1 Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubim of cunning work shalt thou make them.
2 The length of one curtain shall be eight and twenty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and every one of the curtains shall have one measure.
3 The five curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and other five curtains shall be coupled one to another.
4 And thou shalt make loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling; and likewise shalt thou make in the uttermost edge of another curtain, in the coupling of the second.
5 Fifty loops shalt thou make in the one curtain, and fifty loops shalt thou make in the edge of the curtain that is in the coupling of the second; that the loops may take hold one of another.
6 And thou shalt make fifty taches of gold, and couple the curtains together with the taches: and it shall be one tabernacle.
7 And thou shalt make curtains of goats' hair to be a covering upon the tabernacle: eleven curtains shalt thou make.
8 The length of one curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and the eleven curtains shall be all of one measure.
9 And thou shalt couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and shalt double the sixth curtain in the forefront of the tabernacle.
10 And thou shalt make fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain that is outmost in the coupling, and fifty loops in the edge of the curtain which coupleth the second.
11 And thou shalt make fifty taches of brass, and put the taches into the loops, and couple the tent together, that it may be one.
12 And the remnant that remaineth of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remaineth, shall hang over the backside of the tabernacle.
13 And a cubit on the one side, and a cubit on the other side of that which remaineth in the length of the curtains of the tent, it shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle on this side and on that side, to cover it.
14 And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering above of badgers' skins.
15 And thou shalt make boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood standing up.
16 Ten cubits shall be the length of a board, and a cubit and a half shall be the breadth of one board.
17 Two tenons shall there be in one board, set in order one against another: thus shalt thou make for all the boards of the tabernacle.
18 And thou shalt make the boards for the tabernacle, twenty boards on the south side southward.
19 And thou shalt make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for his two tenons, and two sockets under another board for his two tenons.
20 And for the second side of the tabernacle on the north side there shall be twenty boards:
21 And their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.
22 And for the sides of the tabernacle westward thou shalt make six boards.
23 And two boards shalt thou make for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides.
24 And they shall be coupled together beneath, and they shall be coupled together above the head of it unto one ring: thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two corners.
25 And they shall be eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.
26 And thou shalt make bars of shittim wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle,
27 And five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle, for the two sides westward.
28 And the middle bar in the midst of the boards shall reach from end to end.
29 And thou shalt overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings of gold for places for the bars: and thou shalt overlay the bars with gold.
30 And thou shalt rear up the tabernacle according to the fashion thereof which was showed thee in the mount.
31 And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubim shall it be made:
32 And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold: their hooks shall be of gold, upon the four sockets of silver.
33 And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy.
34 And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place.
35 And thou shalt set the table without the vail, and the candlestick over against the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south: and thou shalt put the table on the north side.
36 And thou shalt make an hanging for the door of the tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework.
37 And thou shalt make for the hanging five pillars of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, and their hooks shall be of gold: and thou shalt cast five sockets of brass for them.
1 Moreover thou shalt make H6213 the tabernacle H4908 with ten H6235 curtains H3407 of fine twined H7806 linen, H8336 and blue, H8504 and purple, H713 and scarlet: H8144 H8438 with cherubims H3742 of cunning H2803 work H4639 shalt thou make H6213 them.
2 The length H753 of one H259 curtain H3407 shall be eight H8083 and twenty H6242 cubits, H520 and the breadth H7341 of one H259 curtain H3407 four H702 cubits: H520 and every one of the curtains H3407 shall have one H259 measure. H4060
3 The five H2568 curtains H3407 shall be coupled together H2266 one H802 to another; H269 and other five H2568 curtains H3407 shall be coupled H2266 one H802 to another. H269
4 And thou shalt make H6213 loops H3924 of blue H8504 upon the edge H8193 of the one H259 curtain H3407 from the selvedge H7098 in the coupling; H2279 and likewise shalt thou make H6213 in the uttermost H7020 edge H8193 of another curtain, H3407 in the coupling H4225 of the second. H8145
5 Fifty H2572 loops H3924 shalt thou make H6213 in the one H259 curtain, H3407 and fifty H2572 loops H3924 shalt thou make H6213 in the edge H7097 of the curtain H3407 that is in the coupling H4225 of the second; H8145 that the loops H3924 may take hold H6901 one H802 of another. H269
6 And thou shalt make H6213 fifty H2572 taches H7165 of gold, H2091 and couple H2266 the curtains H3407 together with H802 H269 the taches: H7165 and it shall be one H259 tabernacle. H4908
7 And thou shalt make H6213 curtains H3407 of goats' H5795 hair to be a covering H168 upon the tabernacle: H4908 eleven H6249 H6240 curtains H3407 shalt thou make. H6213
8 The length H753 of one H259 curtain H3407 shall be thirty H7970 cubits, H520 and the breadth H7341 of one H259 curtain H3407 four H702 cubits: H520 and the eleven H6249 H6240 curtains H3407 shall be all of one H259 measure. H4060
9 And thou shalt couple H2266 five H2568 curtains H3407 by themselves, and six H8337 curtains H3407 by themselves, and shalt double H3717 the sixth H8345 curtain H3407 in the forefront H4136 H6440 of the tabernacle. H168
10 And thou shalt make H6213 fifty H2572 loops H3924 on the edge H8193 of the one H259 curtain H3407 that is outmost H7020 in the coupling, H2279 and fifty H2572 loops H3924 in the edge H8193 of the curtain H3407 which coupleth H2279 the second. H8145
11 And thou shalt make H6213 fifty H2572 taches H7165 of brass, H5178 and put H935 the taches H7165 into the loops, H3924 and couple H2266 the tent H168 together, that it may be one. H259
12 And the remnant H5629 that remaineth H5736 of the curtains H3407 of the tent, H168 the half H2677 curtain H3407 that remaineth, H5736 shall hang H5628 over the backside H268 of the tabernacle. H4908
13 And a cubit H520 on the one side, H2088 and a cubit H520 on the other side of that which remaineth H5736 in the length H753 of the curtains H3407 of the tent, H168 it shall hang H5628 over the sides H6654 of the tabernacle H4908 on this side and on that side, to cover H3680 it.
