Exodus 26:8

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

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.

Complete Jewish Bible:

Each sheet is to be forty-five feet long and six feet wide -all eleven sheets are to be the same size.

Berean Standard Bible:

Each of the eleven curtains is to be the same size—thirty cubits long and four cubits wide.

American Standard Version:

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

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

The length{H753} of one{H259} curtain{H3407} shall be thirty{H7970} cubits{H520}, and the breadth{H7341} of one{H259} curtain{H3407} four{H702} cubits{H520}: and the eleven{H6249}{H6240} curtains{H3407} shall be all of one{H259} measure{H4060}.

Cross-References (KJV):

Exodus 26:13

  • 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, it shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle on this side and on that side, to cover it.

Exodus 26:2

  • 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.

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Commentary for Exodus 26:8

26:8 is a verse from the book of Exodus, which is part of the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament. The book of Exodus recounts the story of the Israelites' liberation from slavery in Egypt, their journey through the wilderness, and the establishment of their covenant with God at Mount Sinai.

Exodus 26 provides detailed instructions for constructing the Tabernacle, a portable dwelling place for God, which the Israelites were to build so that He could dwell among them during their wilderness wanderings. The Tabernacle was to be a sacred space where God's presence would be particularly manifest, and where sacrifices and worship would be conducted according to divine instruction.

The verse in question, Exodus 26:8, specifies the dimensions for the curtains that were to form the roof and sides of the Tabernacle structure. These curtains were to be made of fine linen and colored yarns, including blue, purple, and scarlet. The precise measurements indicate the importance of the structure's design and the care required in its construction.

Themes in this verse include:

1. **Divine Detail**: The meticulous instructions for the Tabernacle's construction reflect the exactness with which God's commands were to be followed, emphasizing the importance of obedience and the sanctity of the space.

2. **Holiness and Separation**: The Tabernacle was to be set apart from the rest of the camp, both physically and ritually, symbolizing the separation between the sacred and the profane.

3. **God's Presence**: The Tabernacle was designed to be a dwelling place for God, highlighting the theme of God's desire to be close to His people.

4. **Community Unity**: The uniformity of the curtain sizes (all eleven curtains of the same measure) may symbolize the unity of the Israelite community in their worship and adherence to God's laws.

The historical context of Exodus 26:8 is rooted in the period after the Israelites' exodus from Egypt, likely in the 13th century BCE, during their journey to the Promised Land. The instructions for the Tabernacle would have been given to Moses by God on Mount Sinai, and the Tabernacle itself would have been constructed by skilled artisans among the Israelites, using materials donated by the people. The detailed description of the Tabernacle's construction serves as a blueprint for creating a space that was both functional for worship and symbolic of the Israelites' relationship with God.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

  1. Strong's Number: H753
    There are 149 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אֹרֶךְ
    Transliteration: ʼôrek
    Pronunciation: o'rek'
    Description: from אָרַךְ; length; [phrase] forever, length, long.
  2. Strong's Number: H259
    There are 801 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אֶחָד
    Transliteration: ʼechâd
    Pronunciation: ekh-awd'
    Description: a numeral from אָחַד; properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first; a, alike, alone, altogether, and, any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-) ly, each (one), [phrase] eleven, every, few, first, [phrase] highway, a man, once, one, only, other, some, together,
  3. Strong's Number: H3407
    There are 32 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יְרִיעָה
    Transliteration: yᵉrîyʻâh
    Pronunciation: yer-ee-aw'
    Description: from יָרַע; a hanging (as tremulous); curtain.
  4. Strong's Number: H7970
    There are 164 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: שְׁלוֹשִׁים
    Transliteration: shᵉlôwshîym
    Pronunciation: shel-o-sheem'
    Description: or שְׁלֹשִׁים; multiple of שָׁלוֹשׁ; thirty; or (ordinal) thirtieth; thirty, thirtieth. Compare שָׁלִישׁ.
  5. Strong's Number: H520
    There are 240 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אַמָּה
    Transliteration: ʼammâh
    Pronunciation: am-maw'
    Description: prolonged from אֵם; properly, a mother (i.e. unit of measure, or the fore-arm (below the elbow), i.e. a cubit; also a door-base (as a bond of the entrance); cubit, [phrase] hundred (by exchange for מֵאָה), measure, post.
  6. Strong's Number: H7341
    There are 89 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: רֹחַב
    Transliteration: rôchab
    Pronunciation: ro'-khab
    Description: from רָחַב; width (literally or figuratively); breadth, broad, largeness, thickness, wideness.
  7. Strong's Number: H702
    There are 383 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אַרְבַּע
    Transliteration: ʼarbaʻ
    Pronunciation: ar-bah'
    Description: masculine אַרְבָּעָה; from רָבַע; four; four.
  8. Strong's Number: H6249
    There are 18 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: עַשְׁתֵּי
    Transliteration: ʻashtêy
    Pronunciation: ash-tay'
    Description: apparently masculine plural construction of עֶשֶׁת in the sense of an afterthought (used only in connection with עָשָׂר in lieu of אֶחָד); eleven or (ordinal) eleventh; [phrase] eleven(-th).
  9. Strong's Number: H6240
    There are 292 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: עָשָׂר
    Transliteration: ʻâsâr
    Pronunciation: aw-sawr'
    Description: for עֶשֶׂר; ten (only in combination), i.e. -teen; also (ordinal) -teenth; (eigh-, fif-, four-, nine-, seven-, six-, thir-) teen(-th), [phrase] eleven(-th), [phrase] sixscore thousand, [phrase] twelve(-th).
  10. Strong's Number: H4060
    There are 53 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: מִדָּה
    Transliteration: middâh
    Pronunciation: mid-daw'
    Description: feminine of מַד; properly, extension, i.e. height or breadth; also a measure (including its standard); hence a portion (as measured) or a vestment; specifically, tribute (as measured); garment, measure(-ing, meteyard, piece, size, (great) stature, tribute, wide.