Exodus 36:17

And he made fifty loops upon the uttermost edge of the curtain in the coupling, and fifty loops made he upon the edge of the curtain which coupleth the second.

And he made {H6213} fifty {H2572} loops {H3924} upon the uttermost {H7020} edge {H8193} of the curtain {H3407} in the coupling {H4225}, and fifty {H2572} loops {H3924} made {H6213} he upon the edge {H8193} of the curtain {H3407} which coupleth {H2279} the second {H8145}.

He made fifty loops on the edge of the outermost sheet in the first set and fifty loops on the outermost sheet in the second set.

He made fifty loops along the edge of the end curtain in the first set, and fifty loops along the edge of the corresponding curtain in the second set.

And he made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that was outmost in the coupling, and fifty loops made he upon the edge of the curtain which was outmost in the second coupling.

Commentary

Exodus 36:17 details a specific step in the construction of the Tabernacle's inner curtains, focusing on the meticulous craftsmanship required for its assembly. This verse describes the creation of fifty loops on the edges of two sets of curtains, designed to perfectly interlock and join the sections together, forming a unified covering for the Holy Place.

Context

This verse is part of the extensive narrative in Exodus 35-40, which chronicles the actual building of the Tabernacle and its furnishings by skilled craftsmen like Bezaleel and Aholiab, empowered by the Spirit of God. Their work precisely followed the divine blueprints given to Moses on Mount Sinai, as recorded earlier in Exodus 26. The particular instructions for these loops are found in Exodus 26:4, emphasizing the exact number and placement. The Tabernacle was to be God's dwelling place among His people, a sacred space where He would meet with them (Exodus 25:8).

Key Themes

  • Divine Precision and Obedience: The exact number (fifty) and specific placement of the loops highlight God's demand for meticulous adherence to His instructions. This underscores the importance of obedience in every detail when serving God.
  • Unity and Connection: The primary purpose of these loops was to "couple" or join the two large sections of curtains. This act of coupling symbolizes the essential unity required in God's dwelling place and, by extension, within His people.
  • God's Meticulous Design: Every component of the Tabernacle, no matter how small, was divinely designed and crucial for its proper function and symbolic meaning.
  • Skilled Craftsmanship: The execution of such precise work required extraordinary skill, which the Bible attributes to the craftsmen being filled with the Spirit of God (Exodus 35:31).

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "loops" is lul'ot (ืœึปืœึฐืึนืช), simply denoting a loop or eyelet. The word for "coupling" or "which coupleth" is related to the root chabar (ื—ึธื‘ึทืจ), meaning "to join," "to unite," or "to bind together." This term underscores the function of these loops in creating a seamless, unified structure, vital for the integrity of the Tabernacle's covering.

Significance and Application

The detailed instructions for the Tabernacle, including the loops on its curtains, teach us several timeless principles:

  1. God Values Exactness: God cares about the details. Our service to Him, whether in worship, ministry, or daily life, should be marked by carefulness and faithfulness to His revealed will.
  2. The Importance of Unity: Just as the curtains were perfectly joined to create one sanctuary, believers are called to maintain unity in the body of Christ. The apostle Paul speaks of the church as one body with many members, emphasizing the need for each part to be rightly joined and functioning together (Ephesians 4:3).
  3. God Enables Service: The craftsmen were divinely gifted for their intricate work. Similarly, God equips believers with spiritual gifts to serve Him and build up His spiritual house (1 Peter 2:5).
  4. Foreshadowing Christ: The Tabernacle, with its precise construction and unified design, ultimately pointed to Christ as the perfect dwelling place of God among humanity (John 1:14) and the one who perfectly unites humanity to God.
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Cross-References

No cross-references found.