26 And thou shalt make bars of acacia-wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle,
-- And he made bars of acacia-wood: five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the tabernacle at the rear, westward. And he made the middle bar in the midst of the boards reach from one end to the other. And he overlaid the boards with gold; and made their rings of gold [as] receptacles for the bars; and overlaid the bars with gold. And he made the veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined byssus: of artistic work he made it [with] cherubim. And he made four pillars of acacia[-wood] for it, and overlaid them with gold; their hooks were of gold; and he cast for them four bases of silver. And he made a curtain for the entrance of the tent of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined byssus, of embroidery; and its five pillars with their hooks; and he overlaid their capitals and their connecting-rods with gold; and their five bases were of copper.
And the charge of the sons of Merari consisted in the oversight of the boards of the tabernacle, and its bars, and its pillars, and its bases, and all its furniture, and all that belongs to its service,
But *we* ought, we that are strong, to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
For being free from all, I have made myself bondman to all, that I might gain the most [possible]. And I became to the Jews as a Jew, in order that I might gain the Jews: to those under law, as under law, not being myself under law, in order that I might gain those under law:
from whom the whole body, fitted together, and connected by every joint of supply, according to [the] working in [its] measure of each one part, works for itself the increase of the body to its self-building up in love.
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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].