English · ASV

Exodus 26

Listen to this chapter
0:00 0:00

The Inner Curtains of Linen 1–6

1
Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains; of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, with cherubim 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. ​

The Outer Covering of Goats' Hair 7–14

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. ​

The Frame of Shittim Wood 15–30

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. ​

The Veil and Internal Arrangement 31–35

31
And thou shalt make a veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: with cherubim 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. ​

The Entrance Screen 36–37

36
And thou shalt make a screen for the door of the Tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, 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.

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Exodus 26

Verse 1

ten curtains of fine twined linen — Yeriah is a curtain, hung over the mishkan; shesh is the linen and shazar means twisted. 'Cunning work' (chashab) is the work of a skilled designer, so the cherubim are worked into the cloth, as in the veil (v.31). Ex 36:8 says that 'every wise hearted man' among the workers made the curtains.

Verse 6

fifty taches of gold — Qeres is a clasp or knob. Fifty gold clasps join the linen curtains, 'and it shall be one tabernacle'; Ex 36:13 repeats that 'it became one tabernacle'. The tent of goats' hair is joined differently, with fifty taches 'of brass' (v.11), so that the covering also may be 'one'.

Verse 7

curtains of goats' hair — The 'covering' here is ohel, a tent: the goats' hair forms a tent set over the mishkan. There are eleven curtains, one more than the linen ten (v.1). The material was spun by hand: 'all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun goats' hair' (Ex 35:26).

Verse 14

rams' skins dyed red — Mikseh is a covering. Over the tent come rams' skins (or, hide) 'dyed red' (adam), and above them tachash skins, rendered 'badgers' skins'; the same word is in Ezek 16:10, 'shod thee with badgers' skin'. On the march the ark was covered with 'the covering of badgers' skins' (Num 4:6).

Verse 15

boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood standing up — Qeresh is a board or plank, and 'standing up' is amad: the frames stand upright to form the walls. They are overlaid with gold (v.29) and set in sockets of silver (v.19). The Merarites carried 'the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and sockets thereof' (Num 4:31).

Verse 19

forty sockets of silver — Eden is a base or pedestal. 'Tenons' is yad, hand: each board has two hands set in two sockets. The silver came from the half shekel given by every man numbered, 'a ransom for his soul' (Ex 30:12–13); of the hundred talents 'were cast the sockets of the sanctuary, and the sockets of the vail' (Ex 38:27).

Verse 28

the middle bar — Bariach is a bolt or bar. The middle one runs 'in the midst of the boards' (tavek, midst) 'from end to end'; 'reach' is barach, the verb used in Ex 36:33, 'to shoot through the boards from the one end to the other'. The bars were overlaid with gold, as the boards were (v.29).

Verse 30

the fashion thereof which was shewed thee in the mount — 'Fashion' is mishpat, the word usually rendered 'judgment', as in Ex 21:1. The command echoes Ex 25:9 and 25:40. Moses obeyed: 'Moses reared up the tabernacle' (Ex 40:18). Hebrews cites the charge (Heb 8:5), as does Stephen (Acts 7:44).

Verse 31

a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet — Parocheth, the veil, is a separator. It has the same colours and linen as the curtains (v.1), with cherubim worked in. At the death of Christ 'the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom' (Matt 27:51); Hebrews speaks of a way 'through the veil, that is to say, his flesh' (Heb 10:20).

Verse 33

divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy — Badal is to separate. The ark is brought 'within the vail', and the veil hangs 'under the taches' that joined the curtains. Hebrews calls the inner room 'after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all', into which 'went the high priest alone once every year' (Heb 9:3, 7).

Verse 35

the table without the vail — Chuts is outside. The table stands on the north (tsaphon) side, outside the veil, and the candlestick 'over against' it on the south (teman). Moses set them so (Ex 40:22–24). Hebrews names them as the furniture of the first tabernacle: 'the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread' (Heb 9:2).

Verse 36

an hanging for the door of the tent — Masak is a screen, from the root sakak, to cover. It has the same blue, purple, scarlet and linen as the veil, but 'wrought with needlework' (raqam, embroidery) and with no cherubim named. It hangs on five pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold, set in five sockets of brass (v.37).