And thou shalt offer every day a bullock for a sin-offering for atonement: and thou shalt cleanse the altar, when thou hast made an [by making] atonement for it, and thou shalt anoint it, to sanctify it. 37Seven days thou shalt make an [make] atonement for the altar, and sanctify it; and it shall be an altar most holy: whatsoever 38toucheth the altar shall be holy. Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar: two lambs of the first year [a year old] day by day continually. 39The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even: 40And with the one lamb a tenth deal [part] of flour mingled with the fourth part of an [a] hin of beaten oil; and the fourth part of an [a] hin of wine for a drink-offering. 41And the other lamb thou shalt offer at even, and shalt do thereto according to the meat-offering of [shalt offer with it the same meal-offering as in] the morning, and according to the drink-offering thereof [and the same drink-offering], for a sweet savor, an offering made by fire [a fire-offering] unto Jehovah. 42This shall be a continual burnt-offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation [tent of meeting] before Jehovah; where I will meet [meet with] you, to speak there unto thee. 43And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle [and it] shall be sanctified by my glory. 44And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation [tent of meeting], and the altar: I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priests office 45[to be priests unto me]. And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God. 46And they shall know that I am Jehovah their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may [might] dwell among them: I am Jehovah their God.

5. The Altar of Incense

Exo 30:1 And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of shittim 2[acacia] wood shalt thou make it. A cubit shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof; four-square shall it be: and two cubits shall be the height thereof: the horns thereof shall be of the same [of one piece with it]. 3And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt make unto [for] it a crown of gold round about. 4And two golden rings shalt thou make to [for] it under the crown of it, by the two corners [upon the two flanks] thereof, upon the two sides of it shalt thou make it; and they shall be for places for the staves to bear it withal [with]. 5And thou shalt make the staves of shittim [acacia] wood, and overlay them with gold. 6And thou shalt put it before the veil that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy-seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee. 7And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth [trimmeth] the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it. 8And when Aaron lighteth [setteth up] the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it [burn it], a perpetual incense before Jehovah throughout your generations. 9Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt-sacrifice [burnt-offering], nor meat-offering [meal-offering]; neither shall ye pour [and ye shall pour no] drink-offering thereon. 10And Aaron shall make an [make] atonement upon [for] the horns of it once in a [the] year with the blood of the sin-offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement upon [for] it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto Jehovah.

6. The Contributions for the Sanctuary (Poll-tax)

11And Jehovah spake unto Moses saying, 12When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after [according to] their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto Jehovah, when thou numberest them; that there be [maybe] no plague among them, when thou numberest them. 13This they shall give, every one that passeth among [over unto] them that are numbered, half a shekel after [according to] the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs): an [a] half shekel shall be the offering of [unto] Jehovah. 14Every one that passeth among [over unto] them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto Jehovah [Jehovahs offering]. 15The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a [the half] shekel, when they give an offering unto Jehovah [give Jehovahs offering], to make an [make] atonement for your souls. 16And thou shalt take the atonement money of [from] the children of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of the congregation [tent of meeting]; that it may be [and it shall be] a memorial unto [for] the children of Israel before Jehovah, to make an [make] atonement for your souls.

7. The Laver

17And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, 18Thou shalt also make a laver of brass [copper], and his foot also of brass [its base of copper], to wash withal [in]: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation [tent of meeting] and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein. 19For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat [from it]: 20When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation [tent of meeting], they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire [afire-offering] unto Jehovah: 21So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations.

8. The holy Anointing Oil

22Moreover Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, 23Take thou also unto thee principal spices [the chief spices], of pure [flowing] myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels, 24And of cassia five hundred shekels, after [accordingto] the shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil olive an [olive oil a] hin: 25And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment [a holy anointing oil], an ointment compound [compounded] after the art of the apothecary [a perfumed ointment, the work of theperfumer]: it shall be an [a] holy anointing oil. 26And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith [therewith the tent of meeting], and the ark of the testimony, 27And the table and all his vessels [its furniture], and the candlestick and his vessels [its furniture] and the altar of incense, 28And the altar of burnt-offering with all his vessels [its furniture], and the laver and his foot [its base]. 29And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy: whatsoever [whosoever] toucheth them shall be holy. 30And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister unto me in the priests office [to be priests unto me]. 31And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, This shall be an [a] holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations. 32Upon mans flesh shall it not be poured, neither shall ye make any other like it, after the composition of it [and ye shall make none like it with its33proportions]: it is holy, and it shall be holy unto you. Whosoever compoundeth any like it, or whosoever putteth any of it upon a stranger, shall even [he shall] be cut off from his people.

9. The Incense

34And Jehovah said unto Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight [an equal part]: 35And thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection, after the art of the apothecary, tempered together [make of it an incense, a perfume, thework of the perfumer, salted], pure, and holy: 36And thou shalt beat some of it very small [it fine], and put of it before the testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation [tent of meeting], where I will meet with thee: it shall be unto you most holy. 37And as for the perfume [And the incense] which thou shalt make, ye shall not make to [for] yourselves according to the composition [with its proportions]: it shall be unto thee holy for [unto] Jehovah. 38Whosoever shall make [make any] like unto that, to smell thereto [thereof], shall even [he shall] be cut off from his people.

IV. The Architects. The Master-workman Bezaleel and his Vocation. Sacred Art

Exo 31:1, And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, 2See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: 3And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner [kinds] of workmanship, 4To devise cunning [skilful] works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass [copper], 5And in cutting of stones, to set them [stones for setting], and in carving of timber, to work in all manner [kinds] of workmanship. 6And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of all that are wise-hearted I have put wisdom, that they make all that I have commanded thee: 7The tabernacle of the congregation [tent of meeting], and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy-seat that is thereupon, and all the furniture of the tabernacle [tent], 8And the table and his [its] furniture, and the pure candlestick with all his [its] furniture, and the altar of incense, 9And the altar of burnt-offering with all his [its] furniture, and the laver and his foot [its base], 10And the cloths [garments] of service, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priests office [aspriests], 11And the anointing oil, and sweet incense for the holy place: according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do.

V. The Condition of the Vitality of the Ritual. The Sabbath

12And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, 13Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am Jehovah that doth sanctify you. 14Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore [And ye shall keep the sabbath]; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth [profaneth] it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. 15Six days may work be done; but in [on] the seventh is the [a] sabbath of rest, holy to Jehovah: whosoever doeth any work in [on] the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. 16Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations for [as] a perpetual 17covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days Jehovah made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. 18And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing [speaking] with him upon mount Sinai, two [the two] tables of [of the] testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.

TEXTUAL AND GRAMMATICAL

[Exo 25:19. , etc. Literally, From the mercy-seat shall ye make the cherubim. This is understood by some to mean: rising up from the mercy-seat. But the simple hardly conveys that notion; it has, perhaps, somewhat of its original import, part, so that the direction is to make the cherubim a part of the mercy-seat, i.e., of one piece with it.Tr.]

[Exo 25:31. The change proposed in the punctuation is one required by the Masoretic accentuation, as well as by the sense, though adopted by only a few commentators (Knobel, Do Wette, Bunsen). When it is said, its base and its shaft, etc., shall be made of the same, the question arises, the same with what? For the several specifications include the whole of the candlestick. The direction thus would be to make all the several parts of the candlestick of the same piece with the candlestickwhich is senseless.Tr.]

[Exo 26:24. The A. V. rendering (favored also by Kalisch, Gesenius, Glaire, De Wette, Frst, and Canon Cook) assumes to be a contracted form of . But it is singular (if this is the case) that both forms should occur in the same verse, and more singular still that there should be the same conjunction of the two forms in the parallel passage Exo 36:29. So long as at the best the obscurity of the description is not relieved by such an assumption, it seems much more reasonable to take in its natural sense of perfect, whole, and elucidate the meaning, if possible, on that assumption.Tr.]

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

The origin of the tabernacle is twice recorded in Exodus: first, (considered from its divine side) as a command of God, or (considered from its human side) as a vision or ideal (the tabernacle which God showed Moses on the mount), 2531; secondly, as the historical fact of the execution of the building of the work commanded by Jehovah, but interrupted by the history of the golden calf, 3540.
The tabernacle is not merely a place of worship; but, as being the house of the ark of the covenant or of the tables of the law, and as being the house of the Lord of the covenant who manifests Himself in the Holy of holies, it is first of all the centre of the whole legislation and the residence of the lawgiver Himself, who holds sway between the cherubim over His law, and will not let it become a dead ordinance, but makes sure that from out of the Holy of holies it shall grow into a living power. Hence, therefore, the history of this institution properly stands in Exodus, not in Leviticus. Jehovah has redeemed His people out of the house of bondage, and brought them to His holy house, which is at once palace, temple, and court-house, or public gathering-placethe house in which Jehovah meets with His people.

The tabernacle has been called a nomadic temple. It is indeed the preliminary form of the temple, but itself continued, after the people ceased their wanderings, for a long time to change its location in Israel until Solomons temple was built. As the prototype and opposite of garish heathen temples; as the historical model of the Israelitish temple in its three principal historical forms (temples of Solomon, Zerubbabel, and Herod); as the religious model, or outline, the type of Christian places of worship; and as the symbol of the proportions of the kingdom of God, both outwardly and inwardly considered; accordingly, as the fundamental form of every real sanctuary, the tabernacle preserves an imperishable significancealmost more significant in its naked simplicity than with its ornamentation and wealth. When the outward glory of the temple is gone, God will rebuild the tabernacle of David (Amo 9:11-12).

The tabernacle as Moses idea, which indeed he owes to divine revelation, characterizes Moses as also a great and original man in Hebrew art. Bezaleel was only the artist or master-workman who carried out the idea, working according to Moses plan; and even Michel Angelo, who chiselled the figure of Moses, worked, as architect, according to the theocratic outline which had been introduced into the world through Moses.
Of the numerous treatises on this sanctuary comp. besides Bhr (Symbolik des mosaischen Kultus I. p. 53 sqq.) and Keil (Bibl. Archologie 1, 17 sqq.), especially Leyrer in Herzogs Real-Encyklopdie, Art. Stiftshtte, which gives a condensed view of all the opinions and conjectures which have been propounded respecting its structure and significance. The latest monograms are: Wilh. Neumann, Die Stiftshtte in Bild und Wort gezeichnet, Gotha, 1861 (rich in fantastic hypotheses derived from the discoveries at Nineveh), and C. J. Riggenbach, Die mosaische Stiftshtte mit drei lithogr. Tafeln. (Basel, 18624). Vid. Knobel, Commentary, pp. 249257. Popper, Der biblische Bericht ber die Stiftshtte, etc. (Leipzig, 1862). Wangemann, Die Bedeutung der Stiftshtte. Wissenschaftlicher Vortrag, etc. (Berlin, 1866). Also Winers Reallexicon and Zellers Biblisches Wrterbuch. [To these may be added, besides Smiths Bible Dictionary and Kittos Cyclopedia, Kurtz, Sacrificial Offerings of the O. T.; Haneberg, Die religisen Alterthmer der Bibel (Munich, 1869); T. O. Paine, Solomons Temple (Boston, H. H. & T. W. Carter, 1870); and E. E. Atwater, History and Significance of the Sacred Tabernacle of the Hebrews (Dodd & Mead, New York, 1875).Tr.]

I. General view of the ideal plan of the building. Exo 25:1 to Exo 31:11

External Prerequisites. Building Materials. Assessments for the Building. Exo 25:1-9.

a. The Divine Side of the Dwelling

1. The Ark of the Covenant, with the Mercy-seat and the Cherubim, as the chief thing in the whole Building, Exo 25:10-22. Object of it: the continual, living Revelation of God. Exo 25:22. The Holy of Holies.

2. The Table of Shew-bread (of Communion with God, consecrated to God, Exo 25:30), and the Candlestick with its Appurtenances (the Divine Illumination in accordance with the Ideal, Exo 25:40), Exo 25:23-40.

3. The Sanctuary. Divine and Human. The Tent, or the Dwelling itself, Exo 26:1-30. Conformed to the Ideal, Exo 26:30.

4. The Veil to distinguish and divide the Holy of Holies from the Sanctuary, Exo 26:31-37.

b. The Human Side of the Dwelling

1. The Altar of Burnt-offering. Chap. Exo 27:1-8. Conformed to the Ideal, Exo 27:8.

2. The Court, Exo 27:9-19.

c. Functions Connected with the Building

1. Bringing of the holy Oil, and the Preparation of the Candlestick, Exo 27:20-21.

2. Equipment of the Priest, the High priest and his Assistants, Exo 28:1-43. Object of it, Exo 28:35; Exo 28:43.

3. Consecration of the Priests and the Sacrificial Functions of the Priest, Exo 29:1-46. Object, Exo 29:43-46.

4. Altar of Incense, and its Use, Exo 30:1-10.

5. Assessment for the Sanctuary as a Continual Memorial for the People, Exo 30:11-16.

6. The Brazen Laver in the Court for the Priests to wash from, Exo 30:17-21.

7. The Anointing of the Holy Things. The most holy Ointment, Exo 30:22-33.

8. The Most Holy Incense, Exo 30:34-38.

d. The Master-workmen

Exo 31:1-11.

*****Conclusion.The fundamental condition on which the meeting between Jehovah and His people ideally rests: the Sabbath, Exo 31:12-17. The addition of the Directions concerning the Tabernacle to the completed written Law, Exo 31:18.

II. General view of the actual construction of the building

Foundation: The Sabbath as Prerequisite to the Tabernacle. Exo 35:1-3 (Exo 31:14-17).

1. The Assessments for the Building, and the Preparation of the Material made under the direction of the Master-workmen, Exo 35:4 to Exo 36:7 (Exo 25:1-9; Exo 31:1-11).

2. The Work on the Dwelling, Exo 36:8-38 (Exo 26:1-37).

3. The Ark of the Covenant, the Mercy-seat, and the Cherubim, Exo 37:1-9 (Exo 25:10-22).

4. The Table, with its Appurtenances, Exo 37:10-16 (Exo 25:23-30).

5. The Candlestick, Exo 37:17-24 (Exo 25:31-40).

6. The Altar of Incense, the Incense, and the Anointing Oil, Exo 37:25-29 (Exo 30:1-10; Exo 30:23-38).

7. The Altar of Burnt-offering, Exo 38:1-7 (Exo 27:1-8).

8. The Brazen Laver, and the Court, Exo 38:8-20 (Exo 27:9-19).

9. The Reckoning of the Material used, Exo 38:21-31.

10. The official Garments of the Priests, Exo 39:1-31 (Exo 28:1-43). The Consecration of the Priests, and the Ordinance of the Sacrifices, Exo 29:1-46.

11. The Presentation of the Constituent Parts of the Dwelling, Exo 39:32-43.

12. The Erection of the Dwelling, and the Heavenly Consecration of it by means of the Pillar of Cloud and Fire, the Sign of the Veiled Presence of the Glory of the Lord, chap. 40.

Knobel calls attention to the exact reckoning in Exo 38:21 sqq. and the extraordinary circumstantiality and diffuseness which is found in no other narrator to the same degree. So extended a repetition does not occur elsewhere in all the Old Testament. As to the diffuseness, the O. T. everywhere gives details when the sanctuary is concerned, as becomes the symbolical significance of the sanctuary and the religious spirit of the Israelites, vid. 1 Samuel 4-7; 1Ki 5:1 to 1Ki 9:15; 2 Kings 12; 2 Chronicles 2-7; Ezekiel 40-47; the whole of Haggai; Zechariah 3, 4. It is taken for granted that here in every individual feature there is to be recognized the reflection of a religious thought. As to the repetition, however, stress is to be laid on the general consciousness of connection between ideal and real worship, as well as the special consciousness that the real tabernacle was built exactly according to the idea of it. Moreover, the second account is not a mere repetition of the first. In the presentation of the idea, the master-workmen come at the end; in the narrative of the actual erection of the building, at the beginning,quite in accordance with the relations of real life. In the execution of the work of the tabernacle the sacerdotal garments are described, and even the calculation of the cost of the buildingthe church account, so to speak. So the denunciation of a severe penalty on the manufacture, for private use, of the holy anointing oil and of the incense, is one of the means used to prevent the profanation of a legally prescribed system of worship. Even the hinderance in the execution of the work prescribed in the mount, occasioned by the golden calf, is not without meaning. How often it is a golden calf which hinders the execution of pure ideal ecclesiastical conceptions! Here, however, is everywhere manifested this feature of revelation, that the idea must become fact, and that the fact must answer to the idea.

We make five general divisions in the things commanded: I. The Prerequisitethe Materials. II. The Precept concerning the Structure itself. III. The Persons and Things occupying the Building. IV. The Architects and their Work. V. The Condition of the Vitality of the Institutionthe Sabbath.

Footnotes:

[1][Exo 25:19. , etc. Literally, From the mercy-seat shall ye make the cherubim. This is understood by some to mean: rising up from the mercy-seat. But the simple hardly conveys that notion; it has, perhaps, somewhat of its original import, part, so that the direction is to make the cherubim a part of the mercy-seat, i.e., of one piece with it.Tr.]

[2][Exo 25:31. The change proposed in the punctuation is one required by the Masoretic accentuation, as well as by the sense, though adopted by only a few commentators (Knobel, Do Wette, Bunsen). When it is said, its base and its shaft, etc., shall be made of the same, the question arises, the same with what? For the several specifications include the whole of the candlestick. The direction thus would be to make all the several parts of the candlestick of the same piece with the candlestickwhich is senseless.Tr.]

[3][Exo 26:24. The A. V. rendering (favored also by Kalisch, Gesenius, Glaire, De Wette, Frst, and Canon Cook) assumes to be a contracted form of . But it is singular (if this is the case) that both forms should occur in the same verse, and more singular still that there should be the same conjunction of the two forms in the parallel passage Exo 36:29. So long as at the best the obscurity of the description is not relieved by such an assumption, it seems much more reasonable to take in its natural sense of perfect, whole, and elucidate the meaning, if possible, on that assumption.Tr.]

Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange

4. The Tent, or the Dwelling itself. Exo 26:1-30

I. The Component Parts of the Tent as to Form.

a. The tent itself. (1) Ten curtains of byssus each 28 cubits long, and 4 cubits wide. (2) Fifty loops to each curtain, to connect together five curtains. (3) Five times fifty golden clasps, to connect the loops1

b. The covering of the tent. First covering, of goats hair: eleven curtains, each 30 cubits long, and 4 cubits wide, divided into sets of 5 and 6. For them 50 [or rather, 100] loops and 50 copper clasps. One curtain is folded double on the front side of the tent. The surplus cubits hang over on the two sides. A similar excess hangs over on the back end of the tent.Second covering, rams skins dyed red.Third covering, the outer one, seal-skins.

c. The supports of the tent. The boards of acacia wood. Each board 10 cubits long, 1 cubits wide. Two tenons in each board. Twenty boards on the south side resting on forty silver sockets (feet).Twenty boards on the north side with the same number of sockets. Six boards for the rear. Two boards for the corners of the rear. In addition, the bars (cross-bars or connecting bars), 5 for each side, the middle one passing the whole length of the framework. The bars and boards gilt. Also the rings for the bars.2

II. The Component Parts as to material. Byssus, linen, goats-hair, and the two kinds of skin. Acacia wood, gold, silver, copper.
III. The Colors. Especially significant. The covering proper of the tent contains the four colors: white, purplish-blue, purplish-red, crimson.
IV. The Work of the Curtains. The work of skilful weavers, i.e., with figures interwoven, viz., with figures of cherubim.

V. The different kinds of woven work.

5. The Veil. Exo 26:31-37

The division between the holy place and the Holy of holies. According to modern notions there is no difference between the wide, savage world and the court, no difference between the court and the holy place, none, in fine, between the holy place and the most holy. The Biblical notions are infinitely purer and finer. Even between the holy place and the most holy hangs a thick curtain, as between the Old and New Testament. The passage from the holy place into the Holy of holies has been made free to His people by Christ.
As the heaven of heavens is to be conceived as a high heaven consisting of individual heavens, the age (on) of ages (ons) as an age which consists of individual ages, the Sabbath of Sabbaths as one whose several week days are seven Sabbaths; so the Holy of holies is a sanctuary of sanctuaries, , and so, most holy. Especially is it to be observed that the three principal features of the holy place, viz., the table of shew-bread, the candlestick, and the altar of incense, here coalesce into one.

As there were three altars, so three curtains. The first screened the court; the second, the holy place; the third, the Holy of holies. The latter was the principal one. Keil and Knobel give details about the construction and arrangement of the curtain, as also about the Arab tents and Egyptian temples.3

6. The Altar of Burnt-offering. Exo 27:1-8

The fact that the altar of burnt-offering was separated not only from the Holy of holies, but also from the holy place, and stood in the court, serves to express this religious idea: that faith begins with the first approach to God, with obedience to His law and surrender to His judgment; but that it does not for that reason entitle one to an entrance into the interior communion with God in the sanctuary, still less to a complete union with God in the Holy of holies; although it has this as its aim, and is a preparation for it, and also through religious fellowship with the high-priest gives to him who makes the offering a conditional participation in the blessing of the Holy of holies, and gives him a hope of future entrance into the Holy of holies itself.