14 And thou shalt make H6213 a covering H4372 for the tent H168 of rams' H352 skins H5785 dyed red, H119 and a covering H4372 above H4605 of badgers' H8476 skins. H5785
15 And thou shalt make H6213 boards H7175 for the tabernacle H4908 of shittim H7848 wood H6086 standing up. H5975
16 Ten H6235 cubits H520 shall be the length H753 of a board, H7175 and a cubit H520 and a half H2677 shall be the breadth H7341 of one H259 board. H7175
17 Two H8147 tenons H3027 shall there be in one H259 board, H7175 set in order H7947 one H802 against another: H269 thus shalt thou make H6213 for all the boards H7175 of the tabernacle. H4908
18 And thou shalt make H6213 the boards H7175 for the tabernacle, H4908 twenty H6242 boards H7175 on the south H5045 side H6285 southward. H8486
19 And thou shalt make H6213 forty H705 sockets H134 of silver H3701 under the twenty H6242 boards; H7175 two H8147 sockets H134 under one H259 board H7175 for his two H8147 tenons, H3027 and two H8147 sockets H134 under another H259 board H7175 for his two H8147 tenons. H3027
20 And for the second H8145 side H6763 of the tabernacle H4908 on the north H6828 side H6285 there shall be twenty H6242 boards: H7175
21 And their forty H705 sockets H134 of silver; H3701 two H8147 sockets H134 under one H259 board, H7175 and two H8147 sockets H134 under another H259 board. H7175
22 And for the sides H3411 of the tabernacle H4908 westward H3220 thou shalt make H6213 six H8337 boards. H7175
23 And two H8147 boards H7175 shalt thou make H6213 for the corners H4742 of the tabernacle H4908 in the two sides. H3411
24 And they shall be coupled H8382 together beneath, H4295 and they shall be coupled H8382 together H3162 above the head H7218 of it unto one H259 ring: H2885 thus shall it be for them both; H8147 they shall be for the two H8147 corners. H4740
25 And they shall be eight H8083 boards, H7175 and their sockets H134 of silver, H3701 sixteen H8337 H6240 sockets; H134 two H8147 sockets H134 under one H259 board, H7175 and two H8147 sockets H134 under another H259 board. H7175
26 And thou shalt make H6213 bars H1280 of shittim H7848 wood; H6086 five H2568 for the boards H7175 of the one H259 side H6763 of the tabernacle, H4908
27 And five H2568 bars H1280 for the boards H7175 of the other H8145 side H6763 of the tabernacle, H4908 and five H2568 bars H1280 for the boards H7175 of the side H6763 of the tabernacle, H4908 for the two sides H3411 westward. H3220
28 And the middle H8484 bar H1280 in the midst H8432 of the boards H7175 shall reach H1272 from end H7097 to end. H7097
29 And thou shalt overlay H6823 the boards H7175 with gold, H2091 and make H6213 their rings H2885 of gold H2091 for places H1004 for the bars: H1280 and thou shalt overlay H6823 the bars H1280 with gold. H2091
30 And thou shalt rear up H6965 the tabernacle H4908 according to the fashion H4941 thereof which was shewed H7200 thee in the mount. H2022
31 And thou shalt make H6213 a vail H6532 of blue, H8504 and purple, H713 and scarlet, H8144 H8438 and fine twined H7806 linen H8336 of cunning H2803 work: H4639 with cherubims H3742 shall it be made: H6213
32 And thou shalt hang H5414 it upon four H702 pillars H5982 of shittim H7848 wood overlaid H6823 with gold: H2091 their hooks H2053 shall be of gold, H2091 upon the four H702 sockets H134 of silver. H3701
33 And thou shalt hang up H5414 the vail H6532 under the taches, H7165 that thou mayest bring H935 in thither within H1004 the vail H6532 the ark H727 of the testimony: H5715 and the vail H6532 shall divide H914 unto you between the holy H6944 place and the most H6944 holy. H6944
34 And thou shalt put H5414 the mercy seat H3727 upon the ark H727 of the testimony H5715 in the most H6944 holy H6944 place.
35 And thou shalt set H7760 the table H7979 without H2351 the vail, H6532 and the candlestick H4501 over against H5227 the table H7979 on the side H6763 of the tabernacle H4908 toward the south: H8486 and thou shalt put H5414 the table H7979 on the north H6828 side. H6763
36 And thou shalt make H6213 an hanging H4539 for the door H6607 of the tent, H168 of blue, H8504 and purple, H713 and scarlet, H8438 H8144 and fine twined H7806 linen, H8336 wrought H4639 with needlework. H7551
37 And thou shalt make H6213 for the hanging H4539 five H2568 pillars H5982 of shittim H7848 wood, and overlay H6823 them with gold, H2091 and their hooks H2053 shall be of gold: H2091 and thou shalt cast H3332 five H2568 sockets H134 of brass H5178 for them.
1 Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains; of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, with cherubim the work of the skilful workman shalt thou make them.
2 The length of each curtain shall be eight and twenty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits: all the curtains shall have one measure.
3 Five curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and `the other' five curtains shall be coupled one to another.
4 And thou shalt make loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling; and likewise shalt thou make in the edge of the curtain that is outmost in the second coupling.
5 Fifty loops shalt thou make in the one curtain, and fifty loops shalt thou make in the edge of the curtain that is in the second coupling; the loops shall be opposite one to another.
6 And thou shalt make fifty clasps of gold, and couple the curtains one to another with the clasps: and the tabernacle shall be one `whole'.
7 And thou shalt make curtains of goats' `hair' for a tent over the tabernacle: eleven curtains shalt thou make them.
8 The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits: the eleven curtains shall have one measure.
9 And thou shalt couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and shalt double over the sixth curtain in the forefront of the tent.
10 And thou shalt make fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain that is outmost in the coupling, and fifty loops upon the edge of the curtain which is `outmost in' the second coupling.
11 And thou shalt make fifty clasps of brass, and put the clasps into the loops, and couple the tent together, that it may be one.
12 And the overhanging part that remaineth of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remaineth, shall hang over the back of the tabernacle.
13 And the cubit on the one side, and the cubit on the other side, of that which remaineth in the length of the curtains of the tent, shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle on this side and on that side, to cover it.
14 And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering of sealskins above.
15 And thou shalt make the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing up.
16 Ten cubits shall be the length of a board, and a cubit and a half the breadth of each board.
17 Two tenons shall there be in each board, joined one to another: thus shalt thou make for all the boards of the tabernacle.
