Exodus 36:2-12

2 So Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and all the others who were specially gifted by the LORD and were eager to get to work.

3 Moses gave them the materials donated by the people of Israel as sacred offerings for the completion of the sanctuary. But the people continued to bring additional gifts each morning.

4 Finally the craftsmen who were working on the sanctuary left their work.

5 They went to Moses and reported, “The people have given more than enough materials to complete the job the LORD has commanded us to do!”

6 So Moses gave the command, and this message was sent throughout the camp: “Men and women, don’t prepare any more gifts for the sanctuary. We have enough!” So the people stopped bringing their sacred offerings.

7 Their contributions were more than enough to complete the whole project.

8 The skilled craftsmen made ten curtains of finely woven linen for the Tabernacle. Then Bezalel decorated the curtains with blue, purple, and scarlet thread and with skillfully embroidered cherubim.

9 All ten curtains were exactly the same size—42 feet long and 6 feet wide.

10 Five of these curtains were joined together to make one long curtain, and the other five were joined to make a second long curtain.

11 He made fifty loops of blue yarn and put them along the edge of the last curtain in each set.

12 The fifty loops along the edge of one curtain matched the fifty loops along the edge of the other curtain.

Exodus 36:2-12 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Hebrew he; also in 36:16, 20, 35 . See 37:1 .
• [b]. Hebrew 28 cubits [12.9 meters] long and 4 cubits [1.8 meters] wide.