This distance between the holy place and the Holy of holies is also represented by the gradations in the value of the metallic ornamentations. The altar of burnt-offering was overlaid with copper: the seven-branched candlestick in the holy place consisted of fine or hollow vessels; the table of shew-bread was gilt; the ark of the covenant was gilt inside and outside, while its lid and the cherubim on it, as also the rim of the ark, were of solid gold. A similar relation exists between the curtains. The veil of the Holy of holies was the work of a skilled weaver, adorned with figures of cherubim in which the reflection of the cherubim in the Holy of holies appears. The second curtain, which screened the holy place, was simply woven in variegated colors, striped, or perhaps checkered; so also the screen at the entrance of the court. Significant special features in the altar of burnt-offering are particularly its horns, the points of the corners, the permanent power of the altar, so to speak, in contrast with the fire which now appears and now disappears; hence, as Keil says, the blood of the sin-offering was put upon them (Lev 4:7), and also those who sought the protection of their lives at the altar seized hold of them (vid. Exo 21:14). Among the vessels bowls appear again, but here to be used for sprinkling the blood. Special mention, moreover, is made of the grating of the altar under the ledge or rim (), and of this ledge itself. Upon the karkob, the ledge or rim, the priest stepped when an offering was made, or when he wished to add more wood, or do anything else on the altar (Keil). Knobel has a different view, holding [that the rim was only an ornament, that such a ledge to step on would have disfigured the altar, and moreover] that the altar was so high that it could not have been served without steps; which is contrary to Exo 20:26. Keil, on the contrary, supposes that the earth was slightly heaped up, so that the priest could step from it to the ledge. Neither does the height of the altar in Solomons temple (2Ch 4:1) exclude the assumption of such a gradual ascent. The grating was an enclosure to protect the altar; the rings by which the altar was carried were also fastened to it. The altar itself was a wooden structure consisting of four plane sides overlaid with copper, forming a hollow square, which was probably filled with earth, gravel, or stones (vid. Exo 20:24). The place for the fire had to be adequately separated from the wooden border.

7. The Court. Exo 27:9-19

The hangings which enclosed the court were not wrought in the four sacred colors, like the covering of the tabernacle itself, but were simply white. Moreover, they formed no roof, as that did, but only a boundary, an enclosure. The pillars here, moreover, have copper sockets, not silver ones; only the hooks of the pillars and the rods connecting them were of silver, the latter perhaps only overlaid with silver, as the pillars at the entrance of the tabernacle were gilt. It is to be further observed, that the court properly unites the notions of a porch and of a quadrangular wall of enclosure, since it passed around the tabernacle from east to west.

iii. the persons and things occupying the building. the ritual worship. Exo 27:20 to Exo 30:38.

In speaking now exclusively of the features of the ritual worship, it is to be observed that we must distinguish the general worship of the house of God from the specific, Levitical worship, the sacrificial ritual described in Leviticus.

1. The Oil for the Light. The Lamps. Exo 27:20-21

The first condition of life, in the house of the Lord as well as elsewhere, is light; and the prerequisite of that is oil. Light is the spirit in action, symbolized by oil, which is a symbol of the spiritual life itself. The first business of the priest was to be to prepare and produce lighteven in the Old Testament. How is it in this respect with the sacrificial priesthood of the present time? The text says that this is to be a perpetual statute. On the oil vid Knobel.4

2. The Sacerdotal Vocation. The Priesthis Assistants and Apparel. Exodus 28

The consecration of the priests is not treated of here, as Knobel thinks, but the priestly calling and its symbolic representation by means of the clothing; the consecration is not distinctly spoken of till the next chapter.
First, then, the vocation of the Priest, Exo 28:1-5. That Aaron is to be the priest (i.e., high priest), is presupposed; or, rather, it is Jehovahs commandment which is fulfilled by his coming before Moses, the prophet of God. The prophetic order is therefore perpetually the medium through which, and the condition on which, the priestly order officiates. But the priest is essentially only onea truth which in the N. T. is fulfilled in the high-priesthood of Christ. His sons therefore must approach with him, as being his descendants and legal successors, and as being his actual assistants. So they are first publicly presented to the congregation, and the latter take part in their appointment by furnishing men of sacred skill able to prepare the sacred garments which are to portray the symbolic phenomenon of the sacerdotal vocation, and by furnishing the materials for them (all of which is shadowed forth in Christianity, but not in the least in the infallible Pope). The main particulars are given in a significant order. As in the house of Jehovah the chief thing is the ark, so in the service of Jehovah is the breast-plate of the high-priest, with which, however, the shoulder-piece or ephod is immediately connected; for the priest is not only as a sympathizing intercessor to bear his people on his heart, but also, as a fellow-sufferer and laborer, on his shoulders. The shoulder-piece and the breast-plate form substantially one whole, whose most important part is the breast-plate; just as the mercy-seat is connected with the ark of the law, and yet forms in itself the principal thing in the Holy of holies, being, so to speak, the New Testament in the Old. So also in the breast-plate the eternal intercession of the eternal High Priest is adumbrated. Then follow the robe, the coat, the turban, and the girdle.

Next, therefore, is described the shoulder-piece or ephod, this being designed to underlie the breast-plate, Exo 28:6-14. From the whole cast of the precept it is evident that the culminating feature was its serving to bear the breast-plate. The material of the shoulder-piece is of as costly work, in all the four colors of the covenant, as the veil of the Holy of holies, except that instead of the figures of cherubim woven into the veil, this is to be artistically inwrought with gold, i.e., gold threads (Keil). According to Knobel, the ephod consisted of one piece, which had holes slit in it for the arms. But this leaves us no clear conception of it, for in this case there must have been another slit for the head too; and moreover in that case the symbolic reference to the two shoulders would be lost. According to Keils representation, the two shoulder-pieces seem to be too much separated; but they are not connecting so much as connected. The Rabbinical conception which he accepts seems quite untenable. It seems almost necessary to suppose that there was a connection not only on the front side, but also on the back; for only on this condition could the girdle, of like material and color, fasten the ephod.5 The girdle itself also is of one piece with the ephod; for firmness and collectedness are necessary in order to bear the burden of the people on the shoulders. That this was to be done by the high-priest, is expressed by the onyx (shoham) stones which were fastened on the right and left shoulder pieces and had engraved on them the names of the sons of Israel in the order of agea foreshadowing of the names on the breast-plate, as the cherubim in the veil foreshadow the cherubim in the Holy of holies itself, and the altar of burnt-offering (used also for sin and trespass-offerings, and for the great sin-offering) foreshadows the propitiatory lid or mercy-seat. Finally in the ephod are to be considered the golden settings or rings, with their golden chains, by means of which the breast-plate is to be fastened to the ephod.

Now follows the most important articlethe breast-plate

Exo 28:15-30 : the breast-plate of judicial sentence. By this phrase would we represent the meaning of , because it comprises both factors, light and right [Urim and Thummim], the sentence of salvation or of righteousness, and the sentence of judgment. The source and combination of both elements is found in the sympathy of the high-priest with the people of God. The material of the breast-plate is like that of the shoulder-pieces. Its form is square; for the people of God signify symbolically Gods perfect world; they are eventually to dwell in the Holy of holies (Rev 21:24). The doubling of it, aside from any other reference (e.g., to make it a pocket for the stones used in drawing lots), may have this meaning: that the inner fold represents the divine justice; the outer one, the people. The people are laid upon the heart of the high-priest, with the twelve precious stones set in four rows: four, the mundane number [the four points of the compass], multiplied by three, the number of the spirit [intellect, feelings, will], thus pointing to the world as made complete in and by the people of God. The twelve precious stones denote the variety, manifoldness, and totality of the natural and gracious gifts bestowed on the people of God, and united in the one spirit of heavenly preciousness. This wonderful idea goes from the twelve sons of Jacob through the whole Bible, and at last, proceeding from the number of the twelve apostles, attains its complete expression in the Apocalypse, vid. Comm. on Revelation, p. 385. The rows are as follows:

SARDIUS.
(Flesh Color.)

TOPAZ.
(Golden-Yellow.)

EMERALD.
(Brilliant Green.)

CARBUNCLE.
(Red.)

SAPPHIRE.
(Sky-Blue)

DIAMOND.
(Transparent or Reddish-Yellow.)

LIGURE (HYACINTH?)
(PaleVariegated.)

AGATE.
(GlisteningVariegated.)

AMETHYST.
(Mostly Violet.)

BERYL (CHRYSOLITE.)
(Yellow-Green.)

ONYX (BERYL.)
(Greenish.)

JASPER.
(Dull-RedCloudy.)

For archological and other details, see Knobel, p. 283, and my Vermischte Schriften, I. p. 18.

The fastening of the breast-plate to the ephod was an important task; no part was to be injured in the process. The description is hard to understand. We find a clue by the use of two suggestions. First, by determining that two golden chains hang down from the ephod towards the breast-plate. Secondly, by determining that the breast-plate must be loose at the top, as a pocket, for which reason also only two corners, viz., those at the bottom, are spoken of. On these corners two golden rings are fixed, into which the golden chains of the ephod are inserted, they themselves passing down by the breast plate and then returning into the connecting hooks of the ephod. Thus the breast-plate is held secure from falling, but may still become displaced. Hence two more golden rings have to be put upon the corners of the edge of the pocket, towards the inner part, i.e., on the inside part of the pocket, in order that the pocket itself may be left open. These rings correspond to two golden rings on the ephod which are fixed upon the breast side of it above where the two parts are joined together. These corresponding rings are tied fast together with a purplish-blue cord. So much importance and particularity belong to the business of fastening the breast-plate to the high-priests breast; and this fact has doubtless its significance. Knobel has a different conception.6 The ordinance that Aaron must appear with the breast-plate before Jehovah (Exo 28:29) is designed to be a symbolical reference to the high-priestly intercession; and so the opposite of this is quite appropriate, viz., the direction that he shall proclaim light and right to the people in the name of Jehovah, with royal authority, as it were, after he has consecrated this commission in Jehovahs presence, Exo 28:30. Vid. Num 27:21; Deu 33:8. Comp. Comm. on Joh 11:51. On the various explanations of and [Urim and Thummim] see the Dictionaries and Commentaries. Luthers translation, Licht und Recht [light and right (justice)] is much better than that of the LXX., , or that of the Vulg., doctrina et veritas. We translate: Lights and decision, connecting with the meaning to be finished, to be at an end, which has in Kal; and to finish, to terminate, in Hiphil. So also Symmachus and Theodotion translate . As to the question what the object of them was, as stated in Num 27:21, the Urim and Thummim mark a kind of permanent judgment-hall where prophetico-royal decisions were rendered. There were not always prophets in Israel, and also not always kings; but the priest was always to be found, and so also the living God, who was the King of Israel, and after whose will Israel was always to inquire. Hence it was the high-priests duty, when the prophetic voice was wanting, always to give answer when the people asked what was to be done. Herein the priest was the vicar of the prophet, as in other cases the reverse happened. But because the priest was a hereditary one, he was as such neither prophet nor king, and could therefore give answer only through a special medium, the oracle of the Urim and Thummim. In many cases the answer of Jehovah was at once light and right; in favorable cases, when the inquirers were pious, as is assumed in the case mentioned in Num 27:21, it was Urim; also in the worst case, such as is implied in Joh 11:51, the decision, necessary in all cases, took the form of Thummim in bringing on judgment. It was regarded as a condition of peculiar distress when, there was at hand neither a prophet, nor a king, nor the priest with Urim and Thummim (Ezr 2:63; Neh 7:65), or when the oracle Urim gave no answera circumstance which might grow out of the institution itself (1Sa 14:37), or out of a variance between the high-priest and the inquirer. As to the question what the Urim and Thummim were, they could not have consisted in the stones of the breast-plate themselves, which, as Josephus and Saalschtz suppose, inspired the high-priest as he looked down upon them; still less in two small oracular images, teraphim, which, as Philo probably or perhaps conceives, were inserted in the orifice of the breastplate. The Urim and Thummim must certainly have been an object distinct from the breast-plate itself, and something which Moses was to put into it. The Rabbins conceived that in the inside of the breast-plate was the sacred tetragrammaton (Jehovah), and that this illuminated the names on the breast-plate; the Cabbalists assumed, instead of this, two similarly efficacious names of God. Zllig understands the object to have been two diamond dice to be used in drawing lots (Apokalypse, I. p. 408). So much is established, that the phrase to ask of Jehovah may be explained both by the phrase ask of the Urim and Thummim, and by the notion of decision by lot (1Sa 10:20; 1Sa 14:36). It is noticeable that in 1Sa 28:6 the lot is not mentioned in connection with Urim. Comp. on the lot Winer, Realwrterbuch, II. p. 31. On the derivation of the Urim and Thummim from an Egyptian judicial symbol, vid. Winer, II. p. 644 [and Smiths Bible Dictionary, Art. Urim and Thummim]. Reference can only be assumed to something analogous in the Egyptian institution. The main point is that the resolute spirit of the Holy Scriptures regarded hesitation as the evil of evilse.g., in the life of Saul and of Judas. Hence the lot, hence the need of decision. In accordance with his coarse anthropopathic conceptions, Knobel holds that the precious stones were in the proper sense to remind Jehovah of Israel, p. 287. The directions concerning the Urim and Thummim seem to have been intentionally made very brief and kept mysterious. Vid. more in Knobel.

The outer robe, Exo 28:31. Luthers translation is here very arbitrary, but was probably occasioned by the desire to leave the breast-plate uncovered: Thou shalt also make the silk robe under the coat all of yellow silk. For if a , a covering (not to be absolutely confounded with the ordinary ), was made for the ephod, such an over-garment must necessarily have covered the breast-plate also, if it was a long robe closely fitting (according to Keil), reaching to the knees, and, according to the Alexandrians, even reaching, as , to the feet. Against both assumptions is not only the fact that in that case the breast-plate would have been covered, but also the manner in which the robe was put on, viz., over the head, by means of an opening (as in the case of a coat of mail)which also implies the absence of sleeves. Besides, there would then come two girdles at nearly the same place, since the coat had its own girdle, vid. Exo 28:39. The representation in Lev 8:7 seems, it is true, somewhat inexact.7 The significance of this hyacinth-colored, dark-blue, purple ornament may be sought in this, that the burden of the high-priest symbolized by the ephod was not to be made a spectacle to the world, but was to be hidden by a symbol of the royal splendor of his vocation. Two questions are raised by this conception of the covering for the ephod. First: If the robe was so short, what was the case with the rest of the garments? This is answered by Exo 28:39 and the parallel description, Exo 39:27. They made the coats () of white byssus. Secondly: How could the bells ring, if they lay so high up that even the breast-plate was to be exposed? This question is solved if we take [its skirts] in its original sense, i.e., not as its hem, but its train, and assume that the robe was so cut that it left the breast-plate free, while it flowed out sidewise in trains.

On the various interpretations of the bells and pomegranates, vid. Keil.8 According to Keil or Bhr, the pomegranates are symbols of the word and testimony of God; the bells, with their ringing, symbols of the sound of this word. But in this case Moses the prophet would have abdicated his functions to Aaron the priest. The symbolic meaning of the pomegranate is very hard to fix (vid. Friedrich, Symbolik und Mythologie der Natur); perhaps the most natural assumption is that in the alternation of pomegranates and bells is to be discerned the connection of nature, as represented in its abundance and beauty by the pomegranate, with the theocracy as designed to manifest, itself in the sacrificial vocation of the high-priest through holy time, and through the awakening voice of the thunder, the trumpet, and the bells. The gifts of nature and of grace are the offerings which the high-priest brings to Jehovah over his shoulders.

The clause, that he die not, can hardly mean that sudden death would follow the neglect of the precept, but that this would be an official misdemeanor worthy of death, an offence consisting chiefly in contempt of Jehovah and of the customs of the sanctuary, but also particularly in the fact that the connection between Jehovah and the congregation is not only effected in general by means of these bells, but is also enlivened by the sacred moment [the advent of which they announce]. From the farthest distance, as it were, the sound of the bells is heard, indicating holy time (as the organ indicates the holy place), although the large bell is not immediately derived from an enlargement of these small ones.
The plate of gold for the forehead, Exo 28:36. A plate of gold fastened to the turban by a dark-blue purple string, with the inscription, Holiness (or holy) to Jehovah, and designated in Exo 39:30 as the holy crown. The meaning is that Aaron is to bear the expiation (, i.e., expiation of the guilt) of the gifts of the sanctuary, which the children of Israel shall hallow, etc. That is, the high-priest has to effect the expiation of the expiations before Jehovah. The children of Israel also bring expiatory offerings of all kinds before Jehovah; but guilt cleaves even to their offerings; the high-priest, however, is symbolically to accomplish the expiation of all these guilt-stained expiations. Thus, then, the high-priests plate of gold points to the chief function which he was to discharge on the great day of atonement, on which day, even on his entrance into the Holy of holies, he had, if not exactly to supplement, yet to complete, the whole abundance of the expiatory offerings of the children of Israel, to cleanse them from the stain of guilt (the negative guilt of deficiency, and the positive guilt of wrong-doing) which cleaves to them. How rich in instruction this symbol is in its relation to the high-priesthood and sacrifice of Christ! From the instituting of this plate to the fulfilment of the prophecy in Zec 14:20 is a great distance. The general fulfilment is announced in John 17.; the eschatological fulfilment is pictured in Revelation, Exodus 21. Knobel, referring to ancient heathen customs, resolves the thing itself wholly into sensuous conceptions, speaking of external lapses of the children of Israel in connection with their offering of giftsthe conciliatory appearance of the high-priest, and referring to a custom of the ancients, in offering sacrifices to put garlands on themselves and on the victims. But vid. the quotation from Calvin in a note in Keil, II. p. Exodus 204: [The iniquity of the sacred offerings was to be borne and cleansed by the priest. It is a frigid explanation to say that whatever error crept into the ceremonies was remitted through the prayers of the priest. For we must look further back, and see that the iniquity of the offerings was obliterated by the priest for the reason that no offering, so far as it is mans, is wholly free from defect. It sounds harsh and almost paradoxical to say that holy things themselves are unclean, so as to need pardon; but it is to be held that there is absolutely nothing so pure but that it contracts some stain from us Nothing is more excellent than the worship of God; and yet the people could offer nothing, even when it was prescribed by law, without the intervention of pardon, which they could obtain only through the priest.]

Aarons coat, Exo 28:39. The tunic proper, with which also his sons were clothed. It reached to the ankles, and was also provided with sleeves. It was made of white byssus; but Aarons coat was, distinguished by being more artistically wrought. The girdle of his coat was also of variegated work. According to Josephus (Ant. III. 7, 2) purple and crimson flowers were woven into the linen girdles of the priests.

The clothing of the sons, Exo 28:40. Of Aarons assistants, or the ordinary priests. It consisted in the coat of white byssus, the girdle, and the cap. These articles are not included in the description of Aarons clothing, because there were differences. The sons do not receive the prerogatives of the high-priest; and Aarons head-gear is the turban with the gold plate, while the sons receive caps. is only used of the headdress of the common priests, Exo 29:9; Exo 39:28; Lev 8:13. The word is related to , goblet, cup (Exo 25:31), so that these head-tires seem to have had a conical form. This was also customary in reference to other sacerdotal persons of antiquity (Knobel). The passage, 1Sa 22:18, seems to merge the whole family of priests into one, as inheriting in that capacity the high-priesthood, and therefore the ephod. A different point of view would lead critics to make a sharp distinction between the time of the original giving of the law and the time of Samuel.

The investment, anointing, and consecration of the priests, Exo 28:41. This equipment is common to all, but conferred wholly by Moses, not even in part by Aaron after he himself has been equipped. Nor does Aaron anoint even his sons, but the prophet does it. That which was genealogically transmitted from Aaron to his descendants must therefore be continually supplemented by the transmission of spiritual life in the theocracy. The clothes denote the dignity and burden of the office; the anointment is a symbol of the Spirit; the hands filled are the signs of the sacrificial gifts furnished by the congregation,of the emoluments which they themselves first of all have to bring as an offering to Jehovah. With this investment is completed the potential sanctification or consecration; the strict, actual consecration of the priests is yet to follow.

The breeches and the object of them, Exo 28:42-43. This ordinance forms a transition to the actual consecration of the priests. It is significant that it follows the official investment. The official clothing in the narrow sense conferred dignity and ornament; these, on the other hand, were only to avert dishonor and disgrace. The reason for this covering, according to Baumgarten, lay in the fact that the sins of nature have their principal seat in the flesh of nakedness! According to Keil the physical members mentioned, which subserve the natural secretions, are pudenda, or objects of shame, because in these secretions is made evident the mortality and corruptibility of the body which through sin has permeated human nature. Neither the first, theosophic explanation, nor the latter, most peculiarly orthodox one, can be derived from Genesis 3. The organs of the strongest impulses, those which through sin have been morbidly deranged, belong, even physiologically, to the dark side of life, and are therefore to be kept mysterious, like births themselves, in connection with which there can be no thought of lust; but in an ethical respect, affecting the whole human race, they are not objects of a dispassionate sthetic contemplation, but confusing to the senses, for which reason also there is a difference between naked children and naked adults: religiously considered, finally, they are indeed signs of the moral nakedness of man, of his natural and hereditary guilt. Furthermore, religious reverence demands that, when they officially approach the altar, they should cover still more the above-mentioned parts, which, even in common life, through natural bashfulness are carefully covered, whereas for the rest of the body a single covering suffices (Knobel). But in a sense the altar also becomes to the mind of the priest, according to chap. 23, a symbol of God as seeing. This duty, too, is declared to be most holy for ever, and so it obtains also a symbolic character, signifying that everything sexual is to be avoided in the service of the sanctuary. It marks the opposite extreme of the voluptuous rites of the heathen, and of the commingling of sexual passion with the religious fanaticism. But as shamelessness in worship is particularly designated as a capital offence, so in general every other shameless act.

Footnotes:

[1][This is incorrect. Fifty loops to each curtain would make five hundred loops, whereas there were only one hundred. For these loops were not to connect the five curtains to one another, as Lange says, but to connect the one curtain made up of five (coupled together we are not told how) with the curtain made up of the other five. Accordingly, also, there were only fifty clasps, not two hundred and fifty.Tr.].