18 And thou shalt make the boards for the tabernacle, twenty boards for the south side southward.
19 And thou shalt make 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.
20 And for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, twenty boards,
21 and their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.
22 And for the hinder part of the tabernacle westward thou shalt make six boards.
23 And two boards shalt thou make for the corners of the tabernacle in the hinder part.
24 And they shall be double beneath, and in like manner they shall be entire unto the top thereof unto one ring: thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two corners.
25 And there shall be eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.
26 And thou shalt make bars of acacia wood: five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle,
27 and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle, for the hinder part westward.
28 And the middle bar in the midst of the boards shall pass through from end to end.
29 And thou shalt overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings of gold for places for the bars: and thou shalt overlay the bars with gold.
30 And thou shalt rear up the tabernacle according to the fashion thereof which hath been showed thee in the mount.
31 And thou shalt make a veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: with cherubim the work of the skilful workman shall it be made.
32 And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold; their hooks `shall be' of gold, upon four sockets of silver.
33 And thou shalt hang up the veil under the clasps, and shalt bring in thither within the veil the ark of the testimony: and the veil shall separate unto you between the holy place and the most holy.
34 And thou shalt put the mercy-seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place.
35 And thou shalt set the table without the veil, and the candlestick over against the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south: and thou shalt put the table on the north side.
36 And thou shalt make a screen for the door of the Tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of the embroiderer.
37 And thou shalt make for the screen five pillars of acacia, and overlay them with gold: their hooks shall be of gold: and thou shalt cast five sockets of brass for them.
1 `And thou dost make the tabernacle: ten curtains of twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet; `with' cherubs, work of a designer, thou dost make them;
2 the length of the one curtain `is' eight and twenty by the cubit, and the breadth of the one curtain four by the cubit, one measure `is' to all the curtains;
3 five of the curtains are joining one unto another, and five curtains are joining one to another.
4 `And thou hast made loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain, at the end in the joining; and so thou makest in the edge of the outermost curtain, in the joining of the second.
5 fifty loops thou dost make in the one curtain, and fifty loops thou dost make in the edge of the curtain which `is' in the joining of the second, causing the loops to take hold one unto another;
6 and thou hast made fifty hooks of gold, and hast joined the curtains one to another by the hooks, and the tabernacle hath been one.
7 `And thou hast made curtains of goats' `hair', for a tent over the tabernacle; thou dost make eleven curtains:
8 the length of the one curtain `is' thirty by the cubit, and the breadth of the one curtain four by the cubit; one measure `is' to the eleven curtains;
9 and thou hast joined the five curtains apart, and the six curtains apart, and hast doubled the six curtains over-against the front of the tent.
10 `And thou hast made fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain, the outermost in the joining, and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain which is joining the second;
11 and thou hast made fifty hooks of brass, and hast brought in the hooks into the loops, and hast joined the tent, and it hath been one.
12 `And the superfluity in the curtains of the tent -- the half of the curtain which is superfluous -- hath spread over the hinder part of the tabernacle;
13 and the cubit on this side, and the cubit on that, in the superfluity in the length of the curtains of the tent, is spread out over the sides of the tabernacle, on this and on that, to cover it;
14 and thou hast made a covering for the tent, of rams' skins made red, and a covering of badgers' skins above.
15 `And thou hast made the boards for the tabernacle, of shittim wood, standing up;
16 ten cubits `is' the length of the board, and a cubit and a half the breadth of the one board;
17 two handles `are' to the one board, joined one unto another; so thou dost make for all the boards of the tabernacle;
18 and thou hast made the boards of the tabernacle: twenty boards for the south side southward;
19 and forty sockets of silver thou dost make under the twenty boards, two sockets under the one board for its two handles, and two sockets under the other board for its two handles.
20 `And for the second side of the tabernacle, for the north side, `are' twenty boards,
21 and their forty sockets of silver, two sockets under the one board, and two sockets under another board.
22 And for the sides of the tabernacle westward, thou dost make six boards.
23 And two boards thou dost make for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides.
24 And they are pairs beneath, and together they are pairs above its head unto the one ring; so is it for them both, they are for the two corners.
25 And they have been eight boards, and their sockets of silver `are' sixteen sockets, two sockets under the one board, and two sockets under another board.
26 `And thou hast made bars of shittim wood: five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle,
27 and five bars for the boards of the second side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle at the two sides, westward;
28 and one hath caused the middle bar in the midst of the boards to reach from end unto end;
29 and the boards thou dost overlay `with' gold, and their rings thou dost make of gold places for bars, and hast overlaid their bars with gold;
30 and thou hast raised up the tabernacle according to its fashion which thou hast been shewn in the mount.
31 `And thou hast made a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen, work of a designer; he maketh it `with' cherubs;
32 and thou hast put it on four pillars of shittim wood, overlaid `with' gold, their pegs `are' of gold, on four sockets of silver.
33 `And thou hast put the vail under the hooks, and hast brought in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony; and the vail hath made a separation for you between the holy and the holy of holies.
34 `And thou hast put the mercy-seat on the ark of the testimony, in the holy of holies.
35 `And thou hast set the table at the outside of the vail, and the candlestick over-against the table on the side of the tabernacle southward, and the table thou dost put on the north side.
36 `And thou hast made a covering for the opening of the tent, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen, work of an embroiderer;
37 and thou hast made for the covering five pillars of shittim `wood', and hast overlaid them `with' gold, their pegs `are' of gold, and thou hast cast for them five sockets of brass.
1 And thou shalt make the tabernacle [with] ten curtains of twined byssus, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubim of artistic work shalt thou make them.
2 The length of one curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits -- one measure for all the curtains.
3 Five of the curtains shall be coupled one to another, and [the other] five curtains coupled one to another.
4 And thou shalt make loops of blue on the edge of the one curtain at the end of the coupling; and likewise shalt thou make [them] in the edge of the outermost curtain in the other coupling.
5 Fifty loops shalt thou make in the one curtain, and fifty loops shalt thou make at the end of the curtain in the other coupling: the loops shall be opposite to one another.
6 And thou shalt make fifty clasps of gold, and couple the curtains together with the clasps, that the tabernacle may be one [whole].
