Exodus 26

1 `And thou dost make the tabernacle: ten curtains of twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet; [with] cherubs, work of a designer, thou dost make them;

2 the length of the one curtain [is] eight and twenty by the cubit, and the breadth of the one curtain four by the cubit, one measure [is] to all the curtains;

3 five of the curtains are joining one unto another, and five curtains are joining one to another.

4 `And thou hast made loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain, at the end in the joining; and so thou makest in the edge of the outermost curtain, in the joining of the second.

5 fifty loops thou dost make in the one curtain, and fifty loops thou dost make in the edge of the curtain which [is] in the joining of the second, causing the loops to take hold one unto another;

6 and thou hast made fifty hooks of gold, and hast joined the curtains one to another by the hooks, and the tabernacle hath been one.

7 `And thou hast made curtains of goats' [hair], for a tent over the tabernacle; thou dost make eleven curtains:

8 the length of the one curtain [is] thirty by the cubit, and the breadth of the one curtain four by the cubit; one measure [is] to the eleven curtains;

9 and thou hast joined the five curtains apart, and the six curtains apart, and hast doubled the six curtains over-against the front of the tent.

10 `And thou hast made fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain, the outermost in the joining, and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain which is joining the second;

11 and thou hast made fifty hooks of brass, and hast brought in the hooks into the loops, and hast joined the tent, and it hath been one.

12 `And the superfluity in the curtains of the tent -- the half of the curtain which is superfluous -- hath spread over the hinder part of the tabernacle;

13 and the cubit on this side, and the cubit on that, in the superfluity in the length of the curtains of the tent, is spread out over the sides of the tabernacle, on this and on that, to cover it;

14 and thou hast made a covering for the tent, of rams' skins made red, and a covering of badgers' skins above.

15 `And thou hast made the boards for the tabernacle, of shittim wood, standing up;

16 ten cubits [is] the length of the board, and a cubit and a half the breadth of the one board;

17 two handles [are] to the one board, joined one unto another; so thou dost make for all the boards of the tabernacle;

18 and thou hast made the boards of the tabernacle: twenty boards for the south side southward;

19 and forty sockets of silver thou dost make under the twenty boards, two sockets under the one board for its two handles, and two sockets under the other board for its two handles.

20 `And for the second side of the tabernacle, for the north side, [are] twenty boards,

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

22 And for the sides of the tabernacle westward, thou dost make six boards.

23 And two boards thou dost make for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides.

24 And they are pairs beneath, and together they are pairs above its head unto the one ring; so is it for them both, they are for the two corners.

25 And they have been eight boards, and their sockets of silver [are] sixteen sockets, two sockets under the one board, and two sockets under another board.

26 `And thou hast made bars of shittim wood: five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle,

27 and five bars for the boards of the second side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle at the two sides, westward;

28 and one hath caused the middle bar in the midst of the boards to reach from end unto end;

29 and the boards thou dost overlay [with] gold, and their rings thou dost make of gold places for bars, and hast overlaid their bars with gold;

30 and thou hast raised up the tabernacle according to its fashion which thou hast been shewn in the mount.

31 `And thou hast made a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen, work of a designer; he maketh it [with] cherubs;

32 and thou hast put it on four pillars of shittim wood, overlaid [with] gold, their pegs [are] of gold, on four sockets of silver.

33 `And thou hast put the vail under the hooks, and hast brought in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony; and the vail hath made a separation for you between the holy and the holy of holies.

34 `And thou hast put the mercy-seat on the ark of the testimony, in the holy of holies.

35 `And thou hast set the table at the outside of the vail, and the candlestick over-against the table on the side of the tabernacle southward, and the table thou dost put on the north side.

36 `And thou hast made a covering for the opening of the tent, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen, work of an embroiderer;

37 and thou hast made for the covering five pillars of shittim [wood], and hast overlaid them [with] gold, their pegs [are] of gold, and thou hast cast for them five sockets of brass.

Exodus 26 Commentary

Chapter 26

The curtains of the tabernacle. (1-6) The curtains of goats' hair. (7-14) The boards, sockets, and bars. (15-30) The vail of the holy of holies, and for the entrance. (31-37)

Verses 1-6 God manifested his presence among the Israelites in a tabernacle or tent, because of their condition in the wilderness. God suits the tokens of his favour, and the gifts of his grace, to his people's state and wants. The curtains of the tabernacle were to be very rich. They were to be embroidered with cherubim, signifying that the angels of God pitch their tents round about the church, ( Psalms 34:7 ) .

Verses 7-14 The curtains of meaner materials, being made both longer and broader, covered the others, and were defended by coverings of skins. The whole represents the person and doctrine of Christ, and the church of true Christians, and all heavenly things, which outwardly are mean, but inwardly, and in the sight of God, are glorious and precious.

Verses 15-30 The sockets of silver each weighed about 115 pounds; they were placed in rows on the ground. In every pair of these sockets, a strong board of shittim-wood, covered with plates of gold, was fitted by mortises and tenons. Thus walls were formed for the two sides, and for the west end. The wall was further held together by bars, which passed through rings of gold. Over this the curtains were spread. Though movable, it was strong and firm. The materials were very costly. In all this it was a type of the church of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner-stone, ( ephesians 2:20 ephesians 2:21 ) .

Verses 31-37 A vail, or curtain, separated the holy place from the most holy place. It was hung upon pillars. This vail was for a partition between the holy place and the most holy; which forbade any to look into the holiest of all. The apostle tells what was the meaning of this vail, ( Hebrews 9:8 ) . That the ceremonial law could not make the comers thereunto perfect, nor would the observance of it bring men to heaven; the way into the holiest of all was not made manifest, while the first tabernacle was standing. Life and immortality lay hidden till they were brought to light by the gospel; which was signified by the rending of this vail at the death of Christ, ( Matthew 27:51 ) . We have now boldness to enter into the holiest, in all acts of worship, by the blood of Jesus; yet such as obliges us to holy reverence. Another vail was for the outer door of the tabernacle. This vail was all the defence the tabernacle had. God takes care of his church on earth. A curtain shall be, if God please to make it so, as strong a defence to his house, as gates of brass and bars of iron. With this typical description of Christ and his church before us, what is our judgment of these matters? Do we see any glory in the person of Christ? any excellence in his character? any thing precious in his salvation? or any wisdom in the doctrine of the cross? Will our religion bear examination? and are we more careful to approve our hearts to God than our characters toward men?

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 26

In this chapter a description is given of the tabernacle itself, and first of its inward curtains, of their number, matter, length, and breadth, and the manner of coupling them together, Ex 26:1-6, and then of the outward curtains of it, their number, matter, length, and breadth, and coupling, and how disposed of, Ex 26:7-13, and next of the two coverings of the tabernacle, of rams' skins and badgers' skins, Ex 22:14, the boards for the tabernacle are also described, with their tenons and sockets, Ex 26:15-25 and the bars and rings for it, by which it was kept firm together, Ex 26:26-30, an account is given of the vail between the holy and the most holy place, Ex 26:31-35, and of the hanging for the door of the tabernacle, Ex 26:36,37.