[2] [Lange says nothing about the shape of the tabernacle, or about the manner in which the curtains are arranged. It is a vexed question. The following are the principal views: (1) It being clear and undisputed that the board framework was 30 cubits long, 10 broad, and 10 high, one theory is that the ten curtains, called the tabernacle in Exo 26:1, were so joined together side to side as to form two curtains of equal size, each 28 cubits long, and 20 cubits broad; that these two were looped together (Exo 26:5), and the whole was spread horizontally over the tops of the boards, thus hanging down 9 cubits on each side, i.e., within one cubit of the ground, since the two sides (each 10 cubits) and the width (10 cubits) together are equal to 30 cubits. The breadth of both curtains being 40 cubits, and the length of the wooden structure only 30, and the entrance (according to Exo 26:9; Exo 26:36) being provided with a special curtain, it follows that 10 cubits must have hung down on the west (back) end, and so the curtain just reached the ground. (2) Another view (brought into favor by Bhr) differs from this in that the lower (linen) curtains are conceived as hanging down inside, not outside, of the boards. (3) Saalschtz supposes that the curtains formed a roofed tent above the boards, the bottom of the under-curtain just touching the top of the boards. This roof would reach about 13 cubits above the top of the boards, the ridge having an angle of about 40. Paines theory is somewhat similar, but in its details is so fantastical and arbitrary as hardly to merit a full statement. (4) Fergusson (in Smiths Bible Dictionary, Art. Temple) also holds that there was a ridge above the boards and half-way between them, so that the goats-hair curtain formed a tent proper (as it is called in Exo 26:7, where A. V. mistranslates, covering). But his view differs from that of Saalschtz, in that he makes the angle at the ridge a right angle (the more natural angle for a roof), so that the two sides of the roof projected beyond the boards, the lower point being 5 cubits above the ground and 5 cubits horizontally from the boards. He also assumes that the roof extended 5 cubits beyond the boards in the front and in the rear, so that the extra 10 cubits did not hang down at all over the west end. The accompanying diagram exhibits a section of the tabernacle according to Fergussons theory. The apparent absence of all allusion to a ridge-pole Fergusson would supply by explaining the middle bar of Exo 26:28 as referring not to a bar like the others at the side, but to the ridge-pole. He supposes also (though no express mention is made of it) that the sides of the verandah and the western end were enclosed with curtains, and that the ridge-pole must have been supported at the middle by a pillar.The principal reasons urged by Mr. Fergusson for this theory are the following: (1) According to the common view only about one-third of the inner or ornamental curtain would have been visible. Bhrs theory obviates this difficulty, but creates another, viz., by making out that the gilded boards were almost entirely covered up. If so, why so expensively constructed? (2) The curtains spread flat over the boards would have been no protection against the rain. The skins above the cloth and hair curtains would, when wet, only have depressed the centre and torn the curtains under them. (3) The common view contradicts the description in Exo 26:9; Exo 26:12-13, according to which only two cubits of the goats-hair curtain hung over at the west end, and only one cubit at each side; whereas the other theory assumes that 10 cubits hung down on every side but the front.The latter argument may be met by the supposition that the Biblical statements referred to only assert that the goats-hair curtain hung over the tabernacle, i.e., the linen curtain, half a cubit at the west end, and one cubit at each side.The second reason is undoubtedly the strongest one. The tabernacle, according to the traditional view, is an ungainly structure, ill protected against rain or snow, and unlike either house or tent; while yet a part of it is distinctly called a tent.Mr. Atwater points out the most obvious objection to Mr. Fergussons theory, viz., that, according to Exo 26:33, the veil of the Holy of holies was hung under the clasps that connect the two parts of the covering. These must have been 20 cubits from the front of the building, and 10 cubits from the rear, according to the traditional view, entirely in accordance with the supposed position of the veil, the Holy of holies being in the form of a cube, 10 cubits in every direction, while the holy place was 20 cubits long. But Fergussons theory would bring the clasps 15 cubits from each end, though he distinctly adopts the view that the veil was 10 cubits from the western end. This difficulty seems entirely to have escaped his attention. Mr. Atwater calls it fatal, and deems it useless to consider the theory any further, remarking that nothing is more certain in regard to the tabernacle, than that the two apartments into which it was divided by this partition-veil were of unequal size, the eastern being thirty feet long and fifteen wide, and the western an exact cube of fifteen feet in dimension. It might be asked, however, how is it made so certain that the two apartments were of the size specified? The Bible nowhere gives the slightest information respecting this matter, excepting the statement of Exo 26:33 above cited. Where the clasps were, depends on what disposition was made of the curtains; and it we choose to adopt Mr. Fergussons theory respecting them, it would follow that the building was equally divided; and where is the proof that it was not? Only Josephuss assertion, and the corresponding apartments of Solomons temple, in which the Holy of holies was half the size of the other part of the sanctuary. It must be admitted that these two items of evidence are very weighty; but they by no means prove the theory so incontestably as to make it unwarrantable to hold a different one. At all events, if any stress had been meant to be laid upon the dimensions of the Holy of holies, it is singular that they were not plainly given, instead of being left to be inferred from the very indefinite directions concerning the position of the curtains.Tr.].

[3][The temples of the ancient Egyptians were constructed as follows: First, a square in front 100 or less feet wide and three or four times as long; then porticoes (), indefinite in number; next the itself with a , and finally the with a sacred animal as the object of worship (Strabo, 17, p. 805). The Egyptian temples still preserved confirm in general this description. A large gateway leads into the court, surrounded with pillars; then follows a portico, and often a second one; then two or three halls, in the last of which the sacred animal or the idol-image stood. Heeren, Ideen, II. 2, p. 173). Knobel, Comm., p. 275Tr.].

[4]The oil which the children of Israel were to bring to Moses was to be oil of the olive tree, , pure, i.e., made of olives which, before being crushed, were cleansed from leaves, twigs, dust, etc.; and , beaten, i.e., obtained from crushed olives. The olives, when plucked, were beaten and crushed, and put into a basket; thence the oil was allowed to run out of itself. This was the finest of all kinds; what was secured afterwards by pressing was poorer, and the more so the longer the olives were pressed. Knobel, p. 279.Tr.]

[5][The meaning of this apparently is that the shoulder-pieces were joined not merely to the two parts of the ephod, but also to one another, both in front of and behind, the neck, so that the girdle passing around at the bottom of the ephod would close it together thoroughly, not leaving the upper parts loose, as they would be if they were only connected by two disconnected pieces passing over the shoulders.Tr.]

[6][Knobels description is as follows: The two chains which pass down from the shoulder-pieces of the ephod (Exo 28:13; Exo 28:25) are connected with two rings at the upper corners of the breast-plate. Then two more rings at the lower corners of the same are connected by means of two more chains to two lings underneath, on the fore part of the ephod (Exo 28:27), i.e., lower down than the shoulder-pieces, but close by the coupling, i.e., at the place where the shoulder-pieces are connected with the upper part of the ephod. Thus the lower part of the breast-plate is joined by the chains to the upper part of the ephod.Tr.]

[7][Langes notion of the robe seems to be rather peculiar, viz., that it was a very short garment, covering the shoulder-pieces of the ephod, but, leaving the breast-plate exposed under it. He seems to assume that the ephod and breast-plate were to be put on before the robe, though for what reason it is difficult to imagine. The reason cannot be found in the circumstance that the robe is described after the ephod and breast-plate; for the coat is described still later, and the linen breeches last of all. Besides, we have in Lev 8:7 a clear indication of the order in which these articles were put on. Josephus (Ant. III. 7, 4) says that the robe, though without sleeves, had arm-holes, and this sufficiently harmonizes all the apparent difficulties.Tr.]

[8][Keil rejects the view propounded by the son of Sirach (from Sir 45:9, that as he went there might be a sound, and a noise made that might be heard in the temple, for a memorial to the children of the people), on the ground that the last clause of the verse is evidently borrowed from Exo 28:12, where the stones of the ephod are spoken of, and also on the ground that the clause that he die not is not explained by this hypothesis; for the assumption is that the high-priests life would be endangered if he went into the Holy of holies without being accompanied by the prayers of his peoplewhich would make his life depend on their caprice, irrespective of his own character. He also rejects as trivial the notion that the ringing of the bells was intended to be equivalent to rapping at the door, so as not to enter info the presence of Jehovah unannounced, as well as Knobels notion that the sound was to stand for a reverential greeting and a musical ascription of praise. Keil holds that the reason for Aarons not, dying lies in the significance that belongs to the ringing of the bells or the garments of Aaron, with their appendages of artificial pomegranates and ringing bells.Tr.]

Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange

CONTENTS

This Chapter is but the continuation of the former. Moses receiveth further directions, concerning the furniture of the tabernacle. Particular mention is made of the vail, or hanging, which separated the outer part of the sanctuary from the most Holy Place.

Exo 26:1

I would have the Reader keep in view in this, and in every other place of scripture where mention is made of the Jewish tabernacle, the gospel signification of it. See Heb 9:1-12 . There are several other particularities worthy notice in the tabernacle. It was moveable, intimating perhaps thereby, that the Church of God in this world is in an unsettled state, as best suited to a wilderness dispensation. Heb 13:14 ; Mic 2:10 . The tabernacle was but a mean and humble building; and yet in it the Ark of God was placed. Intimating, perhaps, the mean and humble estate of our nature, when the Lord Jesus, whom the Ark represented, tabernacled among us. It is further remarkable, that the Ark had no better accommodation until the building of Solomon’s temple, which was at least 480 years after this period. 1Ki 6:1 .

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

The two chief objects within the Court were the Brazen Altar and the Tabernacle. Sacrificial worship was old, but the local Sanctuary was quite new. The Tabernacle is most frequently called the Tabernacle of the Congregation. A better rendering is supposed to be, “The Tent of Meeting.” The Tabernacle was also called “The Tent of the Testimony,” in allusion to the fact that it was the depositary of the Tables of the Law. The highest meaning of the structure was expressed by the Ark, which symbolised the constant presence of Jehovah. The Speaker’s Commentary says: “We may regard the sacred contents of the Tabernacle as figuring what was peculiar to the Covenant of which Moses was the Mediator, the closer union of God with Israel, and their consequent election as ‘a kingdom of priests, an holy nation’: while the Brazen Altar in the Court not only bore witness for the old sacrificial worship by which the Patriarchs had drawn nigh to God, but formed an essential part of the Sanctuary, signifying by its now more fully developed system of sacrifices in connection with the Tabernacle those ideas of Sin and Atonement which were first distinctly brought out by the revelation of the Law and the sanctification of the nation.” In the Ark there was no image or symbol of God. The Ark of the Covenant was never carried in a ceremonial procession. In all important particulars it differed from Egyptian shrines. When the Tabernacle was pitched the Ark was kept in solemn darkness. The staves were to remain always in the rings, whether the Ark was in motion or at rest, that there might never at any time be a necessity for touching the Ark itself or even the rings ( 2Sa 6:6-7 ). “The cherubims were not to be detached images, made separately and then fastened to the mercy seat, but to be formed out of the same mass of gold with the mercy seat, and so to be part and parcel of it” The Holy of Holies was a square of fifteen feet, and the Holy place an oblong thirty feet by fifteen. So far as known, “horns” were peculiar to Israelite altars.

The Tabernacle

The specification for the building of the tabernacle purports to be Divinely dictated. We can form some idea of the validity of such a claim, for we have the test of creation by which to try it. We can soon find out discrepancies, and say whether this is God’s work or an artificer’s. A revelation which bounds itself by the narrow limits of an architect’s instruction admits of very close inquiry. Creation is too vast for criticism, but a tabernacle invites it. Let us, then, see how the case stands, whether God is equal to himself, whether the God of the opening chapters of Genesis is the God of the mount upon which, according to this claim, the tabernacle was Divinely outlined in expressive cloud. Note, at the very outset, that the account of making the tabernacle occupies far more space than the history of the creation of the heavens and the earth. We soon read through what is given of the history of creation, but how long we have had to travel through this region of architectural cloud. It seemed as if the story would never end. This is a remarkable corroboration of the authenticity of both accounts. A long account of creation would have been impossible, presuming the creation to be the embodiment and form of the Divine word executed without human assistance. That account could not have been long. When there is nothing, so to say, between God’s word and God’s deed, there is no history that can be recorded. The history must write itself in the infinite unfoldment of those germs, or of that germ with which creation began. A short account of the tabernacle would have been impossible, presuming that all the skins, colours, spices, rings, staves, figures, dishes, spoons, bowls, candlesticks, knobs, flowers, lamps, snuffers, and curtains, were Divinely described; that every tache, loop, hook, tenon, and socket was on a Divine plan, and that human ingenuity had nothing whatever to do with a structure which in its exquisite fashioning was more a thought than a thing. So far, the God of Genesis is the God of Exodus: a subtle and massive harmony unites the accounts, and a common signature authenticates the marvellous relation. When God said, “Let there be light,” he spake, and it was done. There is no history to write, the light is its own history. Men are reading it still, and still the reading comes in larger letters, in more luminous illustration. When God prescribed lamps for the tabernacle he had to detail the form of the candlesticks, and to prescribe pure olive oil, that the lamp might always burn. You require more space in which to relate the making of a lamp than in which to tell of the creation of the light; you spend more time in instructing a little child than in giving commands to an army. God challenged Job along this very line. Said he, “Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth?” There was no Job between the Creator and the creation; no Moses writing swiftly words Divine that had to be embodied at the foot of the hill. “Where is the way where light dwelleth; and as for darkness, which is the place thereof?” Mark well, therefore, the contrast of the accounts, and the obvious reason for the amazing difference.

The next point of observation relates to the completeness of the specification as corresponding with the completeness of creation. Lay the finger upon one halting line and prove that the Divine Architect was weak in thought or utterance at this point or at that. Find a gap in the statement and say, “He forgot at this point a small loop, or tache, or ouche, and I, his listener, Moses, must fill in what he left out.” We do not know the meaning of great Gospel words until we read our way up to them through all the introduction of the initial covenants. We read backwards, and thus read ourselves out at the lower end of things, instead of reading in the order of the Divine evolution and progress, upward from height to height, until speech becomes useless, and silence must be called in to complete the ineffable eloquence. Could there have been more care in the construction of a heaven than is shown, even upon the page, without going into the question of inspiration, in the building of a tabernacle? Is it not also the same in such little parts of creation as are known to us? There is everywhere a wonderful completeness of purpose. God has set in his creation working forces, daily ministries. Nature is never done. When she sleeps she moves; she travels night and day; her force is in very deed persistent. So we might, by a narrow criticism, charge nature here and there with want of completeness; but it would be as unjust to seize the blade from the ear, and, plucking these, say, “Here we have sign and proof of incompleteness.” We protest against that cruelty and simple injustice. There may be a completeness of purpose when there has not yet been time for a completeness of execution. But in the purpose of this greater tabernacle creation there is the same completeness that there is in the specification of this beauteous house which the Lord appointed to be built in the grim wilderness.

Consider, too, that the temporary character of the tabernacle was no excuse for inferior work. The tabernacle, as such, would be but for a brief time. Why not hasten its construction invent some rough thing that would do for the immediate occasion? Why, were it made to be taken up to heaven for the service of the angels it could not be wrought out with a tenderer delicacy, with a minuter diligence, as to detail and beauty. But to God everything is temporary. The creation is but for a day. It is we who are confused by distinction as between time and eternity. There is no time to God; there is no eternity to God. Eternity can be spelled; eternity can in some dumb way be imagined and symbolised in innumerable ciphers multiplied innumerable times by themselves till the mind thinks it can begin eternity. To God there is no such reasoning. When, therefore, we speak of lavishing such care upon a tabernacle, we mistake the infinity and beneficence of God. It is like him to bestow as great care upon the ephemera that die in the sunbeam as upon the seraphim that have burned these countless ages beside the eternal throne. We must not allow our ignorance, incompleteness, and confusedness of mind to interfere with the interpretation of these ineffable mysteries. But the tabernacle was built for eternity. So again and again we stumble, like those who are blind, who are vainly trying to pick their way through stony and dangerous places. The tabernacle was eternity let down an incarnation, so to say, of eternity, as a man shall one day be an incarnation of God. We mistake the occasion utterly. We fall out of the pomp of its music and the grandeur of its majesty by looking at the thing, and supposing that the merely visible object, how lustrous and tender in beauty soever, is the tabernacle. The tabernacle is within the tabernacle, the Bible is within the Bible, the man is within the man. The tabernacle in the wilderness represented eternal thoughts, eternal purposes of love. Everything is built for eternity: every insect, every dog, every leaf so frail, withering in its blooming. God builds for eternity in the thought, and in the connection, and in the relation of the thing which is builded. See how profound our iniquity in committing murder anywhere. “Thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal.” It is one life, one property, a sublime unity of idea, and thought, and purpose. Do not segregate your life, or universe, and attempt a classification which will only separate into unholy solitude what was meant by the Divine mind to cohere in indivisible unity. We were built for eternity. Can God build for less time? Nothing is lost. The greatest of economists is God. “The very hairs of your head are all numbered “; “Not a sparrow falleth to the ground without your Father.” When we speak about the temporary, we know not what we say; or we justly use that word, for the sake of convenience, as expressive of uses which themselves perish in their own action. But, profoundly and vitally viewed, even affliction is part of heaven; our sorrows are the beginning, if rightly accepted and sanctified, of our supremest bliss.

Mark, too, how wonderfully the tabernacle and the human frame correspond in perfection of detail and sublimity of purpose. It is not difficult to believe that he who made the tabernacle made Adam. The tabernacle grows before our eyes and Adam is growing still. The life which God is making is Man. Do not impoverish the mind and deplete the heart of all Divine elements and suggestions by supposing that God is a toymaker. God’s purpose is one, and he is still engaged in fashioning man in his own image and likeness, and he will complete the duplicate. We must not fix our mind upon our mutilated selves, and, by finding disease, and malformation, and infirmity, and incongruity, charge the Maker with these misadventures. We must judge the Divine purpose in the one case with the Divine purpose in the other. I am aware that there are a few men who have from my point of view blasphemously charged the Divine work, as we regard it, in creation with imperfection. There have not been wanting daring men, having great courage on paper and great dauntless-ness in privacy and concealment, and who have lived themselves into a well-remunerated, respectable obscurity, who have said that the human eye is not ideally perfect. So we do not speak in ignorance of the cross-line of thinking which seeks to interrupt the progress of Christian science and philosophy. Is there not a lamp also within the human tabernacle a lamp that burns always, a lamp we did not light, a lamp trimmed by the hand Divine, a lamp of reason, a lamp of conscience, a lamp that sheds its light when the darkness without us is gathered up into one intense and all-obstructing night? and are there not parables in nature which help us to believe that this lamp, though it apparently flicker yea, though it apparently vanish shall yet throw radiance upon heavenly scenes, and burn synchronously with the glory of God’s own life? You say, “Look at old age and observe how the mind seems to waver, and halt, and become dim and paralysed, and how it seems to expire like a spark.” No, as well say, “Look at the weary man at night-time, his eyelids heavy, his memory confused, his faculties apparently paralysed, or wholly reluctant to respond to every appeal addressed to them; behold how the body outlives and outweighs the boasted mind.” No, let him sleep; in the morning he will be young again. Sleep has its ministry as well as wakefulness. God giveth his beloved sleep. So we may “by many a natural parable find no difficulty in working ourselves up to contemplations that fill us with ecstasy, religious and sublime, as we call ourselves “heirs of immortality.”

Did not Moses make the tabernacle? Yes; but who made Moses? That is the question which has never yet been answered. Change the terms as you please, that inquiry always starts up as the unanswerable demand. Your hand carved the marble, but who carved the hand? Singular, if the marble was carved, but the hand carved itself. Your tongue uttered the eloquence, but who made man’s mouth? Who set within him a fountain of speech? Your mind planned the cathedral, but who planned the mind? It would have been more difficult to believe infinitely more difficult to believe that the mind made itself than that the cathedral fashioned its own symmetry and roofed in its own inner music and meaning.

Thus perusing the specification for the building of the tabernacle, and reading the account of the creation of the heavens, and of the earth, and of man, I find between them a congruity self-confirming, and filled with infinite comfort to the heart that yearns studiously over the inspired page in hope of finding the footprints of God. The living Christian Church is more marvellous than the tabernacle in this wilderness. The tabernacle was part of a development; the tabernacle was only one point in the history. We must judge things by their final purpose, their theological aspect and philosophy. What is the meaning of the tabernacle? the temple. What is the meaning of the temple? the living Church. So we find rude altars thrown together by careless hands, symbolising worship addressed to the heavens; then the tabernacle; then the temple; then the living fellowship. Know ye not that ye are the temples of the Holy Ghost? Know ye not that there is a foundation laid in Zion, a corner stone, elect, precious; and that we are built upon it, living stones; and that God is shaping the tabernacle of humanity as he shaped the tabernacle in the wilderness? Know ye not that we are builded together a holy house unto the Lord? Arrest not, even in theory, the Divine progress. The line from the beginning up till now has taken one grand course. Nothing has strayed away and left the Divine sovereignty. The wrath of man is still in the Divine leash, and hell is no independent colony of the universe. There is one throne, one crown; one increasing purpose runs through all we know. We wait patiently for the Lord, and when he says from his throne what Christ said from the cross, “It is finished,” then we may be invited to say, in the terms which God himself used when he viewed creation, “Behold, it is very good.”

Fuente: The People’s Bible by Joseph Parker

XXV

THE FEAST OF THE COVENANT, THE ASCENT OF MOSES AND JOSHUA INTO THE MOUNTAIN, THE BREACH OF THE COVENANT, THE COVENANT RESTORED BUT MODIFIED

Exo 24:9-34:35

1. What is this lesson and its outline?

Ans. The lesson is from Exo 24:9 to the end of that chapter, with a mere glance at the next seven chapters, 25-31, and then 32; it covers three full chapters, nearly all of another chapter, and a glance at seven other chapters. I will explain to you about that glance as we go along.

The outline of the lesson is:

The Feast of the Covenant, Exo 24:9-11 .

The Ascent of Moses and Joshua into the Mountain, Why and How Long, Exo 24:12-31:18 .

The Breach of the Covenant, Exo 22:1-6 .

The Covenant Restored but Modified, Exo 32:1-34:35 .