7 And thou shalt make curtains of goats' [hair] for a tent over the tabernacle: eleven curtains shalt thou make them.
8 The length of one curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits -- one measure for the eleven curtains.
9 And thou shalt couple five of the curtains by themselves, and six of the curtains by themselves, and shalt double the sixth curtain in the front of the tent.
10 And thou shalt make fifty loops on the edge of the outermost curtain of the coupling, and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain in the other coupling.
11 And thou shalt make fifty clasps of copper, and put the clasps into the loops, and couple the tent, that it may be one [whole].
12 And that which remaineth hanging over of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remaineth, shall hang over the rear of the tabernacle.
13 And the cubit on the one side, and the cubit on the other side of that which remaineth in the length of the curtains of the tent, shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle on this side and on that side, to cover it.
14 And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering of badgers' skins over [that].
15 And the boards for the tabernacle thou shalt make of acacia-wood, standing up;
16 ten cubits the length of the board, and a cubit and a half the breadth of one board.
17 One board shall have two tenons, connected one with the other: thus shalt thou make for all the boards of the tabernacle.
18 And thou shalt make the boards for the tabernacle, twenty boards on the south side southward.
19 And thou shalt make forty bases of silver under the twenty boards; two bases under one board for its two tenons, and two bases under another board for its two tenons.
20 And for the other side of the tabernacle on the north side there shall be twenty boards.
21 And their forty bases of silver; two bases under one board, and two bases under another board.
22 And for the rear of the tabernacle westward thou shalt make six boards.
23 And two boards shalt thou make for the corners of the tabernacle at the rear;
24 and they shall be joined beneath, and together shall be united at the top thereof to one ring: thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two corners.
25 And there shall be eight boards, and their bases, of silver, sixteen bases; two bases under one board, and two bases under another board.
26 And thou shalt make bars of acacia-wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle,
27 and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle at the rear westward;
28 and the middle bar in the midst of the boards reaching from one end to the other.
29 And thou shalt overlay the boards with gold, and make [of] gold their rings, the receptacles of the bars, and shalt overlay the bars with gold.
30 And thou shalt set up the tabernacle according to its fashion, as hath been shewn thee on the mountain.
31 And thou shalt make a veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined byssus; of artistic work shall it be made, with cherubim.
32 And thou shalt attach it to four pillars of acacia-wood overlaid with gold, their hooks of gold; they shall be on four bases of silver.
33 And thou shalt bring the veil under the clasps, and bring in thither, inside the veil, the ark of the testimony; and the curtain shall make a division to you between the holy [place] and the holiest of all.
34 And thou shalt put the mercy-seat on the ark of the testimony in the holiest of all.
35 And thou shalt set the table outside the veil, and the lamp-stand opposite to the table on the side of the tabernacle southward; and thou shalt put the table on the north side.
36 And thou shalt make for the entrance of the tent a curtain of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined byssus, of embroidery.
37 And thou shalt make for the curtain five pillars of acacia[-wood], and overlay them with gold; their hooks shall be of gold; and thou shalt cast five bases of copper for them.
1 "Moreover you shall make the tent with ten curtains; of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, with cherubim. The work of the skillful workman you shall make them.
2 The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits: all the curtains shall have one measure.
3 Five curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and the other five curtains shall be coupled one to another.
4 You shall make loops of blue on the edge of the one curtain from the edge in the coupling; and likewise shall you make in the edge of the curtain that is outmost in the second coupling.
5 You shall make fifty loops in the one curtain, and you shall make fifty loops in the edge of the curtain that is in the second coupling. The loops shall be opposite one to another.
6 You shall make fifty clasps of gold, and couple the curtains one to another with the clasps: and the tent shall be a unit.
7 "You shall make curtains of goats' hair for a covering over the tent: eleven curtains shall you make them.
8 The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits: the eleven curtains shall have one measure.
9 You shall couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and shall double over the sixth curtain in the forefront of the tent.
10 You shall make fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain that is outmost in the coupling, and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain which is outmost in the second coupling.
11 You shall make fifty clasps of brass, and put the clasps into the loops, and couple the tent together, that it may be one.
12 The overhanging part that remains of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remains, shall hang over the back of the tent.
13 The cubit on the one side, and the cubit on the other side, of that which remains in the length of the curtains of the tent, shall hang over the sides of the tent on this side and on that side, to cover it.
14 You shall make a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering of sea cow hides above.
15 "You shall make the boards for the tent of acacia wood, standing up.
16 Ten cubits shall be the length of a board, and one and a half cubits the breadth of each board.
17 There shall be two tenons in each board, joined to one another: thus shall you make for all the boards of the tent.
18 You shall make the boards for the tent, twenty boards for the south side southward.
19 You shall make 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.
20 For the second side of the tent, on the north side, twenty boards,
21 and their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.
22 For the far part of the tent westward you shall make six boards.
23 Two boards shall you make for the corners of the tent in the far part.
24 They shall be double beneath, and in like manner they shall be entire to the top of it to one ring: thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two corners.
25 There shall be eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.
26 "You shall make bars of acacia wood: five for the boards of the one side of the tent,
27 and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tent, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tent, for the far part westward.
28 The middle bar in the midst of the boards shall pass through from end to end.
29 You shall overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings of gold for places for the bars: and you shall overlay the bars with gold.
30 You shall set up the tent according to the way that it was shown to you on the mountain.
31 "You shall make a veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cherubim. The work of the skillful workman shall it be made.
32 You shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold; their hooks shall be of gold, on four sockets of silver.
33 You shall hang up the veil under the clasps, and shall bring the ark of the testimony in there within the veil: and the veil shall separate the holy place from the most holy for you.
34 You shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the most holy place.
35 You shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand over against the table on the side of the tent toward the south: and you shall put the table on the north side.
36 "You shall make a screen for the door of the Tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of the embroiderer.
37 You shall make for the screen five pillars of acacia, and overlay them with gold: their hooks shall be of gold: and you shall cast five sockets of brass for them.
1 And you are to make a House for me, with ten curtains of the best linen, blue and purple and red, worked with designs of winged ones by a good workman.
