Exodus 26:1

1. THE FINE LINEN COVERING.

(1) The tabernacle. — Literally, the dwelling (see Exodus 25:9, where mishkân first occurs). It is a derivative from shakan, translated by “dwell” in the preceding verse.

Ten curtains. — The same word (yĕri’ah) is used for the constituent parts of the covering, and for the entire covering, or, at any rate, for each of the two halves into which it was divided (Exodus 26:4). In the first use, it corresponds to what we should call “a breadth.”

Fine twined linen — i.e., linen thread formed by twisting several distinct strands together. Egyptian thread was ordinarily of this character.

Blue, and purple, and scarlet. — See the Notes on Exodus 25:4.

Cherubims of cunning work. — Rather, cherubim, the work of a cunning weaver. Ma’asêh khoshêb and ma’asêh rokêm (Exodus 26:36) seem to be contrasted one with the other, the former signifying work where the patterning was inwoven, the latter where it was embroidered with the needle. The inweaving of patterns or figures was well understood in Egypt (Herod, iii. 47; Plin. H. N., viii. 48).