We commence at the first item of the outline, viz.:

The Feast of the Covenant. That part of the lesson is Exo 24 and commences at Exo 24:9-11 . Let us read that: “Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu [two sons of Aaron], and seventy of the elders of Israel [and we learn from Exo 24:17 that Joshua, the minister or servant of Moses, was along. That makes seventy-five persons [: and they saw the God of Israel; and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and as it were the very heaven for clearness. And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: and they beheld God and did eat and drink.” That is the feast of the covenant.

2. What of the custom after ratifying a covenant and an example from Genesis?

Ans. Nearly always just after a covenant was ratified the parties to the covenant partook together of a meal to show their fraternity and communion. The Genesis example you will find where Laban and Jacob made a covenant. The covenant is prepared, they agree to enter into a covenant, they put up a token of the covenant, they build an altar, they make sacrifices, they ratify the covenant in the blood of that sacrifice. Then they sit down and eat a meal together, which is the feast of the covenant. You will find all of that in the Genesis account of Laban and Jacob. So here a covenant having been proposed, an agreement to enter into it made, a preparation for it, the terms of the covenant given as stated in their threefold characters, that covenant carefully read, an altar erected, sacrifices offered, the blood of the covenant sprinkled upon the altar and upon the people, and so ratified, then follows this feast of the covenant.

3. What are the provisions used at the feast in such cases?

Ans. The provisions are the bodies of the peace offering. There are two offerings, viz.: the burnt offering, which has to be burned up, then the eucharistic or thank offering. That thank offering furnishes the material of the feast after the covenant is ratified.

4. Who was the representative at this feast with God and a New Testament analogy?

Ans. The representatives here are: First, Moses, then his servant Joshua, his army chief; second, the high priest and his two sons that is five; and third, the seventy elders of Israel. All Israel did not meet God and partake of a feast, but the representatives of Israel in the persons of Moses, Joshua, Aaron and his two sons, and the seventy elders, who meet God and partake of this feast. Now the New Testament analogy is that the Lord’s Supper which was to memorialize the sacrifice of Christ was participated in by representatives of the church, the apostles. The apostles were there, but not there as individuals. They represented the church just as they represented the church in receiving the Commission, so that it was simply a church observance even at the time of its institution.

5. What of the communion in this feast and the New Testaments analogy?

Ans. The communion is not the communion between Moses, Aaron, and the elders, that is, it is not a communion with each other, but it is a communion with God, and the New Testament analogy is as Paul expresses in his first letter to the Corinthians: “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a communion, or participation, of the blood of Christ?” and yet how often people misrepresent the idea of that communion, as when A, B, and C commune together to show their fellowship for each other, or a man’s communing to show his fellowship for his wife. The word means “participation” and the one in whom is the participation is God: “The loaf which we bless, is it not a participation, the communion of the body of Jesus?” So here these representatives of all Israel communed with God a little way up the mountain, not far.

6. The record says that they saw God. What kind of a sight of God did they see, and what other cases in the Old and New Testaments?

Ans. They did not see any form or likeness of God. Moses is very careful to say that “no man can see God and live.” He is careful to say in Deu 4 that at Sinai they saw no similitude or likeness. Now, in Isa 6 he (Isaiah) sees God as they saw him, that is, he sees the throne; he sees the pavement; he sees a great many things about the throne, the angels, the cherubim and the seraphim, but he doesn’t see any likeness of God, though he hears God talking. Precisely so you find it in Eze 1 . He sees the chariot of God, four cherubim, their wheels, their wings, and their faces looking every way, but he doesn’t see the One in the chariot, and so it is in Rev 4 where John is caught up to heaven and he sees the very same thing, this very pavement, and the throne, the cherubim, the angels round about the throne, and he sees something that represents the Holy Spirit, and he sees something that represents Jesus Christ, a precious stone which represents God, but he doesn’t see God.

7. Apply this thought to transubstantiation and consubstantiation in our feast, as the Romanists and Luther taught.

Ans. The Romanist says, “This is the very body and the very blood of Christ; you can see it and you can taste it.” And the consubstantiation advocate, Luther, says, “The bread is not the body of Christ and the wine is not the blood of Christ, but Christ is there this way: You take a knife and put it in the fire and take it out of the fire when it is red hot, and you have the same metal, but you have something there that was not there before, viz.: heat, you can touch it and feel the effect of that heat burning.” You can take cognizance of that kind of a presence, but in this analogous communication with God they saw no similitude, no form.

8. Explain that part of the feast where it is said that “God laid not his hand on the elders of Israel, though they saw him.”

Ans. It means that God did not slay them. The declaration is often made, “Whoever sees God shall die.” They can’t bear the sight of God. But the kind of a sight of God that these people saw, they were able to see without having the hand of God laid on them, and what a beautiful lesson! Before the covenant was made, when the trumpet sounded and the darkness came and the earth quaked and the lightning flashed, and that strange, awful voice speaking the ten words, the people were scared almost to death; they wanted a mediator, somebody to come between them and that awful Being. But knowing that a covenant had been established and had been ratified by the blood of a substitute, they can see God in the sacrifice of the substitute and not die; see him in perfect peace, just as you, before you are converted, look upon God as distant and unapproachable, but after you see him in Christ in the covenant, the terror of God is taken away and you can sit there just as if eating a meal with a friend.

9. Give again a complete outline of the covenant.

Ans. The complete outline of the covenant is:

(1) God’s proposition of a covenant and their agreement to enter into a covenant;

(2) Their preparation for the covenant;

(3) The three great terms of the covenant;

(4) The ratification of the covenant;

(5) The feast that follows the covenant. Will you keep that in mind? You need to be drilled on that every now and then, so that when anybody asks you where there can be found a copy of the Sinai covenant and all the parts of it, you can answer: “It commences with Exo 19 , and closes with Exo 24 .” That is the whole thing in all its parts.

The Ascent of Moses into the Mount, Why and How Long? This is the second item of the outline. That is found immediately after what we have been discussing, commencing at Exo 24:12 . “And the Lord said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there”: that means, Moses, you are to be there quite awhile; “and I will give thee the tables of stone, and the law and the commandment, which I have written, that thou mayest teach them.” And Moses rose up, and his servant Joshua; and Moses went up into the mount of God. And he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you; if any man have any matters to do, let him come unto them. And Moses went up into the mount, and the cloud covered the mount. And the glory of the Lord abode upon Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud. And the sight of the glory of the Lord was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel. And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and went up into the midst of the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.” Now here are the questions on that:

10. Why is Moses, after the covenant is ratified and the feast is held, taken up into the mount? (He and Joshua alone go).

Ans. He is carried up to receive the same law which had been spoken orally, now in writing “which I have written.” And what he went up particularly to get was the two tables or the Ten Commandments, and in God’s own handwriting that he might keep them as a witness. “The tables of the Testimony” is the name of them. Moses wrote a copy that the people learned, but that particular copy was God’s own autograph. That was put up and preserved as “tables of the testimony.”

11. What is the meaning of “tables of stone,” “the law,” and “the commandment”?

Ans. The tables of stone I have just described. But what was the law that Moses goes up after? You would miss that if you had to answer it off-hand, and the commentators all miss it. They don’t get in a thousand miles of it. You will find that it was what he received when he went up there a special law, and that special law was that the sabbath, God’s sabbath, should be the sign of the covenant. You find that at the end of this section that we are now on. So the law he went after was the law of the sign. Then what was the commandment he went after? The Commandments are all given in seven chapters (25-32) and every one of them touches the law of the altar. We will glance at the outline of that directly.

12. Why were these tables of testimony and this sign of the covenant and these laws concerning the altar given to Moses?

Ans. The lesson says, “That thou mayest teach them.”

13. Who was to represent Moses in the camp while he was absent in the mount?

Ans. Aaron and Hur.

14. What reminder of a New Testament incident is in these words of Moses: “Tarry ye here for us until we come again”?

Ans. It is Jesus in Gethsemane, when he let the representatives stop, and said, “Stay here while I go yonder and pray.”

15. What was the visible token that God was present with Moses, and why that token?

Ans. Exo 24:16-17 : “And the glory of the Lord abode upon Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it and the sight of the glory of the Lord was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.” Now, why is that last word, or clause, “In the eyes of the children of Israel”? That was a token to them not to get impatient. “When you begin to say, ‘Moses stays a long time,’ you look up there at that cloud on top of that mountain, how exceedingly glorious it is, you may know that Moses is right in that cloud communing with God.”

16. How long was Moses up there in that cloud before God spoke to him, and why did he speak to him on the particular day that he did?

Ans. Moses was up there six days. God called him up there: “Don’t you get impatient. Here is the test of your faith. You wait. I have called you up here, to have an interview and to receive certain things, and you wait; be patient.” Now on the seventh day, that is, the sabbath, which was the sign of the covenant, God spoke.

17. How long was Moses in the mount, and what is the New Testament parallel?

Ans. Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights, and the New Testament parallel is that after Christ was sacrificed for the ratification of the covenant and they had eaten the feast of the covenant and Christ was risen from the dead, he remains with them forty days, instructing them. That is just exactly what God is doing with Moses. Just as Jesus uses forty days after his sacrifice in careful instruction of his disciples, so God after this sacrifice and ratification of the covenant, takes Moses up into that mountain for forty days of continued explanation.

18. Give, for the present, a mere summary of what Moses received on the mount, set forth in the seven chapters, 25-31.

Ans. Just now all we want is a summary and the reason we don’t want to go into the details is that we take that up in the next chapter in connection with what follows. But all you want to know now is the outline. The outline is:

(1) He received the tables of the testimony;

(2) He received the law of the sign;

(3) He received the commandments as follows:

(a) The commandment upon the people to furnish voluntary offerings for what was to be made;

(b) The making of the ark with the mercy seat on it where God was to be met; the making of a tabernacle for the shewbread; the making of the candlestick; the making of a tabernacle or tent with its subdivisions and its marvelous veil between the divisions; and the court and the oil that was to supply the lampstand or candlestick;

(d) The law of the consecration of Aaron to the office of high priest;

(e) The law of the consecration of the altar by which approach to God was to be made;

(f) The law of the daily sacrifice;

(g) The law of the golden altar, or the altar of incense, and bow it is to be offered. Incense is to be offered twice a day just like the lamp is to be lit twice a day and the sacrifice is to be offered twice a day in the morning Aaron goes to trim the lamps as the morning offering and the ascent of the morning cloud of incense representing the going up of the prayers of God’s people, and in the afternoon he goes to light the lamp, and there is the evening sacrifice and the going up of the incense;

(h) The atonement or ransom money and what that signifies;

(i) The laver, that was to be between the altar and the mercy seat, and what it was to be used for;

(j) The marvelous recipe of the anointing oil that was to be poured upon the head of a prophet or a priest or a king or a sacrifice;

(k) The perfume that was to be put at the place of entrance, indicating that they were to meet the fragrance of God right at the threshold of entrance or approach to him;

(l) The inspiration of the artificers of all this work. Just as an apostle was inspired to do his work, so certain men were here named that were inspired to do this work called for in all these things;

(m) That sabbath for a sign which I have already mentioned.

The Breach of the Covenant. This is the third item. Where do you find that breach of the covenant? In chapter 32. We are coming to awful things now. The most interesting thing in the Old Testament: “And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him. And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden rings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me. And all the people brake off the golden rings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron. And he received it at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, and made it a molten calf: and they said, These are thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And when Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To-morrow shall be a feast to Jehovah. And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace-offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.”

19. Give the seven elements of this breach of the covenant.

Ans.

(1) The rejection of Moses and of God and a demand for other gods to be made: “Make us gods.”

(2) This god, of course, being man made, was an idol.

(3) The form of the god was the Egyptian god, Apis, calf or ox, the Egyptian god that died of the murrain through one of the miracles of Moses.

(4) They built an altar of worship and of sacrifice.

(5) They offered both burnt and peace offerings.

(6) They had a feast to follow this covenant they were making with this new god, and,

(7) Stripping off their clothes, naked, they go into a drunken orgy and practice all of the beastly and infamous lusts that characterized that worship in Egypt and in other idol worshiping countries. Paul says, “The people sat down to eat and rose up to play,” and then adds, “Be ye not fornicators and adulterers as they were.”

20. What was God’s announcement to Moses and what were the purposes announced concerning Israel and the raising up of a new people?

Ans. God saw that breach of the covenant that had just been made. The answer is this, commencing with Exo 32:7 : “The Lord said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: they have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and have said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And the Lord said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and now, behold it is a stiffnecked people: now therefore let me alone that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.” That is the terrible announcement. They have broken the covenant. “I will instantly destroy them; I will raise up a new people from Moses. He will be the basis of the new people.” Now before they get out of this trouble there will be four intercessions of Moses.

21. What was the first intercession of Moses and its result?

Ans. I quote it, commencing at Exo 32:11 : “And Moses besought the Lord his God, and said, Lord, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swearest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.” So the first thing was to stop instant destruction of that people. The result: “And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.” He didn’t kill them right then, but he at least suspended that terrible bolt of divine wrath that was about to fall upon them.

22. What did Moses and Joshua see on their return to the camp?

Ans. All the above happened before Moses came down from the mount. Joshua says, “I hear a great shout down in the camp. There must be an army or there must be a battle.” Moses says, “No, that is not the shout, neither of men on the battlefield, nor of men crying for mercy. That is the shout of singing; those people are singing down there.” And they came down and saw that calf; they saw their naked and beastly orgies; they saw the whole hideous sin which the people had committed.

23. What was the first token that the covenant was broken?

Ans. Moses took the tables of the testimony and broke them all to pieces right in the sight of the people. “You do not need these tokens any more. I have brought you in the handwriting of God the witness of the covenant; you broke it; let the token be broken.”

24. What, in order, are the other things done in that camp by Moses when he got down there?

Ans. Moses was not a man to go down there and hold his finger in his mouth. When he sees that thing he is stirred. Let us see now what, in order, were the things that he did. First, he took that calf and burned it until it pulverized; then he mingled the ashes of it in water and made the people drink it. Second, he shook his finger in the face of Aaron and said, “What have these people done unto you that you led them into this sin? I went up in that mountain to meet God; I left you as my representative. Now what have these people ever done to you that you should lead them into this?” And Aaron pleads the baby act if ever a man did in the world. He says, “Well, they they they said, ‘Make us a god,’ and I told them to bring me the earrings and I put the earrings into the fire and there came out this calf; the fire did it.” An old father who, when his boy came home disappointed and broken in health and knowing nothing, after several years away at school, said, “All that money I put into the fire of education and there came out this calf.” Third, Moses said unto them in the camp, while naked and half drunk they stood before him not daring to open their lips, “Whoso is on the Lord’s side, let him stand by me. I am going to draw a line. Somebody in this great camp surely is on the Lord’s side.” And the Levites came. You remember when Jacob pronounced the prophecy of blessing on his children he gave a big slice to Levi. When Moses goes to pronounce a blessing he is going to pronounce a great honor on Levi, and he is going to assign as a reason what Levi does this day. That whole tribe lined up on the side of Moses. They didn’t stand up there just as a show. “Now, if you are on the Lord’s side, draw your swords and wade into that crowd. Don’t stop if it is your brother, or father, or mother, no matter how close kin to you. There must be a penalty inflicted for this awful sin,” and Levi pitched in and slew three thousand. Fourth, he began to take steps toward saving those people from temporal and eternal destruction, and that brings us to the next question:

25. What was the second intercession of Moses and God’s reply?

Ans. Moses said, “You have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the Lord: peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin.” Now you come to the next intercession of Moses: “And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said [and this is the greatest piece of intercession that ever took place on earth except in the case of Christ], Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin ; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.” Only one other man ever said anything like that, and concerning this same stiffnecked people, and that was Paul, “I could wish myself accursed from Christ for my brethren’s sake.” Moses, in other words, offered himself as a substitute for the people: “Don’t, don’t destroy them! Destroy me!” It was a grand proposition. Now, what did God say to that intercession? “The Lord said to Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me,, him will I blot out of my book. I will not blot you out for them. The soul that sinneth it shall die. Therefore now go, lead these people unto the place of which I have spoken unto them; behold mine angel shall go before thee; nevertheless in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them. And the Lord plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.”

26. What of the effect of this upon the people?

Ans. They mourned and laid aside their ornaments and did not put them on from Mount Horeb onward.

Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible

XXVII

THE TABERNACLE

Exodus 25-31; Exodus 35-40

This chapter covers thirteen chapters of Exodus, and, of course, I can only touch them in places. These chapters are 25-31; 35-40.

1. Was there a temporary tent before this tabernacle was built?

Ans. You will find in Exo 33:7-11 , that there was a temporary tent and on one occasion it was moved outside of the camp.

2. What were the names of the tabernacle and the reasons therefore?

Ans. First, the “tabernacle of testimony, or witness,” Exo 38:21 ; Num 17:7-8 . Those two names mean the same thing. The tabernacle of testimony, or of witness; and the reason of this is that this tent was the depository of the testimonials; anything that was to be kept for a testimony was to be kept in this tent; for example, in it were the tables of testimony or God’s autograph on the two tables of stone containing the Ten Commandments. That copy was kept as a witness; then in it was the book of the covenant, that is, those chapters, Exo 19:1-24:9 . That part is called the book of the covenant. That was in Moses’ handwriting. Then there were the records made by Moses, that is, the Pentateuch, the entire Pentateuch was put in the tent and kept in there; then Aaron’s rod that budded was put in there and a pot of the manna and later the brazen serpent that Moses erected. All of these were memorials. Now the tent that held these testimonials was called the tabernacle of the witness, or the testimony. That accounts for one of its names.

Next name, it is called the “temple of the Lord.” You will find this name in 1Sa 1:9 , and 1Sa 3:3 ; the reason of that name is that there God was approached and propitiated and worshiped and that gave the name “temple.”

The third name is the “house of the Lord,” because he occupied it. He was the dweller in it. As a Shekinah he dwelt in there symbolically between the Cherubim on the mercy seat and hence it was called the “house of the Lord.”

The fourth name is “sanctuary,” that is on account of its holiness. It was holy unto God; the most holy place, the holy place and the whole ground, or campus, was set apart to sacred purposes, hence, the sanctuary.

The fifth name for it was the “holy oracles”; that applied, of course, only to what is called the “most holy place”; that is very frequently in the Bible called the oracle of the temple, the most holy place. It is so called in Psa 28:2 , and in 1Ki 6:5 . Now, it obtained this name because there God spoke. An oracle is to give an answer to questions propounded. There God spoke, and it was also called the oracle, because in it were kept the written words of God, the place of the oracle; the book of the Pentateuch was kept in there. Now, the references here are very numerous on this oracle question. In 2Sa 16:23 ; in Act 7:38 , and in Rom 3:2 are some references to this most holy place as the oracle: “What advantage then hath the Jew? Much every way, but chiefly because unto them were committed the oracles of God.” There the oracles mean the same thing as the Bible, that is, as their Bible grew in volume it was kept in that place; that was the oracle for their Bible.

Now, I repeat the names of this tabernacle: (1) The tabernacle of the testimony, or witness; (2) the temple of the Lord; (3) the tabernacle is called the house of the Lord; (4) the sanctuary; (5) the oracle.

3. What can you say about the pattern of this tabernacle?

Ans. It was God’s pattern, copy, shadow, or type of a true sanctuary in heaven, that is, there is in heaven a true sanctuary, a true holy place, a most holy place, and as the poet Campbell says, “Coming events cast their shadows before,” so that reality in heaven casts its shadow before in the form of this copy or type. And when the real thing came of course the shadow disappeared. Anyone walking from a light casts his shadow before him, and the shadow will get to an object first; now when the substance gets there, the shadow is gone. I give you some very particular references on this word pattern, what it means and about God’s being the author of it. He furnishes the complete plan and every detail of the specifications. Not only for this sanctuary but for its successor, the Temple, and for the Temple’s successor, the church on earth, and for its successor, the church in glory. I give you some scriptures in point: Exo 25:40 ; Exo 26:33 ; Exo 27:9 ; Exo 39:32 ; Act 7:44 ; Heb 8:2 ; Heb 8:5 ; Heb 10:1 .

All of those refer to this sanctuary that Moses built as having been made according to a pattern which God furnished. Moses was commanded to see to it that everything be made according to the pattern. Now to give you an illustration that will come more nearly home to you, I got an architect to draw me a plan of a house to live in near the Seminary in Fort Worth. He drew four floors, that is, four floor plans; two side elevations, a front and a rear elevation; then a long list of specifications as to material, how that material was to be used, and the bill of the lumber, and of the brick and of the stone, and everything in it was put down. Now when I went to let that contract the contractor entered into a contract to build it according to the plans and specifications. If he had varied a hair’s breadth from what that architect put down, I could have held him liable.

I make this remark to you in order to correct some loose thoughts. People that insist upon sticking to God’s plans and specifications on the tabernacle and on the Temple, will deny that he has any plans and specifications on their successor, the church, and that nearly anything will do for a church, and that they can put things in nearly any sort of an order; they can commence with communion on the outside before a man is ever converted, and as a means to conversion; they can baptize him before he is converted, or they can dispense with it altogether. It is one of the most appalling signs of the times, that there is such looseness with reference to God’s positive institutions. It is a thousand times more important that the church be strictly continued and followed in all God’s plans and specifications than it was with this tabernacle, and yet there was not one-eighth of an inch variation in the measurements of this tabernacle. You may settle it that God is a God of order and not of confusion. This tells us here about certain tables and it tells us how those tables were to be constructed, and what was to go on them, and just where they must put them and just how they were to use them. Some people take the table of the church and put it outdoors and just call up Tom) Dick, and Harry to come and partake; a thing that you wouldn’t dare to do in my house; you couldn’t say where my table should be put. I do that. We certainly ought to allow God the same privilege about his table. You could not invite guests to my house, to dine; I must do that. We ought to allow God that privilege. You are the judge of what you put on your table, and we should let the Lord tell us what to put on his table. Then don’t go and invent a hundred things to tack onto what God has specified.

