Exodus 36:8-38

Construction Proceeds

8 ¹All the skillful * men * among those who were performing the work made the tabernacle with ten curtains; of fine twisted linen and blue and purple and scarlet material, with cherubim, the work of a skillful workman, Bezalel made them.

9 The length of each curtain was twenty-eight * cubits and the width of each curtain four cubits; all the curtains had the same measurements.

10 He joined five curtains to one another and the other five curtains he joined to one another.

11 He made loops of blue on the edge of the outermost curtain in the first set; he did likewise on the edge of the curtain that was outermost in the second set.

12 He made ²fifty loops in the one curtain and he made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that was in the second set; the loops were opposite each other.

13 He made ³fifty clasps of gold and joined the curtains to one another with the clasps, so the tabernacle was a unit.

14 Then ⁴he made curtains of goats' hair for a tent over the tabernacle; he made eleven * curtains in all.

15 The length of each curtain was thirty cubits and four cubits the width of each curtain; the eleven * curtains had the same measurements.

16 He joined five curtains by themselves and the other six curtains by themselves.

17 Moreover, he made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that was outermost in the first set, and he made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that was outermost in the second set.

18 He made fifty clasps of bronze to join the tent together so that it would be a unit.

19 He made a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering of porpoise skins above *.

20 ⁵Then he made the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing upright.

21 Ten cubits was the length of each board and one and a half cubits the width of each board.

22 There were two tenons for each board, fitted to one another; thus he did for all the boards of the tabernacle.

23 He made the boards for the tabernacle: twenty boards for the south * side;

24 and he made 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.

25 Then for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, he made twenty boards,

26 and their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board and two sockets under another board.

27 For the rear of the tabernacle, to the west, he made six boards.

28 He made two boards for the corners of the tabernacle at the rear.

29 They were double beneath, and together they were complete to its top to the first ring; thus he did with both of them for the two corners.

30 There were eight boards with their sockets of silver, sixteen * sockets, two under every board.

31 Then he made ⁶bars of acacia wood, five for the boards of one side of the tabernacle,

32 and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the tabernacle for the rear side to the west.

33 He made the middle bar to pass through in the center of the boards from end to end.

34 He overlaid the boards with gold and made their rings of gold as holders for the bars, and overlaid the bars with gold.

35 ⁷Moreover, he made the veil of blue and purple and scarlet material, and fine twisted linen; he made it with cherubim, the work of a skillful workman.

36 He made four pillars of acacia for it, and overlaid them with gold, with their hooks of gold; and he cast four sockets of silver for them.

37 He made a ⁸screen for the doorway of the tent, of blue and purple and scarlet material, and fine twisted linen, the work of a weaver;

38 and he made its ⁹five pillars with their hooks, and he overlaid their tops and their bands with gold; but their five sockets were of bronze.

Exodus 36:8-38 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 36

Bezaleel and Aholiab, with the artificers under them, having a call as well as qualifications for the service of the sanctuary, and having received from Moses the materials for it, set about it, Ex 36:1-3 but the people bringing more than was necessary, they acquaint Moses with it, who by a proclamation restrained from it, Ex 36:4-7 and next an account is given of the several things that were wrought by them, as first the curtains for the tabernacle, both of linen and goats' hair, and the coverings of them, Ex 36:8-19 next the boards for the tabernacle, and the sockets they were set in, and the bars for the boards, Ex 36:20-34 and then the vail which parted the most holy place from the holy place, and the hanging which divided between the holy place and the court, Ex 36:35-38.

Cross References

• 1. Exodus 26:1-14
• 2. Exodus 26:5
• 3. Exodus 26:6
• 4. Exodus 26:7-14
• 5. Exodus 26:15-29
• 6. Exodus 26:26-29
• 7. Exodus 26:31-37
• 8. Exodus 26:36
• 9. Exodus 26:37

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "wise of heart"
• [b]. Lit "dwelling place"
• [c]. Or "violet"
• [d]. Lit "he"
• [e]. I.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in.
• [f]. I.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in.
• [g]. Lit "one measure"
• [h]. Or "coupled"
• [i]. Or "coupled"
• [j]. Or "violet"
• [k]. Lit "one curtain from the end in the coupling"
• [l]. Lit "coupling"
• [m]. Lit "one curtain from the end in the coupling"
• [n]. Lit "coupling"
• [o]. Lit "end"
• [p]. Lit "coupling"
• [q]. Or "coupled"
• [r]. Lit "one"
• [s]. Lit "in number"
• [t]. Lit "one measure"
• [u]. Or "coupled"
• [v]. Lit "coupling"
• [w]. Lit "coupling"
• [x]. Or "copper"
• [y]. Or "couple"
• [z]. Lit "one"
• [aa]. Or "tanned"
• [ab]. Lit "the"
• [ac]. Lit "bound"
• [ad]. Lit "to the side of the Negev, to the south"
• [ae]. Or "bases"
• [af]. Or "bases"
• [ag]. Or "bases"
• [ah]. Or "bases"
• [ai]. Or "bases"
• [aj]. Or "bases"
• [ak]. Lit "extreme parts"
• [al]. Lit "dwelling place"
• [am]. Lit "extreme parts"
• [an]. Or "head"
• [ao]. Or "with reference to"
• [ap]. Or "bases"
• [aq]. Or "bases"
• [ar]. Lit "two sockets"
• [as]. Or "second"
• [at]. Lit "extreme parts"
• [au]. Lit "midst"
• [av]. Or "violet"
• [aw]. Or "bases"
• [ax]. Or "violet"
• [ay]. Lit "variegator;" i.e. a weaver in colors
• [az]. Or "fillets, rings"
• [ba]. Or "bases"
• [bb]. Or "copper"