2 Every curtain is to be twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide, all of the same measure.
3 Five curtains are to be joined together, and the other five are to be joined together.
4 And you are to put twists of blue cord on the edge of the outside curtain of the first group of five, and on the edge of the outside curtain of the second group of five;
5 Fifty twists on one curtain and fifty on the other, the twists to be opposite one another.
6 Then make fifty gold hooks, joining the curtains together by the hooks, and in this way the House will be made.
7 And you are to make curtains of goats' hair for a tent over the House, eleven curtains.
8 Every curtain is to be thirty cubits long and four cubits wide, all of the same measure.
9 Five of these curtains are to be joined together, and the other six are to be joined together, the sixth being folded over to make a hanging in front of the tent.
10 And you are to put fifty twists of cord on the edge of the outside curtain of one group, and fifty twists on the edge of the outside curtain of the other group.
11 Then make fifty brass hooks and put the hooks into the twists, joining the tent together to make it one.
12 And the folded part which is over of the curtains of the tent, the half-curtain which is folded back, will be hanging down over the back of the House.
13 And the cubit which is over of the ten curtains at the sides will be hanging over the two sides of the House as a cover.
14 And then you are to make a cover for the tent, of sheepskins coloured red, and a cover of leather over that.
15 And you are to make upright boards of hard wood for the House.
16 Every board is to be ten cubits high and a cubit and a half wide.
17 Every board is to be joined to the one nearest to it by two tongues, and so for every board in the House.
18 These are the boards needed for the house; twenty boards for the south side,
19 With forty silver bases under the twenty boards, two bases under every board to take its tongues.
20 And twenty boards for the second side of the house on the north,
21 With their forty silver bases, two under every board.
22 And six boards for the back of the House on the west,
23 With two boards for the angles of the House at the back.
24 The two are to be joined together at the base and at the top to one ring, forming the two angles.
25 So there are to be eight boards, with their sixteen silver bases, two bases under every board.
26 And make rods of the same wood, five for the boards on the one side,
27 And five for the boards on the other side of the House, and five for the west side of the House at the back.
28 And the middle rod is to go through the rings of all the boards from end to end.
29 And the boards are to be plated with gold, having gold rings for the rods to go through: and the rods are to be plated with gold.
30 And you are to make the House from the design which you saw on the mountain.
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
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Exodus 26
Commentary on Exodus 26 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
(cf. Ex 36:8-38). The Dwelling-Place. - This was to be formed of a framework of wood, and of tapestry and curtains. The description commences with the tapestry or tent-cloth (Exodus 26:1-14), which made the framework (vv. 15-30) into a dwelling. The inner lining is mentioned first (Exodus 26:1-6), because this made the dwelling into a tent (tabernacle). This inner tent-cloth was to consist of ten curtains ( יריעת , αὐλαίαι ), or, as Luther has more aptly rendered it, Teppiche , pieces of tapestry, i.e., of cloth composed of byssus yarn, hyacinth, purple, and scarlet. משׁזר twisted, signifies yarn composed of various colours twisted together, from which the finer kinds of byssus, for which the Egyptians were so celebrated, were made (vid., Hengstenberg, Egypt, pp. 139ff.). The byssus yarn was of a clear white, and this was woven into mixed cloth by combination with dark blue, and dark and fiery red. It was not to be in simple stripes or checks, however; but the variegated yarn was to be woven (embroidered) into the white byssus, so as to form artistic figures of cherubim (“cherubim, work of the artistic weaver, shalt thou make it”). חשׁב מעשׂה (lit., work or labour of the thinker) is applied to artistic weaving, in which either figures or gold threads (Exodus 28:6, Exodus 28:8, Exodus 28:15) are worked into the cloth, and which is to be distinguished from רקם מעשׂה variegated weaving (Exodus 26:36).
The length of each piece was to be 28 cubits, and the breadth 4 cubits, one measure for all; and five of these pieces were to be “joined together one to another,” i.e., joined or sewed together into a piece of 28 cubits in length and 20 in breadth, and the same with the other five.
They were also to make 50 hyacinth loops “ on the border of the one piece of tapestry, from the end in the join, ” i.e., on the extreme edge of the five pieces that were sewed together; and the same “ on the border of the last piece in the second joined tapestry .” Thus there were to be fifty loops in each of the two large pieces, and these loops were to be מקבּילת “ taking up the loops one the other; ” that is to say, they were to be so made that the loops in the two pieces should exactly meet.
Fifty golden clasps were also to be made, to fasten the pieces of drapery (the two halves of the tent-cloth) together, “ that it might be a dwelling-place. ” This necessarily leads to Bהhr's conclusion, that the tent-cloth, which consisted of two halves fastened together with the loops and clasps, answering to the two compartments of the dwelling-place (Exodus 26:33), enclosed the whole of the interior, not only covering the open framework above, but the side walls also, and therefore that it hung down inside the walls, and that it was not spread out upon the wooden framework so as to form the ceiling, but hung down on the walls on the outside of the wooden beams, so that the gilded beams were left uncovered in the inside. For if this splendid tent-cloth had been intended for the ceiling only, and therefore only 30 cubits had been visible out of the 40 cubits of its breadth, and only 10 out of the 28 of its length-that is to say, if not much more than a third of the whole had been seen and used for the inner lining of the dwelling, - that is to say, if not much more than a third of the whole had been seen and used for the inner lining of the dwelling, - it would not have been called “the dwelling” so constantly as it is (cf. Exodus 36:8; Exodus 40:18), nor would the goats'-hair covering which was placed above it have been just as constantly called the “tent above the dwelling” (Exodus 26:7; Exodus 36:14; Exodus 40:19). This inner tent-cloth was so spread out, that whilst it was fastened to the upper ends of the beams in a way that is not explained in the text, it formed the ceiling of the whole, and the joining came just above the curtain which divided the dwelling into two compartments. One half therefore, viz., the front half, formed the ceiling of the holy place with its entire breadth of 20 cubits and 10 cubits of its length, and the remaining 18 cubits of its length hung down over the two side walls, 9 cubits down each wall, - the planks that formed the walls being left uncovered, therefore, to the height of 1 cubit from the ground. In a similar manner the other half covered the holy of holies, 10 cubits of both length and breadth forming the ceiling, and the 10 cubits that remained of the entire length covering the end wall; whilst the folds in the corners that arose from the 9 cubits that hung down on either side, were no doubt so adjusted that the walls appeared to be perfectly smooth. (For further remarks, see Exodus 39:33.)
