Worthy.Bible » BBE » Exodus » Chapter 26 » Verse 31-37

Exodus 26:31-37 Bible in Basic English (BBE)

31 And you are to make a veil of the best linen, blue and purple and red, worked with designs of winged ones by a good workman:

32 Hanging it by gold hooks from four pillars of wood, plated with gold and fixed in silver bases.

33 And you are to put up the veil under the hooks, and put inside it the ark of the law: the veil is to be a division between the holy place and the most holy.

34 You are to put the cover on the ark of the law, inside the most holy place.

35 And outside the veil you are to put the table, and the support for the lights opposite the table on the south side of the House; and the table is to be on the north side.

36 And you are to make a curtain for the doorway of the Tent, of the best linen with needlework of blue and purple and red.

37 And make five pillars for the curtain, of hard wood plated with gold; their hooks are to be of gold and their bases of brass

Commentary on Exodus 26 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


CHAPTER 26

Ex 26:1-37. Ten Curtains

1. cunning work—that is, of elegant texture, richly embroidered. The word "cunning," in old English, is synonymous with "skilful."

2. length—Each curtain was to be fifteen yards in length and a little exceeding two in breadth.

3. The five curtains shall be coupled together one to another, &c.—so as to form two grand divisions, each eleven yards wide.

6. taches—clasps; supposed in shape, as well as in use, to be the same as hooks and eyes.

7-13. curtains of goats' hair—These coarse curtains were to be one more in number than the others, and to extend a yard lower on each side, the use of them being to protect and conceal the richer curtains.

14. a covering … of rams' skins dyed red—that is, of Turkey red leather. [See on Ex 39:34.]

15-30. thou shalt make boards … rear up the tabernacle according to the fashion … which was showed thee—The tabernacle, from its name as well as from its general appearance and arrangements, was a tent; but from the description given in these verses, the boards that formed its walls, the five (cross) bars that strengthened them, and the middle bar that "reached from end to end," and gave it solidity and compactness, it was evidently a more substantial fabric than a light and fragile tent, probably on account of the weight of its various coverings as well as for the protection of its precious furniture.

36. an hanging for the door of the tent—Curtains of rich and elaborate embroidery, made by the women, are suspended over the doors or entrances of the tents occupied by Eastern chiefs and princes. In a similar style of elegance was the hanging finished which was to cover the door of this tabernacle—the chosen habitation of the God and King of Israel. It appears from Ex 26:12, 22, 23, that the ark and mercy seat were placed in the west end of the tabernacle, and consequently the door or entrance fronted the east, so that the Israelites in worshipping Jehovah, turned their faces towards the west; that they might be thus figuratively taught to turn from the worship of that luminary which was the great idol of the nations, and to adore the God who made it and them [Hewlett].