4. What were the materials of this sanctuary and their value?

Ans. There are eight kinds of materials specified. I will commence with the costliest. There are quite a number of very precious stones, jewels, some of them of exceeding great value and beauty. They are enumerated. The next was gold. The pattern tells you just exactly what gold must be put in it. Some of it was simply threads of gold. The gold must be beaten out very thin and then cut into the finest threads of gold and work these threads into the cloth. And the plans must not be varied from by one single thread of that battered gold.

Then the next material used was silver. It specifies in every particular where that silver was to be used. And the next was brass, and then it tells just what should be made of brass, whether the outside mold, or the brazen altar, or some brazen socket in which a pole or post rested.

The fifth material was the acacia wood, very common in that wilderness, and it was a very hard wood, hence exceedingly durable for building purposes of any kind. Now, it is a notable fact that this old tent had a good deal of acacia wood in it in certain places; it was existing up to the time that Solomon built the Temple, all the posts around it, all of acacia wood. When I read about it I am reminded of what a little boy in North Texas said with reference to bois d’arc. He said a bois d’arc fence would last through two eternities; that he and his daddy had tried it several times. In other words, it doesn’t wear out at all and it doesn’t rot. I know a bois d’arc fence now that is ninety-one years old, and it is just as sound as a silver dollar. So that acacia was the kind of wood to be used. The wood that went into the ark of the covenant consisted of a base of wood and then there was a covering of gold, and the wooden base of that ark was there in that Temple nearly a thousand years later when Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the Temple. I mention that to show you how much better it was for those people to follow God’s specifications about the wood. Suppose they had put in something that would have rotted in about two years.

The sixth element of material was the various kinds of cloth. This cloth would either be what is called fine twined linen, finished linen made out of the flax, or it was a coarse cloth made of goat’s hair or it was woolen cloth, or it was made out of skins what is called badgers’ skins, though probably not badgers’. It was more likely to have been the skins of sea animals and that skin was impervious to water when the animal was in the water, and remained impervious to water. They needed cloths for all things, for the girdles, and for the different classes of garments that are specified and for the veils. The seventh element of material was olive oil, pure beaten olive oil. That was to be for the lamps, and the eighth and last specification of the material was spices, perfumes that were to be for anointing. For instance he gives a prescription of the holy anointing oil, with olive oil as a base, and his directions will tell you just what spices to put in it and precisely what proportion; so many parts of one and so many parts of another. And they are not only commanded not to vary from that but they were never to make that holy anointing oil to be used for any secular purpose whatever. A king on his throne couldn’t have as much made as would stick to his little finger.

The question says, give the materials and their value. Unfortunately we have no means of valuing all the materials that were used. There is one place in your lesson that gives you the weight, troy weight, of the gold, silver, and brass, and I can tell you what that was: 3,350 pounds, troy weight, of pure gold; 11,526 pounds, troy weight, of pure silver; 8,112 pounds of brass. The measure is given. A shekel was a weight or measure as well as a piece of money. They give it in shekels and these shekels converted into pounds, troy weight, and you can convert these pounds, troy weight, into dollars and cents so far as gold and silver are concerned, into the present worth.

5. How was this vast amount of materials obtained?

Ans. Every bit of it was by voluntary contribution. Chapter 25 commences with the word of God to Moses to call upon the people to make an offering for the sanctuary. But God declines to take any offering unless it is a free will offering; it must be on the part of the willing heart. And when you turn over to read about how David got the material for erecting the Temple it is a most thrilling part of the Old Testament; the biggest contribution the world ever saw was collected. It is a fine thing to preach on, and a good suggestion to preachers when building a sanctuary for the Lord to take contributions from the willing heart.

6. Who were the artificers that made all these things, and how were they qualified to make them?

Ans. Some of the work was very delicate and required the greatest possible skill and nicety in construction. Exo 31:2 : “And the Lord spake unto Moses saying, See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship. And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiad the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee.” Only two of them are mentioned by name.

7. What arts were implied in building this tabernacle?

Ans. Well, you can see that they couldn’t have cloths unless there were weavers and they would not have different cloths unless they had industries, and that precious stones couldn’t be cut unless there was lapidaries; and wood couldn’t be carved so beautifully unless there were skilled men in wood carving, and the structure couldn’t be planned and carried out unless there were architects. Then there bad to be the most exquisite work on the high priest’s garment there was to be on the bottom or border a row of pomegranates and bells, a pomegranate and a little bell, then a pomegranate and a bell, and so on all around it. It bad to be the most perfect thing. Whenever the high priest moved the bells would ring, and he couldn’t stop when he was performing the ceremonies in the most holy place. If the bells stopped ringing he would die instantly; and the people ‘would keep praying on the outside as long as they heard the bells on the high priest’s garments ringing. That shows that the high priest rings out to God the petition that they send up, and that shows the intercession. The bells in heaven upon his robe are always ringing, so he is praying for you all the time.

Now you see that to have the instruments to do all these things implied manufacturers; the jeweler’s tools, the carving tools, and the brass; they must have foundries. Think of the number of arts, and what a tremendous change had taken place in these people after they went into Egypt. They were nomads, ranch people, cowboys till then; when they got to Egypt they learned agriculture, city building, architecture, all sorts of fine work, and now it is all brought out with them, and when they go to leave Egypt, the Egyptians are so glad to get rid of them, God put it in the hearts of the Egyptians to bestow on the Jews gold and silver and jewels, and that is where all this gold and silver comes from that they are using now to build the tabernacle.

8. Define the whole space of the court.

Ans. Here the student should make a diagram and let that diagram show the relative places of the entire court, the heights of the curtain wall around that court and the gate of entrance and where the altar, i.e., the brazen altar, is placed, and where the laver is placed, and how they got into the holy place and then into the holy of holies. And he should show in that diagram just where Moses’ place was, and where Aaron’s place was, and the places all around that diagram of the court where the Levites were, and which of them on this side and which on that side, and then show the tribes camped around it; what three tribes on the north side, what three on the south, on the east and on the west. If you want to see a diagram so that you will have nothing to do but copy it, get (and every reader of this book ought to have what I have urged them to have) the Rand-MeNally’s Atlas by J. L. Hurlbut. You ought to read what it has to say about every lesson that we have. And if you have the Hurlbut Atlas it gives you just the picture that I have drawn mentally and orally, showing the length, breadth, and height of the court; showing you where the gate is on the east; showing you just where Moses was to be, where Aaron was to be, where the Levites were to camp, and where the other tribes were to be placed all around it; how big the tabernacle was, how big each division was, and how big the most holy place was in cubic measurement. The question is, Define the whole space of the court.

9. What are the tent divisions, and the sizes of the divisions?

Ans. The tent was divided into two divisions, the holy place and the most holy place, and they were separated by what is called the veil of the Temple, but it came to be a tremendous thing in the Herodian Temple seventy feet long and thirty feet wide, and four inches thick, and so woven that ten yoke of oxen couldn’t tear it, and yet when Jesus died it was rent in twain from top to bottom. The sizes are given in the Atlas.

10. What were the contents of the most holy place?

Ans. There were just two things in there, and don’t you ever put anything else in there. These are the articles, viz.: the ark, which is one thing, and the mercy seat which rested right on top of it; of course, the mercy seat which rested right on top of it had its propitiatory place where the atonement was made, and the Cherubim of pure gold (of course, there were things in the ark the witnesses: the pot of manna, Aaron’s rod, the brazen serpent, and so on). But two things are in there the mercy seat, which is on top of the ark: a chest with its contents inside, and the mercy seat resting on it.

11. How was the most holy place lighted?

Ans. There was no light in it, but clouds of darkness: “a thick pavilion of darkness is my habitation.” Whenever you get to the church in glory the expression, “There is no temple, there is no altar or shrine,” doesn’t mean the general structure about the shrines, just as the mercy seat on top of the ark constituted the shrine. When you get to the church in glory there is no shrine there. Why? Because the Lord God and the Lamb are the light thereof. Now down here in this tabernacle there was a shrine, the Cherubim) and the Shekinah signifying the presence of God.

12. Who enters, and how often, into the most holy place?

Ans. The high priest only, and that only one time a year. Nobody could ever see the outside of what was in there. They couldn’t see the outside of the ark nor the outside of the mercy seat. It was always carried, but it was carried covered. And the tent was first put up upon arriving at a camp and after the tent was put up the bearers of the ark carried it on the inside, and when they went out Aaron alone uncovered it. He was the only one that ever saw it.

13. What were the contents of the holy place, where were the contents set up, and what did they represent?

Ans. Just three things were in there. There was the seven-branched golden candlestick; the light of that lamp was never allowed to go out at night. It was trimmed every morning and lighted every evening just before dark. That candlestick or lampstand was just one lampstand. The one that was in the Temple when Titus captured Jerusalem was carried to Rome as a trophy. Another thing in there was a table, and on the table six loaves of bread in one place and six loaves of bread in another place and a cup; in the third place, there was a little altar called the golden altar in contradistinction from the big one on the outside, the brazen altar. This altar was covered with gold and on that was the frankincense, or incense; the material is frankincense, and it became incense, going up when it was burning in a beautiful smoke and very fragrant. Now as you enter that division from the east, the right hand will be the north. Which one of the things do you out on the north? Do you put a table, a candlestick, or a golden altar? Which one do you put to the south, and which one in the center right opposite the veil that has to be lifted aside by Aaron once a year? The Atlas shows all this.

What do those three things represent?

Ans. They represent the blessings of salvation by grace like the food and the spirit of prayer, as communicants get those spiritual blessings. That bread also represents the twelve tribes shewbread that is, it is bread for exhibition, very sacred, nobody was ever allowed to eat it. David did eat a piece once when he was very hungry and Jesus excused him under the circumstances (he was starving) though “He did eat the shewbread which was against the law.” Now we have found out the contents of the holy place, and how they were set up, and what they represented.

14. Who enters the holy place (not the most holy place) and how often?

Ans. Not the Levites but the priests. The Levites had the run of the court) Aaron the most holy place, the priests the holy place, every day.

15. What are the contents of the court and their respective positions and signification?

Ans. In the open court around the tent there were these things: (1) Near the east gate of the court was the brazen altar, the altar of burnt offering and sin offering. That was the altar of sacrifices. (2) Between that altar and the entrance into the holy place was the laver, a vessel containing water used by the priests in the ablutions necessary to the performance of their duties.

16. Who entered this court and how often?

Ans. Aaron and his sons that constituted the priesthood, and the Levites the whole tribe of Levi that served in the matters of the public worship. They all entered this court. Some of them were in there every day. There were daily offerings, one every morning and one every evening; so that was open all the time to Aaron or his sons or the Levites having special work to perform in there.

17. Where did the people come?

Ans. They came to the gate in the east; they didn’t get inside the gate except in case of their offerings. They brought their offerings to the altar before the tent of meeting.

18. Who were the ministers in the sacrifices and how were they set apart? Divide their respective duties of the court.

Ans. Your lesson tells you all about that: that the ministers consisted of Aaron, the high priest, the priests, and the Levites; just exactly how each one of them was to be consecrated to office; the ritual, etc. Aaron does certain things, and he alone; the priests, certain things, and they alone; the Levites, certain things, and they alone.

XXVIII

THE TABERNACLE (Continued)

1. What was the high priest’s apparel, its use and meaning?

Ans. Your book has a great deal to say about the clothing of the high priest but I shall confine my answer to only two articles of that apparel, viz.: the mitre and the ephod. The mitre was a headdress; towering, and on the front of it just over Aaron’s forehead was a golden plate fastened to the mitre, and on that inscribed, “Holiness to the Lord.” He was never allowed to exercise his high priestly functions unless he had that mitre on.

Now, the other portion of his dress that requires very particular mention is the ephod. The ephod was a garment, a vestment that had a hole cut in it like you see cowboys have in their blankets. It was put on by putting it over the head and the head coming up through that hole, and it came down to the knees. There was an inner robe of course, but I am talking about the ephod. It was carefully hemmed and embroidered around that hole so it wouldn’t tear, just as a buttonhole is, to keep it from widening. At the bottom of the ephod were the pomegranates and little bells that I have told you about. And the bells were to ring all the time that the high priest was performing his functions. It was death to him if they stopped, and their sound was the indication to the people that the high priest’s work was going on and they, on the outside, would pray as long as they heard the bells ringing. That is the ephod proper.

But that ephod had a breastplate, just a span square, at the shoulders; on the ephod was a hook, an ouch, on each side. This breastplate was just a span wide and on it four rows three in a row of very valuable jewels and each jewel had inscribed on it the name of one of the twelve tribes. So that whenever Aaron acted officially he carried over his heart, as a representative, the whole nation of Israel. The twelve tribes of Israel were there, carried on his heart.

The breastplate had two gold chains. The upper part of it had rings and the gold chains went up and fastened to the ouch, or hook, on the shoulder piece of the ephod. Having put on the ephod, he would then take up the breastplate by the two gold chains and hook it to the clasps on the ephod. That would let it drop down on his breast. Then the sides of the breastplate had rings and they were fastened to other hooks on the ephod and that kept it from falling forward, kept it in place.

Now, besides the twelve great jewels that represented the twelve tribes of Israel there were two other jewels, called the urim and thummirn. They went on the breastplate. I am not quite sure but that they were under the breastplate on the inside. The names, urim and thummirn, mean light and perfection. The use of the two particular jewels was to communicate with Jehovah. When the cloud would come down and rest over the tent to signify that Jehovah wanted to have a talk, the high priest would come into the holy place, and the communication would take place. Now, the two jewels Aaron would look at and how, I don’t know and nobody else knows, but through those jewels as a medium, he would understand the communication that had been given to him. Hence a high priest’s method of communicating with God was always through the urim and thummirn. Moses didn’t do it that way, because he was a prophet. God spoke to him direct. But the high priest could only communicate with God through the urim and the thummirn. If he lost those jewels he couldn’t talk with God.

Now, the ephod carrying the breastplate and the two precious stones, the urim and the thummim, was strictly an official robe; so that you often find in the accounts in the Old Testament the expression, “Get me the ephod.” “What do you want with the ephod?” “I want to communicate with God.” The ephod was the robe of communication. You read in the life of David that he went to where the high priest was and told him to put on his ephod and answer him certain questions. Well, the high priest put on the ephod, went up to the door of the holy place, propounded David’s question, looked at the urim and the thummirn, understood the answer, and gave it to David. You read in the book of Judges that Gideon when he assumed to be king had an ephod made so that he could communicate with God. And you read in the prophet Hosea that Israel shall be a long time without a king, without an ephod, and without a prophet. They shall have no means of communicating with God. That is the condition of Israel this day. They have no Temple; they have no high priest; they have lost the urim and thummirn; they have no ephod; no way of communicating with God. Since they reject Christ, the only means of communication, they are shut off. So that the particular thing about the breastplate and its urim and thummirn is that it was a God-appointed means of communicating with the people through the high priest. He adopted a different method when he spoke with the prophets. A prophet was higher than a priest. The prophets communicated with God directly. There are other things about Aaron’s dress, all the details of which had a meaning, but these are the great meanings of the dress of the high priest.

20. What were the regular times of service in this tabernacle?

Ans. Here were the regular times: The daily services every morning and every evening; the sabbath services, that is, once a week; the monthly services, the monthly sabbaths, and the annual sabbaths. Those were the great festivals, three great festivals, and then the Jubilee sabbaths, and in connection with it there came the great Day of Atonement. Those were the regular times of service, but there were provisions for special times of services that I will not now discuss.

21. What the offerings and their meanings?

Ans. I have to answer it so elaborately when I come to Leviticus, I only give now in general terms these offerings: Sin offerings, burnt offerings, eucharistic, or thank offerings; in a burnt offering, all of it had to be burned up. Now, a sin offering had to be burned, but every burnt offering was not a sin offering. I give you this example: If a man wanted to consecrate his whole life to God and brought an offering, that was a burnt offering. Now, that offering had to be burned to ashes on the brazen altar, to signify that God accepted that entire consecration. The sin offering was also burned. Nobody could eat a part of a sin offering. But certain parts of the eucharist, or thank offering, or peace offering, or meat offering could be eaten. Moses ate a certain part, and Aaron and his sons a certain part, and the Levites certain parts.

22. What was the ritual?

Ans. The ritual is that set of rules that told them just how everything was to be done. Almost the whole book of Leviticus is ritual and the larger part of Numbers. For instance, it tells just how every particular offering must be offered. The ritual is the system of rules prescribed, the service and the order of the service in all of its parts.

23. What was the place of the sanctuary in the camp and order of encampment around it?

Ans. I will answer that question more fully when we come to the book of Leviticus. We will suppose Israel is on a march and the cloud stops. As soon as the cloud stops Aaron and Moses stop. As soon as they stop, those carrying the furniture of the most holy place, that is, the ark and mercy seat, set it down there covered. And then the tent is put over it, and then all the arrangements are made about the various articles of the holy place and the court. Then the fence is put up, i.e., the court fence. Now, the Levites come in and camp on three sides, and every tribe knew just where it was to camp one on the north side, one on the east, one on the west, and so on.

24. When was this tabernacle completed and what was the order of setting it up?

Ans. In Exo 39:42 , we have this statement: “According to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the work. And Moses saw all the work, and, behold, they had done it.” Exo 39:42 of that chapter says, “Then was all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation finished and they brought all the material together before Moses.” Now, the other part of the question was: The order of its setting up? That is explained to you in Exo 40:1-8 ; Exo 40:17 , “And it came to pass in the first month in the second year [that is, since they left Egypt], on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was reared up. And Moses reared up the tabernacle.” Then it tells how the tent was put up: “Then Moses took and put the testimony into the ark,” brought the ark into its place and then all the other things into their places in order.

25. When was it anointed?

Ans. It was anointed after the setting up, and Exo 40:9-11 , tells about that anointing, that is, setting it apart. And this is what it says on that, “And thou shalt take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and all that is therein and shall hallow it; and all the vessels thereof and it shall be holy, and thou shalt anoint the altar of the burnt-offering and all its vessels and sanctify the altar and it shall be an altar most holy.” “Thou shalt anoint the laver; thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons and make them put on their official robes and anoint them. Thus did Moses.”

26. When was it filled?

Ans. As soon as it was set up and was get apart, and anointed, the record says (Exo 40:34 ), the cloud came down and filled the tent and the glory of it was such that Moses couldn’t enter it. Then God says, “My glory sanctifies this tent.” When we get to Lev 18 , we learn that the tabernacle was sprinkled with blood as well as anointed with oil. Now, you will see from a careful reading of the last chapter of Exodus that a great many commandments are given, telling how things are to be done. Go to Leviticus and Numbers to find out how these orders given in the last chapter of Exodus are carried out. They are prescribed here and they tell you how it is to be done; the orders are given, but in Leviticus and Numbers they are carried out.

27. How dedicated?

Ans. Now, although the cloud had filled the tent, you don’t learn how that house was dedicated until you get to Num 7 . Nearly all of Leviticus and about a third of Numbers ought to be studied with the last part of Exodus. I am going to close what I have to say on this by giving you a little subsequent history of this tabernacle. It went with the children of Israel through all their wanderings. When Joshua got over into the Holy Land he set it up at Shiloh and after awhile it was moved to Nob. There it was in David’s time; then it went to Bethel; then in Solomon’s time it was at Gibeon. David erected a new tent. He didn’t make a new ark of the covenant and new altars and things of that kind, but he did make a new tent when he brought the ark up and put it in Jerusalem. Then he sent to Gibeon later on and that old tent that stood empty at Gibeon was brought but not set up, but just rolled up and when the Temple was built it was put in a chamber of the Temple and preserved, how long, I don’t know.

28. Give the parallels of a later date.

Ans. Well, just as that tabernacle was first prepared fully in all its materials, and these materials were brought together in one place, just so it was done with the Temple. So that when they started to put up the Temple they do so without the sound of hammer. Everything was so carefully prepared before it went up. Just as the church in glory will go up when the time comes. Every living stone will be thoroughly complete: body there, glorified; soul there, sanctified; no work to be done that day. It just goes into place by assembling. In my sermon on the church you will find just how the church in glory will be finally set up, and how that when our Lord built his church, John the Baptist prepared some of the material, which Jesus accepted; and Jesus prepared some of the material. But not all the work of the church was completed until Christ died. When he died he said, “It is finished.” The church was completed.

But that church was not anointed until the day of Pentecost, just as the old tabernacle had to be anointed and the smoke came and filled it. So the church that Jesus built stood open after he left it. He was the guide in it. He was the Shekinah as long as he lived, but when he went away it stood open until the day of Pentecost, when, as Daniel says, the most holy place was anointed. The Spirit came down and filled that house just as the cloud filled the house that Solomon built, and the house that Moses built.

29. What was the position of the cloud with reference to this tabernacle and its signals?

Ans. The normal place of the cloud was up in the air above the tabernacle. If the cloud moved, they moved, and they kept right under it. That was the normal place. If the cloud stopped, they stopped. So that one of the cloud’s signals was its moving, or its stopping. Another one of the cloud’s signals was its coming down and resting on the tent. That signified a communication was desired with the people through the priests. Then the high priest put on his ephod with his urim and thummirn, and went in to receive the communication. If a communication was wanted with Moses, he needed no ephod, since he was a prophet and talked direct with God.

30. What was the value of that cloud for light, shade, defense and guidance?

Ans. All night the cloud up in the air was one great pillar of fire, brighter than all the electric lights of New York City. Night couldn’t come up and touch them. Just think of it being forty years that they never saw the night. Then in the daytime the cloud spread out as a shade and kept the burning sun off them. The heat didn’t smite them for forty years. Then the cloud by its movements infallibly guided them just exactly where to go. They didn’t have to make any inquiries concerning the road they were to follow. They were to follow the cloud. They didn’t have to ask about how soon to start next morning. They were just to wait on the cloud. If it didn’t move, they were to stay right there if it was a year. The whole question was settled as to guidance by the cloud. How was it as a defense? Well, as enemies came, if the enemies were in the rear the cloud moved to the rear and got between them and the enemies with the black face of it toward the enemies. It had a black face and a light face. It would turn the light face toward the Israelites. It did that way when Pharaoh came up after them, and it looked to him like the blackest night the world ever saw, coming right between him and the Israelites, and it stayed there; Pharaoh couldn’t see through the black part of the cloud that was throwing light over Israel, and the Israelites passed through the Red Sea; as soon as they were across the cloud rose up and went on ahead of the Israelites, and Pharaoh following when he got into the midst of the sea, he and his army were swallowed up.