The outer tent-cloth, “for the tent over the dwelling,” was to consist of eleven lengths of goats' hair, i.e., of cloth made of goats' hair;
(Note: The coverings of the tents of the Bedouin Arabs are still made of cloth woven from black goats' hair, which the women spin and weave (see Lynch's Expedition of the United States to the Jordan and Dead Sea).)
each piece being thirty cubits long and four broad.
Five of these were to be connected (sewed together) by themselves ( לבד ), and the other six in the same manner; and the sixth piece was to be made double, i.e., folded together, towards the front of the tent, so as to form a kind of gable, as Josephus has also explained the passage (Ant. iii. 6, 4).
Fifty loops and clasps were to be made to join the two halves together, as in the case of the inner tapestry, only the clasps were to be of brass or copper.
This tent-cloth was two cubits longer than the inner one, as each piece was 30 cubits long instead of 28; it was also two cubits broader, as it was composed of 11 pieces, the eleventh only reckoning as two cubits, as it was to be laid double. Consequently there was an excess ( העדף that which is over) of two cubits each way; and according to Exodus 26:12 and Exodus 26:13 this was to be disposed of in the following manner: “ As for the spreading out of the excess in the tent-cloths, the half of the cloth in excess shall spread out over the back of the dwelling; and the cubit from here and from there in the excess in the length of the tent-cloths (i.e., the cubit over in the length in each of the cloths) shall be spread out on the sides of the dwelling from here and from there to cover it .” Now since, according to this, one half of the two cubits of the sixth piece which was laid double was to hang down the back of the tabernacle, there only remained one cubit for the gable of the front. It follows, therefore, that the joining of the two halves with loops and clasps would come a cubit farther back, than the place where the curtain of the holy of holies divided the dwelling. But in consequence of the cloth being a cubit longer in every direction, it nearly reached the ground on all three sides, the thickness of the wooden framework alone preventing it from reaching it altogether.
“ The other coverings were placed on the top of this tent: one made of rams' skins dyed red, “as a covering for the tent,” and another upon the top of this, made of the skins of the sea-cow ( תּחשׁים , see at Exodus 25:5).
The wooden framework . - Exodus 26:15, Exodus 26:16. The boards for the dwelling were to be made “of acacia-wood standing,” i.e., so that they could stand upright; each ten cubits long and one and a half broad. The thickness is not given; and if, on the one hand, we are not to imagine them too thin, as Josephus does, for example, who says they were only four fingers thick (Ant. iii. 6, 3), we have still less reason for following Rashi , Lund , Bהhr and others, who suppose them to have been a cubit in thickness, thus making simple boards into colossal blocks, such as could neither have been cut from acacia-trees, nor carried upon desert roads.
(Note: Kamphausen ( Stud. und Krit. 1859, p. 117) appeals to Bähr's Symbolik 1, p. 261-2, and Knobel , Exod . p. 261, in support of the opinion, that at any rate formerly there were genuine acacias of such size and strength, that beams could have been cut from them a cubit and a half broad and a cubit thick; but we look in vain to either of these writings for such authority as will establish this fact. Expressions like those of Jerome and Hasselquist , viz., grandes arbores and arbos ingens ramosissima , are far too indefinite. It is true that, according to Abdullatif , the Sont is “a very large tree,” but he gives a quotation from Dinuri , in which it is merely spoken of as “a tree of the size of a nut-tree.” See the passages cited in Rosenmόller's bibl. Althk. iv. 1, p. 278, Not. 7, where we find the following remark of Wesling on Prosper. Alpin. de plantis Aeg.: Caudicem non raro ampliorem deprehendi, quam ut brachio meo circumdari possit . Even the statement of Theophrast ( hist. plant. 4, 3), to the effect that rafters are cut from these trees 12 cubits long ( δωδεκάπηχυς ἐρέψιμος ὕλη ), is no proof that they were beams a cubit and a half broad and a cubit thick. And even if there had been trees of this size in the peninsula of Sinai in Moses' time, a beam of such dimensions, according to Kamphausen's calculation, which is by no means too high, would have weighed more than twelve cwt. And certainly the Israelites could never have carried beams of this weight with them through the desert; for the waggons needed would have been such as could never be used where there are no beaten roads.)
To obtain boards of the required breadth, to or three planks were no doubt joined together according to the size of the trees.
Every board was to have two ידות (lit., hands or holders) to hold them upright, pegs therefore; and they were to be “ bound to one another ” ( משׁלּב , from שׁלב in Chald. to connect, hence שׁלבּים in 1 Kings 7:28, the corner plates that hold together the four sides of a chest), not “pegged into one another,” but joined together by a fastening dovetailed into the pegs, by which the latter were fastened still more firmly to the boards, and therefore had greater holding power than if each one had been simply sunk into the edge of the board.
Twenty of these boards were to be prepared for the side of the dwelling that was turned towards the south, and forty sockets ( אדנים foundations, Job 38:6) or bases for the pegs, i.e., to put the pegs of the boards into, that the boards might stand upright; and the same number of boards and sockets for the north side. תּימנה , “southward,” is added to נגבּה לפאת in Exodus 26:18, to give a clearer definition of negeb , which primarily means the dry, and then the country to the south; an evident proof that at that time negeb was not established as a geographical term for the south, and therefore that it was not written here by a Palestinian, as Knobel supposes, but by Moses in the desert.
The form of the “sockets” is not explained, and even in Exodus 38:27, in the summing up of the gifts presented for the work, it is merely stated that a talent of silver (about 93 lb.) was applied to every socket.
