Numbers 3:26

26 and the hangings of the court, and the vail at the opening of the court, which [is] by the tabernacle and by the altar round about, and its cords, to all its service.

Numbers 3:26 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 3:26

And the hangings of the court
Which formed the great open court that encompassed the tabernacle, and was an hundred cubits long and fifty broad; ( Exodus 27:9-13 ) ;

and the curtain for the door of the court:
which was an hanging of twenty cubits, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen, ( Exodus 27:16 ) ;

which [is] by the tabernacle, and by the altar round about:
this refers to the court, the hangings, and curtains of the door of it, which are spoken of; and this court surrounded the tabernacle, and the altar which was without the tabernacle, as Aben Ezra observes, and which was the altar of burnt offering that stood within this court; for the particle (le) sometimes signifies "about" F19, and the word (bybo) , "around", being joined with it, requires this sense:

and the cords of it;
which seem to be the cords of the court, which fastened the hangings and curtains to brass pins, or stakes fixed in the ground to keep them tight, that the wind might not move them to and fro; but Jarchi says, these were the cords of the tabernacle and tent, and not of the court; and indeed the tabernacle had its cords as well as the court, ( Exodus 38:18 ) ; the cords of the court were in the charge of the Merarites, ( Numbers 3:37 ) ;

for all the service thereof:
for that part of the tabernacle and court which the Gershonites had in their care and custody.


FOOTNOTES:

F19 Vid. Nold. Partic. Ebr. Concord. p. 992.

Numbers 3:26 In-Context

24 And the prince of a father's house for the Gershonite [is] Eliasaph son of Lael.
25 And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tent of meeting [is] the tabernacle, and the tent, its covering, and the vail at the opening of the tent of meeting,
26 and the hangings of the court, and the vail at the opening of the court, which [is] by the tabernacle and by the altar round about, and its cords, to all its service.
27 And of Kohath [is] the family of the Amramite, and the family of the Izharite, and the family of the Hebronite, and the family of the Uzzielite; these are families of the Kohathite.
28 In number, all the males, from a son of a month and upward, [are] eight thousand and six hundred, keeping the charge of the sanctuary.
Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.