31. What was the value of the sanctuary as a center?

Ans. It was absolutely essential to hold this crowd together. Put three million people out and no center of unity and they will disintegrate; they will go in every direction, but no matter how many the people nor how far out the columns had to spread in marching and the herds had to go in grazing, all they had to do at any time was to look up; away yonder they could see, if in the daytime, the pillar of cloud, if at night, the pillar of fire.

32. What was the value of the sanctuary as an oracle?

Ans. An oracle is a supernatural voice that answers questions and tells you what you are to do.

33. Where was the oracle and what was it?

Ans. The most holy place is many times called the oracle, not because it was the oracle, t)ut because it was there that the oracle spoke. Nobody can estimate how much is the value of an infallible oracle. A case would come up that Moses would not know what to do. “Well, I will go and ask the oracle. I will ask God. God will tell me what to do.” In the New Testament Jesus says, “While you are now asking me questions [they were firing questions at him all the time, and right then in that very discussion of his, Philip says, “Lord, this,” and Thomas says, “Lord, this” and Jude says “Lord, this”] when the other Advacate comes, you shall ask me nothing. You will ask him. You will ask the Holy Spirit. I am going away and you think you will have nobody to answer your questions?” Disciples are interrogation points. They ask questions all the time and often very foolish questions, but Jesus patiently listened and answered, but when he went away that was the thing that troubled them: “Who will answer our questions?” “In that day when the Holy Spirit comes, you will ask me nothing. Just ask him,” says Jesus.

34. How was a communication signified?

Ans. If it was the high priest that was to ask a question, he would put on the ephod with the urim and thummirn and come to the Holy Place, and if the cloud was willing to hear him it would settle down and talk to him, and the same way with Moses, only Moses didn’t use the urim and thummirn.

35. How was the answer obtained and give examples?

Ans. If it was a priest wanting it, the answer was obtained through the urim and thummirn; I will give you some examples: 1Sa 23:9-12 ,-1Sa 28:6 ; 1Sa 30:7-8 ; Hos 3:4 . All these are cases when questions were brought, the methods by which they were brought and how answers were obtained.

36. What was the relative value of this tent and all the other tents?

Ans. A great many tents were necessary for three millions of people. I will let the psalmist answer that question. He says, “The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the tents of Israel.” That tent was worth all the rest of them put together. Without that tent the others would not stand. It was not only the center of unity and the place where the oracle spoke and by which they were defended and guided, but it was the place of God’s presence.

37. What description and explanation the best?

Ans. About the best I know is found in Rand-McNally’s Atlas of the Bible. If you had that book you could turn to a certain page and see the picture of the whole tabernacle, see the diagram showing you just how every tribe camped, where Moses stood, where Aaron stood, etc.

Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible

Exo 26:1 Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle [with] ten curtains [of] fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: [with] cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them.

Ver. 1. Thou shalt make the tabernacle. ] A type, (1.) Of Christ who “dwelt among us, full of grace and truth”; Joh 1:14 (2.) Of the Church built by Christ; 1Co 3:9 (3.) Of every true Christian. Eph 2:19-22

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

tabernacle. Hebrew. mishkan, the place of God’s presence or habitation. Compare Exo 26:7. See App-40.

ten. See App-10.

of cunning work = the work of a skilful weaver. Probably working both sides alike, whereas the embroiderer worked only one side.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

Let’s turn now in our Bibles to Exodus chapter twenty-six. Now when we got into the twenty-fifth chapter of the book of Exodus, we began with the construction of the tabernacle. First of all, God informed him concerning the furnishings that were to be in the tabernacle. So in chapter twenty-nine it is described for Moses how that the ark of the covenant is to be built; it’s dimensions, the mercy seat which was the lid on the ark of the covenant with the two carved cherubim. Then the furnishing for the outer holy place of the temple were to be a lamp stand with seven lamps, the table which was to have twelve loaves of bread kept on it, and then the altar of incense.

Now as we get into chapter twenty-six, get into the construction of the tabernacle itself. First of all, the Lord gives instructions to the curtains that are to be over the top. Now the tabernacle is really a tent, and thus, you’ve got to picture it in your mind sort of as a tent. First of all, He describes the curtains that go over the top of this tent, the bottom curtain, and there are three layers of curtains actually. The bottom curtain is to be made of linen.

They are to take ten curtains of fine twined linen, blue, purple, scarlet: with cherubims with cunning work shalt thou make them. The length of one curtain [shall be] twenty-eight cubits, [or forty-two feet] and the breadth would be four cubits: [or six feet] and all of the curtains are to be the same measurement. Then they’re to take five of the curtains and couple them together; so that five would be sewed together ( Exo 26:1-3 ).

Which makes now a curtain of thirty feet by forty-two feet. So you have two, then, large curtains of linen.

Now the interior part has got all these neat little embroideries, cherubims and fancy needlework, so that as you go into the tabernacle and you look up, you see all of these cherubim that have been woven into the fabric of this linen.

Remember this is a model of heaven. Heaven is filled with angels. So the idea of going into the tabernacle, and the consciousness of the presence of the angels of God that are there in heaven, so the cherubim all sewn in fine needlework in this linen curtain. Then the curtains were to have these golden rings sewed on them.

The loops of blue on the edge of one curtain at the selvedge; a coupling like you shall make [They were to make these loops and then these golden taches.] Fifty loops and then these golden taches: and they were to be tacked together at this loop ( Exo 26:4-5 ).

So that you ultimately end up with one curtain that can be taken apart and folded into the two. Get the idea? It is actually, they are to be two large curtains, thirty feet by forty-two feet, yet they are to be-they should have these fifty loops, and then golden taches by which the loops are held together, so that when they put it over the top of the tabernacle it makes one large curtain.

But the tabernacle is to be a portable building. It’s to move whenever they move. So the thing all has to be made so that it is portable, so it can be taken down and carried away and just one curtain sixty by forty-two would be much too large to try to move. So it’s clipped together in the middle, so that they can take it apart and then move on with it when God indicated that it was time to move. Everything was portable.

You remember when they made the ark, they had the gold rings on it, and then these pieces of acacia wood overlaid with gold that went through the rings. They weren’t to touch it, but the porters could just pick up the staves and they carried the ark between them.

The same was true on the table of shewbread and all. It was all made so it was portable. They could move it from place to place. So it really is a well-designed portable building that was the tent, the tabernacle, the place, and it means “the place of meeting”. It was where the people were to meet God.

Now somehow along the line in history we’ve gotten in a wrong concept that the church is God’s house. The church is not God’s house. God doesn’t dwell in buildings made by men’s hands. When Solomon built the temple, he recognized, “Hey we’re not building a house really for God”, for he said, “the heavens of heaven cannot contain God.” So it is a place of meeting. It’s the place where I can come and meet God.

Now we could meet God anywhere. God’ll meet you wherever you want to meet Him. God will meet you on the beach, God will meet you on the freeway, you name it, God can meet you anywhere. But when we want to gather together to meet together, to fellowship, to have a place of meeting in a corporate sense, then the building comes in handy. If we lived in Hawaii, we could meet the Lord under the Banyan trees, and that’s great. But here is a place where we gather to meet God. We don’t think of this as God’s house at all, tomorrow it’s just an empty building, tonight it’s the church. The place where the church meets, you’re the church. So this becomes a place where the church gathers to meet together in a corporate sense with God.

Now the tabernacle was the place of meeting where people would meet God, but you see they didn’t have Jesus Christ. Thus, they couldn’t just meet God anywhere because God is a holy God, and if you meet God you might just fry because of your sin and His holiness. So in the Old Testament period, you wouldn’t dare meet God.

Thus, in order to meet God, they had a place and then they had a ritual by which you could meet God, but not yourself directly. You would come to the priest and the priest would go before God for you; then the priest would come back to you for God, but you just wouldn’t meet God directly yourself in the Old Testament. So they called it the place of meeting where the people could come to the priest, offer their sacrifice, and the priest would go before God for them. This was that place, the tabernacle. This lasted actually all the way up through the reign of David. They still, at David’s time, had a tabernacle. It wasn’t until Solomon built the temple that the tabernacle was finally done away with.

So the first curtain over the top of the tabernacle was linen, and basically sixty feet by forty-two feet.

Now the next curtain was of goat’s hair ( Exo 26:7 ),

Now the first one is really for the ornament on the inside with the fancy needlework. Now the next one is sort of as a protection of sort. The second curtain over the first was of goat’s hair.

and there were to be eleven of these [So it was to be a little bit bigger than the first, it’s to drape down a little further over the linen one.] And again the length of one would be thirty cubits [Or forty-five feet instead of forty-two.] and six feet wide, but then they were to sew six of them together and five of them together again, making the loops and the taches whereby they were to be tacked together. [Now these taches, though on the goat skins were to be made of brass] ( Exo 26:7-11 ).

Now with the goatskins, the fact that they had to use these goatskins or goat hair indicated the death of the animal. Wherever you have the death of the animal, you’re thinking now in the terms of sacrifice and the judgment for sin. That’s wherever anything has to do with judgment your metal becomes brass, but brass is the metal that is symbolic of judgment. So wherever there was animals, and the death of animals and so forth, brass was used because that’s a sign of the judgment against sin.

So this second curtain over the top a little bit bigger than the first. It is forty-five feet by sixty-two. It’s to hang over both ends and down the sides and to cover completely over the linen curtain. This is more of a protective covering.

Then the third covering was of [badger’s or] ram’s skin dyed red, a covering above the badger’s skins ( Exo 26:14 ).

Now this is for waterproof, this is the outer covering and it’s the waterproof. So there are actually three coverings over the tabernacle, and thus as I say, it makes quite a tent.

Now there were to be these boards fifteen feet high and twenty-seven feet wide of acacia wood, and they were to be overlaid with gold. Then they were to make these silver sockets and these boards were to be sort of tongue and groove, fitting together, fitting in the silver sockets in the bottom. Then with the rings in the sides so that they could set the boards up and then run a stave through the ring so that the boards would stand upright.

So the boards were-of course, the tabernacle itself was to be forty-five feet long and fifteen feet wide. These boards, of course-the entrance at the front of it, and they describe how they are to make the entrance. But these boards are set in sockets of silver, side by side. Then over the top of it would be the hanging linen curtain, the hanging goat hair curtain, or goatskin, then over the top of that the waterproofing, the badger’s skin over the top of that. These big twenty-seven inch wide boards, they’re twenty-seven inches wide and they are fifteen feet high, with these rings so that when they set them up they could run the sticks through. Thus it could stand upright, and the curtains then going over the top.

He describes how they are to set them in this shape, rectangular shape of forty-five feet by fifteen feet. The tabernacle itself had two rooms in it. The outer room is thirty by fifteen, and then the Holy of Holies is a fifteen foot cube, or fifteen feet high, and fifteen feet wide, fifteen feet long. So it’s actually a cube in the Holy of Holies.

So as you would enter into the Holy of Holies, of course there was no light in there, except for what was called the Shekinah, which was just an incandescent type of light, a glow that just filled the room. It was the light of the glory of the presence of God there in the Holy of Holies. No one was allowed in there except the high priest.

Now he describes how they are to make these silver sockets and set the bars on the outside. In verse twenty-six,

Thou shalt make bars of acacia wood; and the boards on the other side of the tabernacle, Five bars for the board on the side, on the two sides westward. [and so forth] And then the bar in the middle that would reach from end to end ( Exo 26:26-28 ).

So that they could run them through these golden or through these rings and pull the thing up.

Now separating the rooms on the inside was to be a veil. Now there are sources in history, whether or not they are accurate, we do not know, but when they made the veil in the temple to separate the Holy of Holies, there are some records that state that the veil in the temple itself was eighteen inches thick woven together. Just really a heavy, heavy, thick veil in the temple.

That is the veil that was rent, torn from the top to the bottom when Jesus was crucified. Of course symbolic of the fact that God, through Jesus Christ has opened the door for all man to come freely unto Him, access to God no longer limited to just the high priest. Access to God now open to every one of us because of the rent veil of the temple.

But here it describes the veil that they are to make for this Holy of Holies, the inner veil.

Thou shalt make a veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims that shall be made: [So again the cherubims woven into it.] And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of acacia wood that are overlaid with gold: their hooks shall be of gold, and the four sockets of silver. And thou shalt hang the veil under the taches, that you may bring thither within the veil the ark of the testimony: and the veil shall divide unto you between the holy [place] and the most holy. And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy [place]. And thou shalt set the table outside the veil, the candlestick over against the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south: and thou shalt put the table on the north side. And thou shalt make a hanging for the door of the tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, fine twined linen, wrought with needlework. And thou shalt make for the hanging five pillars of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold, and their hooks [shall be of gold]: and thou shalt cast five sockets of brass for them ( Exo 26:31-37 ).

Because there they would come in with the blood of the sacrifices, and thus, the brass sockets for those particular gold overlaid acacia staves. So I trust that you’re getting sort of a mental picture of this. It’s a tent, golden boards forming the walls around it so that when you walk into the tabernacle itself you would have to go through this first veil. You would enter into this room that is fifteen feet high, and as you looked up you would see the linen with the cherubims and so forth that are woven into the material. Over on your right side you would see the table of shewbread and on your left side you would see the lamp stands, and in front of you would be another curtain with cherubims and all woven in it. If you would go past the second curtain, in there you would see a golden box that is sitting with a golden lid on top and carved on the top of that golden lid would be these cherubims with outstretched wings. Thus, you get an idea of what the tabernacle looked like on the inside. “

Fuente: Through the Bible Commentary

Continuing the outward movement of description from the Ark as center, we have instructions concerning the curtains and coverings which were to constitute the Tabernacle and Tent. There was unquestionably symbolic suggestiveness in everything. Fine twined linen was the symbol of purity, the blue of heavenly glory, the purple of kingly majesty, the scarlet of the richness of created life, while the inwrought cherubim symbolized the highest realization of life.

The boards and bars constituted the solid foundations on which the curtains and the coverings were to rest. These boards were set in sockets of silver made out of the ransom money which the people had brought. Because of its extreme durability, the acacia wood was the symbol of continuity Standing these boards in the sockets of silver symbolized the fact that continuous life is founded in redemption.

In the veil hanging between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies and in the screen hanging between the court and the Holy Place we have symbols of exclusion. The material and colors of the inner veil spoke of absolute perfection. This veil symbolized that man can draw near to God only by the way of perfection. No man was ever found who could pass that veil in his own right until in fulfillment of the symbolism one Man did go beyond it. When presently the high priest passed behind the veil, he carried with him the blood of propitiation, not merely for the people he represented, but first for himself.

Fuente: An Exposition on the Whole Bible

the Curtains and Boards of the Tabernacle

Exo 26:1-25

The Tabernacle was constructed of upright boards, over which four sets of curtains were thrown. The innermost set, which made the ceiling, was of tapestry, embroidered with cherubim in various colors-blue, scarlet and purple-the cunning work of a damask weaver. Over these was a second set, of goats hair, longer and broader, so as to protect them; while the third and fourth sets were of rams and seals skins, respectively, to protect the whole from the weather. In these curtains we may find profound teaching concerning the human nature of our Lord; for we are told that, the Word of God became flesh and tabernacled among us; and that phrase naturally suggests that His human body was the tent or tabernacle in which His spirit dwelled. See Joh 1:14. In the fine-twined linen His holiness; in the blue His heavenly origin; in the purple His majesty; in the scarlet His sufferings.

Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary

CHAPTER 26 The Tabernacle and its Construction

1. The curtains (Exo 26:1-6)

2. The coverings (Exo 26:7-14)

3. The boards (Exo 26:15-30)

4. The vail (Exo 26:31-35)

5. The hangings for the door (Exo 26:36-37)

While the tabernacle is a type of the heavenly places (Heb 9:23) it is also a type of Christ, who tabernacled among men. The wonderful foreshadowings we find here down to the minutest details is an evidence of inspiration. We must confine ourselves to a very few things.

The colors used were blue, purple, scarlet and white. Blue is the color of heaven, purple that of royalty, scarlet the color of blood, and the white tells of righteousness. The ten curtains of fine twined linen which surrounded the tabernacle typify the holy, spotless humanity of our Lord. How the colors tell out the blessed story of the gospel, that heavens King came down to shed His blood, we need not to follow in detail. The loops of blue and taches of gold which unite the curtains tell of Him likewise.

We have here displayed to us, in the loops of blue, and taches of gold, that heavenly grace and divine energy in Christ which enabled Him to combine and perfectly adjust the claims of God and man; so that in responding to both the one and the other, He never for a moment marred the unity of His character.

The curtains of goats hair were to be a tent over the tabernacle and the tent had other coverings of rams skins, dyed red, and covering of badgers skin. These coverings hid the ten curtains of the fine twined linen, and their beauty. Thus He was not beheld in His lovely character when on earth. The goats hair covering reminds us of the divine statement, He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him (Isa 53:2). The rams skins, dyed red, are the symbol of His devotion and obedience to God, even unto the death of the cross. The badgers skins are taken to mean His holy determination and steadfastness.

Christ and his people are typified in the board of shittim wood (the same as in the ark and the table) resting in the sockets of silver. The silver was the ransom money (Exo 30:11-13), out of it the sockets were made (Exo 38:25-28). The whole frame work of the tabernacle rested in that which tells of atonement. Thus we stand in Christ and we are one with Him, separated from the world as the boards were separated from the earthly sockets of silver. And as we look upon this frame work, with the bars of shittim wood uniting the boards (typical of Christ) we may well think of Eph 2:21 : In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord.

The vail as described in Exo 26:31-35 is interpreted in Heb 10:2. It marked the division of the holy and the most holy, or Holy of Holies. Like the inner curtains this vail typifies the holy humanity of our Lord. That vail barred the entrance into the presence of God. But it was rent by the hand of God, when our Lord had laid down His life on the cross. Christ is the way into the presence of God, by a new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us, through the vail, that is to say, His flesh. Therefore we have boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. The hanging for the door of the tent has the same meaning, Christ the way.

Fuente: Gaebelein’s Annotated Bible (Commentary)

cherubims

fine twined linen Fine linen typifies personal righteousness Rev 19:8. The fine linen here typifies the sinless life of Christ.

blue Blue. Christ’s heavenly origin; purple, His royalty as David’s son; scarlet, His sacrifice.

cherubims (See Scofield “Eze 1:5”).

Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes

the tabernacle with ten curtains: The word mishcan, from shachan, to dwell, means simply a dwelling-place, or habitation. “When God had brought the children of Israel out of Egypt,” says the very learned Dr. Cudworth, “resolving to manifest himself in a peculiar manner present among them, he thought good to dwell amongst them in a visible and external manner; and therefore, while they were in the wilderness, and sojourned in tents, he would have a tent or tabernacle built, to sojourn with them also. – Now, the tabernacle being thus a house for God to dwell in visibly, to make up the notion of dwelling or habitation complete, there must be all things suitable to a house belonging to it. Hence, in the holy place, there must be a table and a candlestick, because these were the ordinary furniture of a room. The table must have its dishes, and spoons, and bowls, and covers, belonging to it, though they were never used; and always be furnished with bread upon it. The candlestick must have its lamps continually burning, etc.” Exo 25:8, Exo 36:8-19, Exo 40:2, Exo 40:17-19, 1Ch 17:1, 1Ch 21:29, Joh 1:14, Joh 2:21, Heb 8:2, Heb 9:9, Heb 9:23, Heb 9:24, Rev 21:3

fine twined linen: Exo 26:36, Exo 25:4, Exo 35:6, Exo 35:35, Rev 19:8

cherubims: Exo 25:18

cunning work: Heb. the work of a cunning workman, or embroiderer

Reciprocal: Exo 26:7 – eleven Exo 26:31 – cunning work Exo 28:6 – linen Exo 28:15 – after Exo 31:4 – General Exo 31:7 – tabernacle Exo 35:11 – tabernacle Exo 38:21 – tabernacle of testimony Exo 39:1 – the blue Exo 39:3 – cunning work Exo 40:19 – the tent Num 3:25 – the tabernacle and 2Sa 7:2 – curtains 2Ch 1:3 – the tabernacle 2Ch 3:7 – graved cherubims Est 1:6 – white Isa 4:5 – a defence Eph 2:21 – fitly

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Exo 26:1. Thou shalt make the tabernacle The word hammishchan, which we translate tabernacle, means a place to dwell in. And this was not only to be a sign of Gods presence with, and protection of his people, but his habitation or dwelling-place among them: the place where he would, in a peculiar manner, manifest his presence, display his glory, accept their oblations, prayers, praises, and other services, and by the intervention of Moses and Aaron first, and afterward of the high-priest for the time being, would communicate to them his mind and will. It was a type, says Mr. Brown, 1st, Of Christs person, Heb 8:2. 2d, Of the gospel church; the habitation of God by the Spirit, Eph 2:20-22; 2Co 6:16. 3d, Of every Christian, in whose heart God dwells, 1Co 3:16; 1Co 6:19. 4th, Of the new covenant and heavenly state, Isa 66:1. And according to these different significations may the furniture thereof be understood in different views.