Six boards were to be made for the back of the dwelling westwards ( ימּה ), and two boards “for the corners or angels of the dwelling at the two outermost (hinder) sides.” למקצּעת (for cornered), from מקצּע , equivalent to מקצוע an angle (Exodus 26:24; Ezekiel 46:21-22), from קצע to cut off, lit., a section, something cut off, hence an angle, or corner-piece. These corner boards (Exodus 26:24) were to be “ doubled ( תּאמם ) from below, and whole ( תּמּים , integri , forming a whole) at its head (or towards its head, cf. אל Exodus 36:29) with regard to the one ring, so shall it be to both of them (so shall they both be made); to the two corners shall they be ” (i.e., designed for the two hinder corners). The meaning of these words, which are very obscure in some points, can only be the following: the two corner beams at the tack were to consist of two pieces joined together at a right angle, so as to form as double boards one single whole from the bottom to the top. The expressions “from below” and “up to its head” are divided between the two predicates “doubled” ( תּאמים ) and “whole” ( תּמּים ), but they belong to both of them. Each of the corner beams was to be double from the bottom to the top, and still to form one whole. There is more difficulty in the words האחת אל־הטּבּעת in Exodus 26:24. It is impossible to attach any intelligible meaning to the rendering “to the first ring,” so that even Knobel , who proposed it, has left it unexplained. There is hardly any other way of explaining it, than to take the word אל in the sense of “having regard to a thing,” and to understand the words as meaning, that the corner beams were to form one whole, from the face that each received only one ring, probably at the corner, and not two, viz., one on each side. This one ring was placed half-way up the upright beam in the corner or angle, in such a manner that the central bolt, which stretched along the entire length of the walls (Exodus 26:28), might fasten into it from both the side and back.
Sixteen sockets were to be made for these eight boards, two for each. - Exodus 26:26-29. To fasten the boards, that they might not separate from one another, bars of acacia-wood were to be made and covered with gold, five for each of the three sides of the dwelling; and though it is not expressly stated, yet the reference to rings in Exodus 26:29 as holders of the bars ( לבּריחים בּתּים ) is a sufficient indication that they were passed through golden rings fastened into the boards.
“ And the middle bar in the midst of the boards (i.e., at an equal distance from both top and bottom) shall be fastening ( מבריח ) from one end to the other .” As it thus expressly stated with reference to the middle bar, that it was to fasten, i.e., to reach along the walls from one end to the other, we necessarily conclude, with Rashi and others, that the other four bars on every side were not to reach the whole length of the walls, and may therefore suppose that they were only half as long as the middle one, so that there were only three rows of bars on each wall, the upper and lower being composed of two bars each.
“ And set up the dwelling according to its right, as was shown thee upon the mountain ” (cf. Exodus 25:9). Even the setting up and position of the dwelling were not left to human judgment, but were to be carried out כּמשׁפּטו , i.e., according to the direction corresponding to its meaning and purpose. From the description which is given of the separate portions, it is evident that the dwelling was to be set up in the direction of the four quarters of the heavens, the back being towards the west, and the entrance to the east; whilst the whole of the dwelling formed an oblong of thirty cubits long, ten broad, and ten high. The length we obtain from the twenty boards of a cubit and a half in breadth; and the breadth, by adding to the nine cubits covered by the six boards at the back, half a cubit as the inner thickness of each of the corner beams. The thickness of the corner beams is not given, but we may conjecture that on the outside which formed part of the back they were three-quarters of a cubit thick, and that half a cubit is to be taken as the thickness towards the side. In this case, on the supposition that the side beams were a quarter of a cubit thick, the inner space would be exactly ten cubits broad and thirty and a quarter long; but the surplus quarter would be taken up by the thickness of the pillars upon which the inner curtain was hung, so that the room at the back would form a perfect cube, and the one at the front an oblong of exactly twenty cubits in length, ten in breadth, and ten in height.
To divide the dwelling into two rooms, a curtain was to be made, of the same material, and woven in the same artistic manner as the inner covering of the walls (Exodus 26:1). This was called פּרכת , lit., division, separation, from פּרך to divide, or מסך פּרכת (Exodus 35:12; Exodus 39:34; Exodus 40:21) division of the covering, i.e., to hang this “ upon four pillars of gilded acacia-wood and their golden hooks, (standing) upon four silver sockets, ” under the loops ( קרסים ) which held the two halves of the inner covering together (Exodus 26:6). Thus the curtain divided the dwelling into two compartments, the one occupying ten cubits and the other twenty of its entire length.
“Thither (where the curtain hands under the loops) within the curtain shalt thou bring the ark of testimony (Exodus 25:16-22), and the curtain shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy” ( הקּדשׁים קדשׁ the holy of holies). The inner compartment was made into the most holy place through the ark of the covenant with the throne of grace upon it.
The two other things (already described) were to be placed outside the curtain, viz., in the holy place; the candlestick opposite to the table, the former on the south side of the dwelling, the latter towards the north.
For the entrance to the tent they were also to make a curtain ( מסך , lit., a covering, from סכך to cover) of the same material as the inner curtain, but of work in mixed colours, i.e., not woven with figures upon it, but simply in stripes or checks. רקם מעשׂה does not mean coloured needlework, with figures or flowers embroidered with the needle upon the woven fabric (as I asserted in my Archäologie , in common with the Rabbins, Gesenius , Bähr, and others); for in the only other passage in which רקם occurs, viz., Psalms 139:15, it does not mean to embroider, but to weave, and in the Arabic it signifies to make points, stripes, or lines, to work in mixed colours (see Hartmann die Hebräerinn am Putztisch iii. 138ff.). This curtain was to hang on five gilded pillars of acacia-wood with golden hooks, and for these they were to cast sockets of brass. In the account of the execution of this work in Exodus 36:38, it is still further stated, that the architect covered the heads (capitals) of the pillars and their girders ( חשׁקים , see Exodus 27:10) with gold. From this it follows, that the pillars were not entirely gilded, but only the capitals, and that they were fastened together with gilded girders. These girders were either placed upon the hooks that were fastened to the tops of the pillars, or, what I think more probable, formed a kind of architrave above the pillars, in which case the covering as well as the inner curtain merely hung upon the hooks of the columns. But if the pillars were not gilded all over, we must necessarily imagine that curtain as hung upon that side of the pillars which was turned towards the holy place, so that none of the white wood was to be seen inside the holy place; and the gilding of the capitals and architrave merely served to impress upon the forefront of the tabernacle the glory of a house of God.
If we endeavour to understand the reason for building the dwelling in this manner, there can be no doubt that the design of the wooden walls was simply to give stability to the tabernacle. Acacia-wood was chosen, because the acacia was the only tree to be found in the desert of Arabia from which planks and beams could be cut, whilst the lightness an durability of this wood rendered it peculiarly suitable for a portable temple. The wooden framework was covered both within and without with hangings of drapery and other coverings, to give it the character of a tent, which is the term really applied to it in Exodus 27:21, and in most instances afterwards. The sanctuary of Jehovah in the midst of His people was to be a tent, because, so long as the people were wandering about and dwelt in tents, the dwelling of their God in the midst of them must be a tent also. The division of the dwelling into two parts corresponded to the design of the tabernacle, where Jehovah desired not to dwell alone by Himself, but to come and meet with His people (Exodus 25:22). The most holy place was the true dwelling of Jehovah, where He was enthroned in a cloud, the visible symbol of His presence, above the cherubim, upon the capporeth of the ark of the covenant. The holy place, on the other hand, was the place where His people were to appear before Him, and draw near to Him with their gifts, the fruits of their earthly vocation, and their prayers, and to rejoice before His face in the blessings of His covenant grace. By the establishment of the covenant of Jehovah with the people of Israel, the separation of man from God, of which the fall of the progenitors of our race had been the cause, was to be brought to an end; an institution was to be set up, pointing to the reunion of man and God, to true and full vital communion with Him; and by this the kingdom of God was to be founded on earth in a local and temporal form. This kingdom of God, which was founded in Israel, was to be embodied in the tabernacle, and shadowed forth in its earthly and visible form as confined within the limits of time and space. This meaning was indicated not only in the instructions to set up the dwelling according to the four quarters of the globe and heavens, with the entrance towards sunrise and the holy of holies towards the west, but also in the quadrangular form of the building, the dwelling as a whole assuming the form of an oblong of thirty cubits in length, and ten in breadth and height, whilst the most holy place was a cube of ten cubits in every direction. In the symbolism of antiquity, the square was a symbol of the universe or cosmos; and thus, too, in the symbolism of the Scriptures it is a type of the world as the scene of divine revelation, the sphere of the kingdom of God, for which the world from the very first had been intended by God, and to which, notwithstanding the fall of man, who was created lord of the earth, it was to be once more renewed and glorified. Hence the seal of the kingdom of God was impressed upon the sanctuary of God in Israel through the quadrangular form that was given to its separate rooms. And whilst the direction in which it was set up, towards the four quarters of the heavens, showed that the kingdom of God that was planted in Israel was intended to embrace the entire world, the oblong shape given to the whole building set forth the idea of the present incompleteness of the kingdom, and the cubic form of the most holy place its ideal and ultimate perfection.
(Note: The significant character of these different quadrangular forms is placed beyond all doubt, when we compare the tabernacle and Solomon's temple, which was built according to the same proportions, with the prophetic description of the temple and holy city in Ezek. 40-48, and that of the heavenly Jerusalem in Rev 21 and 22. Just as in both the tabernacle and Solomon's temple the most holy place was in the form of a perfect cube (of 10 and 20 cubits respectively), so John saw the city of God, which came down from God out of heaven, in the form of a perfect cube. “The length, and the breadth, and the height of it were equal,” viz., 12,000 furlongs on every side (Revelation 21:16), a symbolical representation of the idea, that the holy of holies in the temple will be seen in its perfected form in the heavenly Jerusalem, and God will dwell in it for ever, along with the just made perfect. This city of God is “the tabernacle of God with men;” it has no longer a temple, but the Lord God of Hosts and the Lamb are the temple of it (Revelation 21:22), and those who dwell therein see the face of God and the Lamb (Exodus 22:4). The square comes next to the cube, and the regular oblong next to this. The tabernacle was in the form of an oblong: the dwelling was 30 cubits long and 10 broad, and the court 100 cubits long and 50 bread. Solomon's temple, when regarded as a whole, was in the same form; it was 60 cubits long and 20 cubits broad, apart from the porch and side buildings. In Ezekiel's vision not only is the sanctuary a square of 500 reeds (Ezekiel 42:15-20; Ezekiel 45:2), but the inner court (Ezekiel 40:23, Ezekiel 40:27, Ezekiel 40:47), the paved space in the outer court (Ezekiel 40:19), and other parts also, are all in the form of squares. The city opposite to the temple was a square of 4500 reeds (Ezekiel 48:16), and the suburbs a square of 250 reeds on every side (Ezekiel 48:17). The idea thus symbolically expressed is, that the temple and city, and in fact the whole of the holy ground, already approximate to the form of the most holy place. Both the city and temple are still distinct from one another, although they both stand upon holy ground in the midst of the land (ch. 47 and 48); and in the temple itself the distinction between the holy place and the most holy is still maintained, although the most holy place is no longer separated by a curtain from the holy place; and in the same manner the distinction is still maintained between the temple-building and the courts, though the latter have acquired much greater importance than in Solomon's temple, and are very minutely described, whereas they are only very briefly referred to in the case of Solomon's temple. The sanctuary which Ezekiel saw, however, was only a symbol of the renewed and glorified kingdom of God, not of the perfected kingdom. This was first shown to the holy seer in Patmos, in the vision of the heavenly Jerusalem, as it appeared in a perfect cubical form.)
Yet even in its temporal form, it was perfect of its kind, and therefore the component parts of the quadrangular building were regulated by the number ten, the stamp of completeness.
The splendour of the building, as the earthly reflection of the glory of the kingdom of God, was also in harmony with this explanation of its meaning. In the dwelling itself everything was either overlaid with gold or made of pure gold, with the exception of the foundations or sockets of the boards and inner pillars, for which silver was used. In the gold, with its glorious, yea, godlike splendour (Job 37:22), the glory of the dwelling-place of God was reflected; whilst the silver, as the symbol of moral purity, shadowed forth the holiness of the foundation of the house or kingdom of God. The four colours, and the figures upon the drapery and curtains of the temple, were equally significant. Whilst the four colours, like the same number of coverings, showed their general purpose as connected with the building of the kingdom of God, the brilliant white of the byssus stands prominently out among the rest of the colours as the ground of the woven fabrics, and the colour which is invariably mentioned first. The splendid white byssus represented the holiness of the building; the hyacinth, a dark blue approaching black rather than bright blue, but the true colour of the sky in southern countries, its heavenly origin and character; the purple, a dark rich red, its royal glory; whilst the crimson, a light brilliant red, the colour of blood and vigorous life, set forth the strength of imperishable life in the abode and kingdom of the holy and glorious God-King. Lastly, through the figures of cherubim woven into these fabrics the dwelling became a symbolical representation of the kingdom of glory, in which the heavenly spirits surround the throne of God, the heavenly Jerusalem with its myriads of angels, the city of the living God, to which the people of God will come when their heavenly calling is fulfilled (Hebrews 12:22-23).