With ten curtains These curtains formed the principal covering of the sanctuary, and are called the tabernacle or dwelling-place of God. They were made of the finest linen, dyed with the richest colours, spun and woven in the most curious manner, and beautifully embroidered all over with cherubim, the emblematic representations of angels. This last circumstance was not only intended to signify that the angels joined in the worship of the God of Israel; but also that they attend continually upon him in his holy habitation as his ministers to do his pleasure, Psa 103:21; that they encamp around his church, Psa 34:7; and are always in waiting, so to speak, and ready to minister to the heirs of salvation, Heb 1:14. For, as there were cherubim over the mercy- seat, so there were also round the tabernacle. It must be observed, likewise, that there were to be two hangings, five breadths in each, sewed together, and the two hangings coupled together, with golden clasps, or tacks, so that it might all be one tabernacle. Thus the churches of Christ, though they are many, yet are one, being fitly joined together in holy love, and by the unity of the Spirit, so growing into one holy temple in the Lord. This tabernacle was very straight and narrow, but at the preaching of the gospel the church is bid to enlarge the place of her tent, and to stretch forth her curtains, Isa 54:2.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Exo 26:1. The tabernacle, hammishacan, is not the only word which designates the habitation of the Lord. In Exo 15:2, we find habitation, from the root Nevah, he dwelt, which word is still preserved in the nave of our churches, because the Lord has promised to dwell there. This sacred pavilion was the presence chamber of the God of Israel, where he heard prayer, delivered oracles, and passed sentence on man, on armies, on nations. And what nation was there that had God so nigh unto them! Deu 4:7.Cherubim of cunning work, either woven or wrought with a needle.

Exo 26:27. Two sides westward should undoubtedly be rendered, for the side westward.

Exo 26:29. And spoons thereof. capach, vases to hold incense. Num 7:14.

Exo 26:31. The veil of blue. St. Paul marks here, that the way into the holiest was not yet made plain. The superior light of the gospel allows us to see a door open in heaven, and even heaven itself opened, that we may follow our great High Priest into the true tabernacle which is above. Joh 1:51. Heb 9:8.

REFLECTIONS.

In the observations on the preseding chapter, a reason was assigned why God gave such express command concerning the form of the tabernacle in all its parts; and why he ordered it to be built with the several ornaments, and with that magnificence observable in it. We are to notice in this chapter, that as the tabernacle was to be often removed from place to place, especially while the Israelites sojourned in the wilderness, it was made in such a manner as to be easily taken to pieces and put together again. That the service which was performed in the tabernacle, and continued in the temple of Jerusalem, was to last no longer than till the coming of Jesus Christ. This appeared by the rending of the veil, which was at the entrance of the most holy place, at the time of our Lords crucifixion; which as St. Paul speaks, signified, that the way into the most holy place was not made manifest while the first tabernacle was yet standing: that the legal worship was drawing to an end, and that the entrance into the heavenly sanctuary would be from thenceforth open unto men through Jesus Christ.

Fuente: Sutcliffe’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Exodus 26

The section of our book which now opens before us contains the instructive description of the curtains and coverings of the tabernacle, wherein the spiritual eye discerns the shadows of the various features and phases of Christ’s manifested character. “Moreover, thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet : with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them.” Here we have the different aspects of “the man Christ Jesus.” The “fine twined linen” prefigures the spotless purity of His walk and character; while the “blue, the purple, and the scarlet” present Him to us as “the Lord from heaven,” who is to reign according to the divine counsels, but whose royalty is to be the result of His sufferings. Thus we have a spotless man, a heavenly man, a royal man, a suffering man. These materials were not confined to the ” curtains” of the tabernacle, but were also used in making “the veil,” (ver. 31,) “the hanging for the door of the tent,” (ver. 36,) “the hanging for the gate of the court,” (Ex. 27: 16,) “the cloths of service and the holy garments of Aaron.” (Ex. 39: 1.) In a word, it was Christ everywhere, Christ in all, Christ alone.*

{*The expression, “white and clean,” gives peculiar force and beauty to the type which the Holy Ghost has presented in the “fine twined linen.” Indeed, there could not be a more appropriate emblem of spotless manhood.}

“The fine twined linen,” as expressive of Christ’s spotless manhood, opens a most precious and copious spring of thought to the spiritual mind; it furnishes a theme on which we cannot meditate too profoundly. The truth respecting Christ’s humanity must be received with scriptural accuracy, held with spiritual energy, guarded with holy jealousy, and confessed with heavenly power. If we are wrong as to this, we cannot be right as to anything. It is a grand, vital, fundamental truth, and if it be not received, held, guarded, and confessed, as God has revealed it in His holy word, the entire superstructure must be unsound. Nothing can be more deplorable than the looseness of thought and expression which seems to prevail in reference to this all-important doctrine. Were there more reverence for the word of God, there would be more accurate acquaintance with it; and, in this way, we should happily avoid all those erroneous and unguarded statements which surely must grieve the Holy Spirit of God, whose province it is to testify of Jesus.

When the angel had announced to Mary the glad tidings of the Saviour’s birth, she said unto him, “How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?” Her feeble mind was utterly incompetent to enter into, much less to fathom, the stupendous mystery of “God manifest in the flesh.” But mark carefully the angelic reply – a reply, not to a sceptic mind, but to a pious, though ignorant, heart. “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; wherefore, also, that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1: 39, 35) Mary, doubtless, imagined that this birth was to be according to the principles of ordinary generation. But the angel corrects her mistake, and, in correcting it, enunciates one of the grandest truths of revelation. He declares to her that divine power was about to form A REAL MAN – “the second man the Lord from heaven” – one whose nature was divinely pure, utterly incapable of receiving or communicating any taint. This Holy One was made “in, the likeness of sinful flesh,” without sin in the flesh. He partook of real bona fide flesh and blood without a particle or shadow of the evil thereto attaching.

This is a cardinal truth which cannot be too accurately laid hold of or too tenaciously held. The incarnation of the Son – His mysterious entrance into pure and spotless flesh, formed, by the power of the Highest, in the virgin’s womb, is the foundation of the “great mystery of godliness” of which the topstone is a glorified God-man in heaven, the Head, Representative, and Model of the redeemed Church of God. The essential purity of His manhood perfectly met the claims of God; the reality thereof met the necessities of man. He was a man, for none else would do to meet man’s ruin. But He was such a man as could satisfy all the claims of the throne of God. He was a spotless, real man, in whom God could perfectly delight, and on whom man could unreservedly lean.

I need not remind the enlightened reader that all this, if taken apart from death and resurrection, is perfectly unavailable to us. He needed not only an incarnate, but a crucified and risen Christ. True, He should be incarnate to be crucified; but it is death and resurrection which render incarnation available to us. It is nothing short of a deadly error to suppose that, in incarnation, Christ was taking man into union with Himself. This could not be. He Himself expressly teaches the contrary. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” (John 12: 24) There could be no union between sinful and holy flesh, pure and impure, corruptible and incorruptible, mortal and immortal. Accomplished death is the only base of a unity between Christ and His elect members. It is in beautiful connection with the words, “Rise, let us go hence,” that He says, “I am the vine, ye are the branches.” “We have been planted together in the likeness of his death.” “Our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed.” “In whom also are ye circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ; buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.” I would refer my reader to Romans 6 and Colossians 2 as a full and comprehensive statement of the truth on this important subject. It was only as dead and risen that Christ and His people could become one. The true corn of wheat had to fall into the ground and die ere a full ear could spring up and be gathered into the heavenly garner.

But while this is a plainly revealed truth of Scripture, it is equally plain that incarnation formed, as it were, the first layer of the glorious superstructure; and the curtains of “fine twined Linen” prefigure the moral purity of “the man Christ Jesus.” We have already seen the manner of His conception; and, as we pass along the current of His life here below, we meet with instance after instance of the same spotless purity. He was forty days in the wilderness, tempted of the devil, but there was no response in His pure nature to the tempter’s foul suggestions. He could touch the leper and receive no taint. He could touch the bier and not contract the smell of death. He could pass unscathed through the most polluted atmosphere. He was, as to His manhood, like a sunbeam emanating from the fountain of light, which can pass, without a soil, through the most defiling medium. He was perfectly unique in nature, constitution, and character. None but He could say, “Thou wilt not suffer thine holy One to see corruption.” This was in reference to His humanity, which, as being perfectly holy and perfectly pure, was capable of being a sin-bearer. “His own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree.” Not to the tree, as some would teach us; but “on the tree.” It was on the cross that Christ was our sin-bearer, and only there. “He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Cor. 5: 21)

“Blue ” is the ethereal colour, and marks the heavenly character of Christ, who, though He had come down into all the circumstances of actual and true humanity – sin excepted – yet was He “the Lord from heaven.” Though He was “very man,” yet He ever walked in the uninterrupted consciousness of His proper dignity, as a heavenly stranger. He never once forgot whence He had come, where He was, or whither He was going. The spring of all His joys was on high. Earth could neither make Him richer nor poorer. He found this world to be “a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;” and, hence, His spirit could only find its refreshment above. It was entirely heavenly. “No man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the son of man who is in heaven.” (John 3: 13)

“Purple” denotes royalty, and points us to Him who “Was born King of the Jews;” who offered Himself as such to the Jewish nation, and was rejected; who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession, avowing Himself a king, when, to mortal vision, there was not so much as a single trace of royalty. “Thou sayest that I am a king.” And “hereafter ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” And, finally, the inscription upon His cross, “in letters of Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin” – the language of religion, of science, and of government declared Him, to the whole known world, to be “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” Earth disowned His claims – so much the worse for it but not so heaven; there His claim was fully recognised. He was received as a conqueror into the eternal mansions of light, crowned with glory and honour, and seated, amid the acclamations of angelic hosts, on the throne of the majesty in the heavens, there to wait until His enemies be made His footstool. “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. Be wise, now, therefore, O ye kings; be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. BLESSED ARE ALL THEY THAT PUT THEIR TRUST IN HIM.” (Ps. 2)

“Scarlet,” when genuine, is produced by death; and this makes its application to a suffering Christ safe and appropriate. “Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh.” Without death, all would have been unavailing. We can admire “the blue” and “the purple” but without “the scarlet” the tabernacle would have lacked an all-important feature. It was by death that Christ destroyed him that had the power of death. The Holy Ghost, in setting before us a striking figure of Christ – the true tabernacle-could not possibly omit that phase of His character which constituted the groundwork of His connection with His body the Church, of His claim to the throne of David, and the headship of all creation. In a word, He not only unfolds the Lord Jesus to our view, in these significant curtains, as a spotless man, a royal man, but also a suffering man; one who, by death, should make good His claims to all that to which, as man, He was entitled, in the divine counsels.

But we have much more in the curtains of the tabernacle than the varied and perfect phases of the character of Christ. We have also the unity and consistency of that character. Each phase is displayed in its own proper perfectness; and one never interferes with, or mars the exquisite beauty of, another. All was in perfect harmony beneath the eye of God, and was so displayed in “the pattern which was showed to Moses on the mount,” and in the copy which was exhibited below. “Every one of the curtains shall have one measure. The five curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and other five curtains shall be coupled one to another.” Such was the fair proportion and consistency in all the ways of Christ, as a perfect man, walking on the earth, in whatever aspect or relationship we view Him. When acting in one character, we never find ought that is, in the very least degree, inconsistent with the divine integrity of another. He was, at all times, in all places, under all circumstances, the perfect man. There was nothing out of that fair and lovely proportion which belonged to Him, in all His ways. “Every one of the curtains shall have one measure.”

The two sets of five curtains each may symbolise the two grand aspects of Christ’s character, as acting toward God and toward man. We have the same two aspects in the law, namely, what was due to God, and what was due to man; so that, as to Christ, if we look in, we find “thy law is within my heart;” and if we look at His outward character and walk, we see those two elements adjusted with perfect accuracy, and not only adjusted, but inseparably linked together by the heavenly grace and divine energy which dwelt in His most glorious Person.

“And thou shalt make loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain, from the selvedge in the coupling; and likewise. shalt thou make in the uttermost edge of another curtain, in the coupling of the second…. And thou shalt make fifty taches of gold, and couple the curtains together with the taches; and it shall be one tabernacle.” We have here displayed to us, in the “loops of blue,” and “taches of gold,” that heavenly grace and divine energy in Christ which enabled Him to combine and perfectly adjust the claims of God and man; so that in responding to both the one and the other, He never, for a moment, marred the unity of His character. When crafty and hypocritical men tempted Him with the enquiry, “Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not?” His wise reply was, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

Nor was it merely Caesar, but man in every relation that had all his claims perfectly met in Christ. As He united in His perfect Person the nature of God and man, so He met in His, perfect ways the claims of God and man. Most interesting would it be to trace, through the gospel narrative, the exemplification of the principle suggested by the “loops of blue,” and “taches of gold;” but I must leave my reader to pursue this study under the immediate guidance of the Holy Ghost, who delights to expatiate upon every feature and every phase of that perfect One whom it is His unvarying purpose and undivided object to exalt.

The curtains on which we have been dwelling were covered with other “curtains of goats’ hair;” (Ver. 7-14) Their beauty was hidden from those without by that which bespoke roughness and severity. This latter did not meet the view of those within. To all who were privileged to enter the hallowed enclosure nothing was visible save “the blue, the purple, the scarlet, and fine twined linen,” the varied yet combined exhibition of the virtues and excellencies of that divine Tabernacle in which God dwelt within the veil – that is, of Christ, through whose flesh, the antitype of all these, the beams of the divine nature shone so delicately, that the sinner could behold without being overwhelmed by their dazzling brightness.

As the Lord Jesus passed along this earth, how few really knew Him! How few had eyes anointed with heavenly eyesalve to penetrate and appreciate the deep mystery of His character! How few saw “the blue, the purple, the scarlet, and the twined linen!” It was only when faith brought man into His presence that He ever allowed the brightness of what He was to shine forth – ever allowed the glory to break through the cloud. To nature’s eye there would seem to have been a reserve and a severity about Him which were aptly prefigured by the “covering of goats’ hair.” All this was the result of His profound separation and estrangement, not from sinners personally, but from the thoughts and maxims of men. He had nothing in common with man as such, nor was it within the compass of mere nature to comprehend or enjoy Him. “No man,” said He, “can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him;” and when one of those “drawn” ones confessed His name, He declared that “flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” (Comp. John 6: 44; Matt. 6: 17) He was “a root out of a dry ground,” having neither “form nor comeliness” to attract the eye or gratify the heart of man. The popular current could never flow in the direction of One who, as he passed rapidly across the stage of this vain world, wrapped Himself up in a “covering of goats’ hair.” Jesus was not popular. The multitude might follow Him for a moment, because His ministry stood connected, in their judgement, with “the loaves and fishes” which met their need; but they were just as ready to cry, “Away with him!” as “Hosanna to the Son of David!” Oh! let Christians remember this! Let the servants of Christ remember it! Let all preachers of the gospel remember it! Let one and all of us ever seek to bear in mind the “covering of goats’ hair!”

But if the goats’ skins expressed the severity of Christ’s separation from earth, “the rams’ skins dyed red” exhibit His intense consecration and devotedness to God, which was carried out even unto death. He was the only perfect Servant that ever stood in God’s vineyard. He had one object which He pursued, with an undeviating course, from the manger to the cross, and that was to glorify the Father and finish His work. “Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business” was the language of His youth, and the accomplishment of that “business” was the design of His life. “His meat was to do the will of him that sent him and to finish his work.” “The rams’ skins dyed red” formed as distinct a part of His ordinary habit as the “goats’ hair.” His perfect devotion to God separated Him from the habits of men.

“The badgers’ skins” may exhibit to us the holy vigilance with which the Lord Jesus guarded against the approach of everything hostile to the purpose which engrossed His whole soul. He took up His position for God, and held it with a tenacity which no influence of men or devils, earth or hell, could overcome. The covering of badgers’ skins was “above,” (ver. 14,) teaching us that the most prominent feature in the character of “the man Christ Jesus” was an invincible determination to stand as a witness for God on the earth. He was the true Naboth, who gave up His life rather than surrender the truth of God, or give up that for which He had taken His place in this world.

The goat, the ram, and the badger, must be regarded as exhibiting certain natural features, and also as symbolising certain moral qualities; and we must take both into account in our application of these figures to the character of Christ. The human eye could only discern the former. It could see none of the moral grace, beauty, and dignity, which lay beneath the outward form of the despised and humble Jesus of Nazareth. When the treasures of heavenly wisdom flowed from His lips, the inquiry was, “Is not this the carpenter?” or “How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?” When He asserted His eternal Sonship and Godhead, the word was, “Thou art not yet fifty years old,” or “They took up stones to cast at him.” In short, the acknowledgement of the Pharisees, in John 9, was true in reference to men in general. “as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.”

It would be utterly impossible, in the compass of a volume like this, to trace the unfoldings of those precious features of Christ’s character through the gospel narratives. Sufficient has been said to open up springs of spiritual thought to my reader, and to furnish some faint idea of the rich treasures which are wrapped up in the curtains and coverings of the tabernacle. Christ’s hidden being, secret springs and inherent excellencies – His outward and unattractive form – what He was in Himself, what He was to Godward, and what He was to manward – what he was in the judgement of faith, and what in the judgement of nature – all is sweetly and impressively told out to the circumcised ear, in the ” curtains of blue, purple, scarlet, and the twined `linen:’ and the “coverings of skins.”

“The boards for the tabernacle” were made of the same wood as was used in constructing “the ark of the covenant.” Moreover, they were upheld by the sockets of silver formed out of the atonement; their hooks and chapiters being of the same. (Compare attentively Ex. 30: 11-16, with Ex. 38: 25-28) The whole framework of the tent of the tabernacle was based on that which spoke of atonement or ransom, while the “hooks and chapiters” at the top set forth the same. The sockets were buried in the sand, and the hooks and chapiters were above. It matters not how deep you penetrate, or how high you rise, that glorious and eternal truth is emblazoned before you, “I HAVE FOUND A RANSOM.” Blessed be God, “we are not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold,……But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”

The tabernacle was divided into three distinct parts, namely, “the holy of holies,” “the holy place,” and the court of the tabernacle. The entrance into each of these was of the same materials, “blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen.” (Compare Ex. 24: 31, 36; Ex. 27: 16.) The interpretation of which is simply this: Christ forms the only doorway into the varied fields of glory which are yet to be displayed, whether on earth, in heaven, or in the heaven of heavens. “Every family, in heaven and earth,” will be ranged under His headship, as all will be brought into everlasting felicity and glory, on the ground of His accomplished atonement. This is plain enough, and needs, no stretch of the imagination to grasp it. We know it to be true: and when we know the truth which is shadowed forth, the shadow Is easily understood. If only our hearts be filled with Christ, we shall not go far astray in our interpretations of the tabernacle and its furniture. It is not a head full of learned criticism that will avail us much here, but a heart full of affection for Jesus, and a conscience at rest in the blood of His cross.

May the Spirit of God enable us to study these things with more interest and intelligence! May He “open our eyes that we may behold wondrous things out of his law.”

Fuente: Mackintosh’s Notes on the Pentateuch

Exodus 26. P. The Dwelling.This chapter deals with the tent, or tabernacle proper, describing in succession the four thicknesses of different materials which were to make its covering (Exo 26:1-14. cf. Exo 36:8-19); the framework that should support them (Exo 26:15-30; cf. Exo 36:20-34); the inner partition or veil (Exo 26:31-33; cf. Exo 36:35 f.) and the contents of the interior (Exo 26:34 f; cf. Exo 40:20; cf. Exo 40:22; cf. Exo 40:24); and lastly, the entrance screen (Exo 26:36 f; cf. Exo 36:37 f.). The interior was to consist of ten curtains, or breadths of the finest linen, embroidered in blue, purple, and scarlet threads, with figures of cherubs, the work of the designer (Exo 26:1). The ten breadths were to be made into two large curtains, each made up of a coupling or set of breadths, these two to be attached to one another by fifty gold clasps, working in loops of blue tape (Exo 26:2-6). The single curtain thus resulting hung down to the ground at the back, but left the front to be closed by the screen. Over this was to be placed a slightly larger tent of eleven breadths of goats-hair cloth, such as the Bedawin use still; two great curtains of five and six coupled breadths being joined by bronze clasps for use (Exo 26:7-11). Removing from Exo 26:12 the words the half curtain that remaineth, as a hasty gloss, the idea is clear: the sixth curtain was to be doubled over in front, to make a kind of valance over the screen, thus ensuring complete darkness, and leaving just enough to reach the ground at the back, as well as the sides (Exo 26:12 f.). Over this again two leather coverings were to be placed, such as the Romans used over their tents in winter, i.e. one of ram-skins dyed red, probably with madder, and the other of porpoise or dugong skins.

Next comes the account of the supporting framework. The exact sense of the word rendered boards being uncertain, A. R. S. Kennedys view has been widely accepted that these were open frames, letting the colours and embroidery of the inner linen tent show through, and not solid boards or rather beams. His view is best given by quoting his rendering of Exo 26:15-17 : And thou shalt make the frames for the Dwelling of acacia wood, standing up

Exo 26:10 cubits the length of a frame, and 1 cubits the breadth of a frame,namely, two uprights for each frame, joined one to another by cross-rails. The frames were to stand in sockets of silver (Exo 26:18-22), two extra frames being provided to strengthen the corners at the back (Exo 26:23 f.). To keep the frames in place bars ran through rings on both sides and the endone long middle bar, with two shorter bars above and two below, in each case (Exo 26:26-28). The rings were to be of gold, and the wood gilded (Exo 26:29).

The oblong chamber thus formed was to be divided by an embroidered veil of partition into the inner shrine or most holy place, 10 cubits square, and a holy place occupying two such squares, the veil being hung by golden hooks upon four pillars of gilded acacia wood in silver sockets or bases, and exactly under the clasps joining the two great curtains (Exo 26:31-33).

The mercy-seat was to be set upon the Ark within the inner shrine, and outside the veil the table on the north and the candlestick on the south (Exo 26:34 f.). The screen which closed the entrance was of the same material, but less elaborately embroidered, and was hung with gold hooks upon five pillars fixed in bronze sockets.

Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible

THE INNER COVERING OF THE TABERNACLE

(vs.1-6)

The tabernacle itself had four coverings; the lower one, which would be visible from inside, being made of fine woven linen with blue, purple and scarlet material woven into this, as well as ornamental cherubim. Since one would have to be inside to see the beauty of all of this, we are reminded that only believers coming into the presence of the Lord, are able to discern the glory and beauty of His person. Though the white fine linen speaks of His perfect moral character, which is a delight to a believer’s heart, the world sees no beauty in Him: their eyes are blinded (Joh 12:37). Similarly as regards the blue, a reminder of His heavenly character, which Israel could not discern (Joh 6:42). The royal purple color tells us He is King, which Israel strongly denied (Joh 19:15). These three portray what is seen of Christ in the three Gospels, Luke, John and Matthew, in that order, while the scarlet is the color of attraction, just as the Lord’s service in Mark’s Gospel drew the attention of great numbers (Mar 1:33; Mar 1:37; Mar 2:2; Mar 2:7 etc.) How much better it would have been if people had been drawn by the perfection of the Lord’s moral character or the beauty of His heavenly glory, rather than by His miracles through which they might be benefitted. Yet sometimes, while the miracles first draw them, people are further drawn by the perfection and beauty of the person of the Lord Jesus. But all are seen in the sanctuary of His presence.

There were ten curtains, the number of human responsibility (as seen in the ten commandments), for these colors all connect with the Lord’s humanity, a humanity absolutely perfect, for the length of each curtain was 28 cubits, that is, 7 x 4. The seven speaks of perfection, while four is the number of weakness and dependence, which is further emphasized by the four cubit width of each curtain. Christ’s human weakness is seen in His “being wearied with His journey” (Joh 4:6), and in the words of 2Co 13:4, “For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God.” This weakness did not in any way imply failure, but dependence on God.

Five of the curtains were to be coupled together and the other five the same (possibly sewn). Then the two sets of five were to be joined by means of 50 loops of blue material attached to the selvage of each set (v.4), with golden clasps to attach the loops together. Thus a covering would be formed to extend from near the ground on either side right over the frame of the tabernacle. The loops and clasps would be in the middle. In this way the ten curtains were divided into five times two, the number indicating the reality of the Lord’s responsibility to God and the number two speaking of the witness to this in the world. The clasps of gold tell us that it is a work of divine power that unites together every aspect of the humanity of Christ.

THE CURTAIN OF GOATS’ HAIR

(vs.7-13)

Above the curtains of fine linen those of goats’ hair were placed. There were eleven of these instead of ten, and they were two cubits longer, though the same width. These of course would be more weather resistant, and would reach to the ground, as the fine linen curtains did not. Five of these were coupled together and the six others also coupled together, but the sixth curtain was to be doubled at the front of the tabernacle (v.9). The fifty loops of blue in each set and the copper clasps speak similarly to the same in the linen curtains, except that the copper speaks of God’s holiness in uniting these sets together. For the goats’ hair symbolizes, not the person of Christ, but His work as the substitutionary sacrifice for His people. This must be a perfectly holy sacrifice, typical of that of Calvary.

While the sixth curtain of goats’ hair was doubled at the front of the tent, this evidently meant that half of the curtain was doubled back, for verse 12 speaks of a remaining half curtain, which was to hang over the back of the tabernacle. Verse 13 then indicates that the extra two cubits of the length of the curtains (since these were 30 rather than 28) were to extend on either side one cubit lower than the inner curtain, so that the inner curtain was well covered, not to be seen from the outside.

THE CURTAINS OF RAMS’ SKINS AND BADGER SKINS

(v.14)

The size of these two coverings is not mentioned, nor how they were made, but they no doubt covered the others over completely. The covering of rams’ skins dyed red speaks of the sacrifice of Christ, not from the viewpoint of substitution, but from that of redemption. For Christ’s sacrifice was not only for the sake of substituting for us, but for the glory of God. The ram speaks of His willing devotion to God in His sacrifice, and being dyed red reminds us that the shedding of His blood was absolutely essential to satisfy the righteous claims of God against our sins. By that sacrifice we are redeemed to God (Rev 5:9).

But the covering of badger skins, or possibly sealskins, as some commentators consider likely, does not speak of sacrifice. This covering would necessarily be water proof, and whether badger skins or sealskins the color would be drab and unattractive to the eye. Yet this covering speaks of Christ also, as the others do. It reminds us of Isa 53:2 : “And when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.” This was true of Israel’s response when the Messiah came to them, and it is true of all classes of people everywhere. In their first view of the Lord Jesus they see nothing to attract them. There must be a work of the Spirit of God to open their eyes to see far more in Him than appears at first sight.

THE BOARDS AND SOCKETS

(vs.15-30)

Boards were made for walls on the two sides and on the back of the tabernacle, but not for the front, where a curtain was used. We have seen that all four coverings speak of Christ, but in regard to the boards another interesting feature is added. First, they stood upright, the length of each being ten cubits and the width one and a half cubits. These were made of acacia wood, so the tree must be large to provide such width (at least 27 inches). Verse 29 gives instructions that these were to be overlaid with gold. At first sight we might therefore think back to the ark and the table for showbread, both of which speak of Christ in His pure Manhood overlaid by His deity. But this does not fit, for the boards are standing on sockets of silver (v.19, etc.). Silver always speaks of redemption (see Num 3:45-51), and Christ certainly does not stand on redemption: it is only believers who stand on redemption: it is only believers who stand on this ground. While the acacia wood speaks of our humanity, the gold covering can only symbolize the divine nature with which every believer is invested through being born of God. Thus the boards are not seen, but the gold. Speaking of all those who are truly born again, 1Jn 2:24 tells us, “you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.” This does not mean that we become God, but we are covered by the nature of God, being no longer seen as “in the flesh,” but “in Christ,” or “in the Spirit.” This is marvelous grace.

The boards were standing, for the tenons and sockets were designed to keep them upright. Rom 14:4 reminds us concerning every true believer, “he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.” The ten cubit length however speaks of responsibility, for the believer does not stand merely as a lifeless robot, but with the exercise of willing, devoted faith that gladly bears a responsibility of testimony for God. The width of each board was one and one half cubits, the one speaking of unity as being joined with the other boards, but the extra half cubit seems to indicate that the full perfection of our place in Christ and the full perfection of our unity with all other believers will not be apprehended so long as we are in this wilderness world, but awaits the day of full manifestation.

On each side of the tabernacle (south and north) there were twenty boards (10 x 2), again emphasizing responsibility in witness, that is, our responsibility to bear a witness to what we are “in Christ.” In this the flesh has no place whatever. On the west end (the back) of the tabernacle were six boards, besides a board for each corner at the back (v.23). These may have been set at an angle. The number 6 perhaps tells us that our present testimony falls short of perfection, just as six falls short of seven. The corners required extra strength, for whenever God makes changes of direction in His ways, or his dispensations, He gives special grace or strength to His people. Various occasions in the book of Acts illustrate this (ch.2; ch.7; ch.8, ch.10) By means of the sockets of silver the boards were joined together at the bottom, and at the top by one ring (v.24). Exactly how this was done does not seem too clear, but we are sure the building was stable, resisting the winds of the wilderness.

Bars were made for the sides and back of the tabernacle, five for each side and five for the back (vs.26-27). four of the bars in each case were long enough only to reach half way, so that two met in the middle above the one long bar that reached from end to end, and the other two met in the middle below that long bar. These bars also were made of acacia wood overlaid with gold. The number five again speaks of responsibility and the bars indicate the unity of the saints of God as being held together by the gracious hand of God. Thus we are told in Eph 4:1-3 to “walk worthy of the calling with which you are called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Rings of gold were attached to the boards, through which the bars were inserted (v.29). We are not told the number of the rings. This may be one of the details that Moses was shown on the mountain (v.30), for he is told that the tabernacle was to be raised up in accordance with what the Lord had shown him there, so that no-one today can duplicate the plan of the tabernacle, even though we have the plans that scripture furnishes.

THE VAIL

(vs.31-35)

The vail was to be hung between the holy place and the most holy. It was to be made of blue, purple, scarlet and fine woven linen, with cherubim woven into it, though we are not told how many cherubim.

The significance of the vail is clearly announced in Heb 10:20 : “the vail, that is to say, His flesh.” It is the Lord Jesus, not in His eternal Godhead glory, but in Manhood. “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (Heb 2:14-15). The beauty of the Lord’s Manhood is seen in various ways. First, the blue speaks of Him as being a unique Man, coming down from heaven (Joh 6:51). In this verse He insists that He is the living bread and that bread is His flesh. He is true Man, yet a Man uniquely different than all the children of Adam.

Purple is the royal color, and speaks of the Lord Jesus as King of Israel, as Matthew presents Him, yet more than that, “King of kings and Lord of lords.” As King His Manhood is essential, as Mat 1:21 infers, “you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” This King saves His people by virtue of His own suffering and death, for in Matthew He is the trespass offering.

Scarlet is the attracting color, reminding us of the blood of Christ by which guilty sinners are attracted to Him to have their sins put away. This connects with Christ as the sin-offering, a prominent feature of Mark’s Gospel, which also presents the Lord Jesus as the perfect Servant of God accomplishing God’s will in fully meeting the sin question.

Finally the fine woven linen emphasizes the Lord’s Manhood in every detail of His character and conduct. These threads were extremely fine yet strong, and woven together. So all the moral character and conduct of the Lord Jesus was perfect in every detail and all woven together to form a pattern of exquisite beauty. Woven into the vail was an artistic design of cherubim. How many we do not know, but they speak of governmental control. Wonderful it is to know that the Lord Jesus was always perfect in governing Himself, perfect in self-control.

The vail separated the holy place from the most holy. Just so, the perfect flesh of the Lord Jesus forbids our entry into the holy presence of God. For it shows us the only king of a man who has any title whatever to enter God’s presence. Once a year the high priest was allowed to enter, not without blood, for the high priest is a type of the Lord Jesus, who entered heaven once, having accomplished eternal redemption by the shedding of His blood (Heb 9:11-12).

In order for believers to enter, however, it was necessary that the vail should be torn from the top to the bottom (Mat 27:51). This typifies the rending of the flesh of the Lord Jesus in sacrifice for us, so that the way is open for us to be welcomed into the presence of God. Thus Heb 10:19-22 tells us, “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He has consecrated for us, through the vail, that is to say, His flesh, and having a high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.”

The vail was to be hung upon four pillars of acacia wood overlaid with gold. These rested on silver sockets. Since standing on silver, they speak of believers as they are “in Christ,” dependent on His redemption. It may seem strange that believers in any sense “hold up” Christ. But we are reminded in Rev 3:12, “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out.” It will be our eternal joy to hold up the perfections of the blessed Man Christ Jesus.

Though we shall hold up the perfections of the Man Christ Jesus for eternity, yet the tabernacle does not speak of eternity, but of our passing through a wilderness world. So that these pillars supporting the veil speak of our holding up Christ as a testimony in the world. In fact, the number four is the world number (its four directions), so that this emphasizes a present lifting up of the Lord Jesus as the One worthy of the adoration of all the world. The hooks on the pillars were of gold.

Inside the veil, in the Holiest of all, the ark with its covering mercy seat was to be the one article of furniture (vs.33-34), for it is symbolic of the throne of God, and Christ the upholder of that throne. the table was outside the veil on the right side as one entered, and the lampstand opposite it on the left side (v.35). Not mentioned as yet is the altar of incense, which we shall see later was just outside the veil (ch.30:1-10).

THE ENTRANCE CURTAIN

(vs.36-37)

The entrance to the tabernacle was covered by a large curtain. It was made of the same materials as the veil except that no cherubim were interwoven into it. Of course it speaks also of the pure Manhood of the Lord Jesus, the only One by whom there is any entrance into even the outer sanctuary, as the Lord Jesus says, “If anyone enters in by Me, he will be saved” (Joh 10:9). Typically, entering into the first room is salvation, while entering through the veil is for worship.

Five pillars held up the entrance curtain, and they stood on sockets of brass (or copper), not silver. Brass speaks of the holiness of God, the brazen altar being a prime example of this. In this altar is seen God’s holiness in connection with the sacrifice of Christ, where the burning judgment of God was borne by Him in suffering for sins. How appropriate it is that the reminder of His sacrifice is seen in connection with the entrance, for only on this basis can one enter in by Christ, the living way.

The five pillars in this case do not represent believers, but the Lord Himself, who bears full responsibility (the number five) for the witness to His own sufficiency as the entrance for man into the blessing of salvation. Though believers stand upon redemption (silver), only the Lord Jesus stands upon a ground of pure holiness (brass), as seen in His sufferings, and only through Him and His sufferings can anyone enter in.

Fuente: Grant’s Commentary on the Bible

26:1 Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle [with] ten curtains [of] fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: [with] cherubims of {a} cunning work shalt thou make them.

(a) That is, of most cunning or fine work.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

The curtains 26:1-14

The extent to which these curtains were visible from inside the tabernacle is not clear in the text and has been the subject of debate by commentators. They were of four colors that some writers have interpreted as having symbolic significance on the basis of other biblical references to and uses of these colors. The colors were white (holiness), blue (heavenly origin and character), purple (royal glory), and crimson (blood and vigorous life). Blue was also the color of garments that people of high social standing wore (1Sa 18:4; 1Sa 24:4).

"Woven into the fabric of the curtains were images of cherubim, apparently intended to recall the theme of ’paradise lost’ by alluding to the cherubim which guarded the ’Tree of Life’ in Gen 3:24." [Note: Sailhamer, The Pentateuch . . ., p. 303.]

Some interpreters have seen in the goats’ skins separation from evil. The later prophets in Israel who dressed in goatskins called the people to holiness and separation from evil. Some have felt the rams’ skins dyed red taught the Israelites the importance of devotion to God since God specified the use of rams in some offerings of worship. A slightly different interpretation follows.

"Within the sanctuary, moving from the inside out, the curtains of fine linen were visible only to the priests who served in the presence of him who is purity and righteousness itself. The curtains of goats’ hair were reminders of the daily sin offering that was a kid from the goats (Num 28:15) and of our cleansing from sin (Leviticus 16). The covering of rams’ skins also recalled the sacrifice used in consecrating the priesthood (Leviticus 8); and it was deliberately dyed red, showing that the priesthood was set apart by blood. Finally, the protective coating of the sea cows’ [NIV; porpoise or dolphin, NASB; badger, AV, NKJV; goat, RSV] hides marked a protective separation between the dwelling place of God and the world." [Note: Kaiser, "Exodus," p. 459.]

The total area covered by these tapestries was 45 feet long by 15 feet wide by 15 feet high. The most holy place was a 15-foot cube and the holy place was 30 by 15 by 15 feet. Thus the tabernacle structure was only about one and a half modern parking spaces wide and a little more than two parking spaces long.

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

CHAPTER XXVI.

THE TABERNACLE.

Exo 26:1-37

We now come to examine the structure of the tabernacle for which the most essential furniture has been prepared.

Some confusion of thought exists, even among educated laymen, with regard to the arrangements of the temple; and this has led to similar confusion (to a less extent) concerning the corresponding parts of the tabernacle. “The temple” in which the Child Jesus was found, and into which Peter and John went up to pray, ought not to be confounded with that inner shrine, “the temple,” in which it was the lot of the priest Zacharias to burn incense, and into which Judas, forgetful of all its sacredness in his anguish, hurled his money to the priests (Luk 2:46; Act 3:3; Luk 1:9; Mat 27:5). Now, the former of these corresponded to “the court of the tabernacle,” an enclosure open to the skies, and containing two important articles, the altar of burnt sacrifices and the laver. This was accessible to the nation, so that the sinner could lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and the priests could purify themselves before entering their own sacred place, the tabernacle proper, the shrine. But when we come to the structure itself, some attention is still necessary, in order to derive any clear notion from the description; nor can this easily be done by an English reader without substituting the Revised Version for the Authorised. He will then discover that we have a description, first of the “curtains of the tabernacle” (Exo 26:1-6), and then of other curtains which are not considered to belong to the tabernacle proper, but to “the tent over the tabernacle” (Exo 26:7-13), being no part of the rich ornamental interior, but only a protection spread above it; and over this again were two further screens from the weather (Exo 26:14), and finally, inside all, are “the boards of the tabernacle”–of which boards the two actual apartments were constructed (Exo 26:15-30)–and the veil which divided the Holy from the Most Holy Place (Exo 26:31-33).

“The curtains of the tabernacle” were ten, made of linen, of which every thread consisted of fine strands twisted together, “and blue and purple and scarlet,” with cherubim not embroidered but woven into the fabric (Exo 26:1).

These curtains were sewn together, five and five, so as to make two great curtains, each slightly larger than forty-two feet by thirty, being twenty-eight cubits long by five times four cubits broad (Exo 26:2-3). Finally these two were linked together, each having fifty loops for that purpose at corresponding places at the edge, which loops were bound together by fifty golden clasps (Exo 26:4-6). Thus, when the nation was about to march, they could easily be divided in the middle and then folded in the seams.

This costly fabric was regarded as part of the true tabernacle: why, then, do we find the outer curtains mentioned before the rest of the tabernacle proper is described?

Certainly because these rich curtains lie immediately underneath the coarser ones, and are to be considered along with “the tent” which covered all (Exo 26:7). This consisted of curtains of goats’ hair, of the same size, and arranged in all respects like the others, except that their clasps were only bronze, and that the curtains were eleven in number, instead of ten, so that half a curtain was available to hang down over the back, and half was to be doubled back upon itself at the front of “the tabernacle,” that is to say, the richer curtains underneath. The object of this is obvious: it was to bring the centre of the goatskin curtains over the edge of the linen ones, as tiles overlap each other, to shut out the rain at the joints. But this implies, what has been said already, that the curtains of the tabernacle should lie close to the curtains of the tent.

Over these again was an outer covering of rams’ skins dyed red, and a covering of sealskins above all (Exo 26:14). This last, it is generally agreed, ran only along the top, like a ridge tile, to protect the vulnerable part of the roof. And now it has to be remembered that we are speaking of a real tent with sloping sides, not a flat cover laid upon the flat inner structure of boards, and certain to admit the rain. By calling attention to this fact, Mr. Fergusson succeeded in solving all the problems connected with the measurements of the tabernacle, and bringing order into what was little more than chaos before (Smith’s Bible Dict., “Temple”).

The inner tabernacle was of acacia wood, which was the only timber of the sanctuary. Each board stood ten cubits high, and was fitted by tenons into two silver sockets, which probably formed a continuous base. Each of these contained a talent of silver, and was therefore more than eighty pounds weight; and they were probably to some extent sunk into the ground for a foundation (Exo 38:27). There were twenty boards on each side; and as they were a cubit and a half broad, the length of the tabernacle was about forty-five feet (Exo 26:16-18). At the west end there were six boards (Exo 26:22), which, with the breadth of the two posts or boards for the corners (Exo 26:23-24) just gives ten cubits, or fifteen feet, for the width of it. Thus the length of the tabernacle was three times its breadth; and we know that in the Temple (where all the proportions were the same, the figures being doubled throughout) the subdividing veil was so hung as to make the inner shrine a perfect square, leaving the holy place twice as long as it was broad.

The posts were held in their places by wooden bars, which were overlaid with gold (as the boards also were, Exo 26:29) and fitted into golden rings. Four such bars, or bolts, ran along a portion of each side, and there was a fifth great bar which stretched along the whole forty-five feet from end to end. Thus the edifice was firmly held together; and the wealth of the material makes it likely that they were fixed on the inside, and formed a part of the ornament of the edifice (Exo 26:26-29).

When the two curtains were fastened together with clasps, they gave a length of sixty feet. But we have seen that the length of the boards when jointed together was only forty-five feet. This gives a projection of seven feet and a half (five cubits) for the front and rear of the tent beyond the tabernacle of boards; and when the great curtains were drawn tight, sloping from the ridge-pole fourteen cubits on each side, it has been shown (assuming a right-angle at the top) that they reached within five cubits of the ground, and extended five cubits beyond the sides, the same distance as at the front and rear. The next instructions concern the veil which divided the two chambers of the sanctuary. This was in all respects like “the curtain of the tabernacle,” and similarly woven with cherubim. It was hung upon four pillars; and the even number seems to prove that there was no higher one in the centre, reaching to the roof–which seems to imply that there was a triangular opening above the veil, between the Holy and the Most Holy Place (Exo 26:31-32).

But here a difficult question arises. There is no specific measurement of the point at which this subdividing veil was to stretch across the tent. The analogy of the Temple inclines us to believe that the Most Holy Place was a perfect cube, and the Holy Place twice as long as it was broad and high. There is evident allusion to this final shape of the Most Holy Place in the description of the New Jerusalem, of which the length and breadth and height were equal. And yet there is strong reason to suspect that this arrangement was not the primitive one. For Moses was ordered to stretch the veil underneath the golden clasps which bound together the two great curtains of the tabernacle (Exo 26:33). But these were certainly in the middle. How, then, could the veil make an unequal division below? Possibly fifteen feet square would have been too mean a space for the dimensions of the Most Holy Place, although the perfect cube became desirable, when the size was doubled.

A screen of the same rich material, but apparently not embroidered with cherubim, was to stretch across the door of the tent; but this was supported on five pillars instead of four, clearly that the central one might support the ridge-bar of the roof. And their sockets were of brass (Exo 26:36-37).

The tabernacle, like the Temple, had its entrance on the east (Exo 26:22); and in the case of the Temple this was the more remarkable, because the city lay at the other side, and the worshippers had to pass round the shrine before they reached the front of it. The object was apparently to catch the warmth of the sun. For a somewhat similar reason, every pagan temple in the ancient world, with a few well-defined exceptions which are easily explained, also faced the east; and the worshippers, with their backs to the dawn, saw the first beams of the sun kindling their idol’s face. The orientation of Christian churches is due to the custom which made the neophyte, standing at first in his familiar position westward, renounce the devil and all his works, and then, turning his back upon his idols, recite the creed with his face eastward.

What ideas would be suggested by this edifice to the worshipper will better be examined when we have examined also the external court.

Fuente: Expositors Bible Commentary

Disfruta de miles de canciones cristianas en exclusiva sólo en Bibles