XXVI. THE TABERNACLE. (1-37) The sacred tent which was to form the “House OF God,” or temple, for Israel during the continuance of the people in the wilderness, and which in point of fact served them for a national sanctuary until the construction of the first temple by Solomon, is described in this... [ Continue Reading ]
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,... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LENGTH... EIGHT AND TWENTY CUBITS. — Mr. Fergusson has shown that to cover over a space twenty cubits wide with a roof, the two sides of which should meet at a right angle, a tent-cloth almost exactly twenty-eight cubits long would be required.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FIVE CURTAINS. — It is anomalous that the article should be used here. Probably it has crept in from “the curtains” of the preceding verse. The meaning is that five “breadths” should be sewn together to form one curtain, and five other “breadths” to form another, and then that the two curtains s... [ Continue Reading ]
FROM THE SELVEDGE IN THE COUPLING. — Rather, _at the coupling._ The selvedge, _i.e.,_ nearest to the place where the two curtains were to be coupled together.... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT THE LOOPS MAY TAKE HOLD ONE OF ANOTHER. — Rather, _correspond one to another._ They were not to “take hold,” but to be attached by golden links. TACHES, OR _CLASPS_. These might be split-rings, or links like modern sleeve-links. AND IT SHALL BE ONE TABERNACLE. — Rather, _and_ (so) _the tabern... [ Continue Reading ]
TO BE A COVERING. — Literally, _to be a tent._ (See the first Note on the chapter.) ELEVEN CURTAINS — i.e., eleven breadths. (See Note 2 on Exodus 26:1.)... [ Continue Reading ]
2. THE GOATS’-HAIR TENT-CLOTH. (7-13) _An_ awning such as that described in Exodus 26:1 would have neither kept out sun nor rain. For this purpose an ordinary cloth of goats’-hair was requisite, and accordingly Moses was instructed to make a second covering, which was to be of this material, and to... [ Continue Reading ]
THIRTY CUBITS. — The additional cubit on either side (comp. Exodus 26:2) would hang down and form a “valance” along the sides of the tent. (See Exodus 26:13.)... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU... SHALT DOUBLE THE SIXTH CURTAIN IN THE FOREFRONT OF THE TABERNACLE. — The additional “breadth” was to be doubled back upon itself, so giving a sort of finish to the roof in the front of the structure.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE REMNANT THAT REMAINETH. — Even after the doubling back, the goats’-hair covering would be half a breadth wider than the linen one. This half-breadth was to be allowed to hang down at the back of the tent.... [ Continue Reading ]
3. THE TWO OUTER COVERINGS. (14) As the object of the two outer coverings must have been to keep out rain, we must suppose them to have protected not only the ridge of the roof, but, at any rate, the whole of the _mishkân._ Their length must, therefore, have been at least thirty cubits, and their b... [ Continue Reading ]
BOARDS... OF SHITTIM WOOD. — On the possibility of boards fifteen feet long by two feet three inches wide being cut from the _Acacia seyal,_ see the last Note on Exodus 25:5.... [ Continue Reading ]
4. THE WALLS OF THE TABERNACLE. (15-30) The various coverings which have been described had it for their object to roof over and protect an oblong chamber or “dwelling,” within which God was to manifest Himself and to be worshipped. The directions which follow (Exodus 26:15) are for the constructio... [ Continue Reading ]
TWO TENONS. — By “tenons” here are meant projections, probably round, from the end of each plank, made to fit into holes prepared for them in the “sockets.” They were to be “set in order one against another”: _i.e.,_ placed regularly at certain intervals, so that each corresponded in position to its... [ Continue Reading ]
ON THE SOUTH SIDE SOUTHWARD. — Rather, _on the south side to the right._ The tabernacle faced the east, and was regarded as looking in that direction. Thus its south wall was on the right.... [ Continue Reading ]
FORTY SOCKETS. — Each “socket” was to receive one of the “tenons.” As there were twenty boards (Exodus 26:18), and two tenons to each board (Exodus 26:17), the sockets had to be forty.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE SIDES OF THE TABERNACLE WESTWARD. — Rather, _for the back of the tabernacle_ (LXX., τῶν ὀπίσω). (See Note on Exodus 26:18.) The west is always regarded as “behind” by the Orientals. SIX BOARDS. — Six boards, presumably of the same width with the others (Exodus 26:16), would extend a length... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SHALL BE COUPLED TOGETHER BENEATH. — The corner boards were to be coupled to the others in two places, below and above, in each place by means of one ring. Rings, through which passed the ends of the bars mentioned in Exodus 26:26, are supposed to be meant.... [ Continue Reading ]
SIXTEEN SOCKETS. — Two for each corner board, and twelve for the six boards between them.... [ Continue Reading ]
BARS OF SHITTIM WOOD. — The object of the “bars” was to hold the “boards” together, and prevent there being any aperture between one board and another. They were fifteen in number, five for each of the three sides of the boarded space. The “middle bar” on each side was to extend from end to end of t... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE BOARDS OF THE SIDE OF THE TABERNACLE, FOR THE TWO SIDES WESTWARD. — This is quite unintelligible. Translate, _for the boards of the side of the tabernacle, which is at the back westward. _... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE MIDST OF THE BOARDS. — Rather, _midway in the boards_ — equi-distant, _i.e.,_ from the bottom and the top.... [ Continue Reading ]
ACCORDING TO THE FASHION THEREOF WHICH WAS SHEWED THEE. — See Exodus 25:9; Exodus 25:40. However minute — even tediously minute — the description, there would necessarily have been a multitude of particulars, not to be described in words, where Moses would have to be guided by the pattern that he ha... [ Continue Reading ]
5. THE VAIL, AND THE POSITION WHICH IT WAS TO OCCUPY. (31) THOU SHALT MAKE A VAIL. — It was of the essence of the _mishkân_ that it should have an outer and an inner sanctuary, a place for the daily ministrations of the priests, and an _adytum_ or _penetrale_ of extreme holiness, in which was to be... [ Continue Reading ]
FOUR PILLARS. — These seem to have been true pillars or columns, and not tent-poles. They were probably of equal height, and equally spaced, and were perhaps connected at the top by a cornice or beam. Together with the vail they formed a screen, which shut off the “Holy of Holies” from the outer cha... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALL HANG UP THE VAIL UNDER THE TACHES. — The “taches” meant are the links whereby the two portions of the inner covering were connected together (Exodus 26:6). If “under the taches” means _directly_ under them, we must regard the _mishkân_ as divided into two chambers of equal size. It is pos... [ Continue Reading ]
6. THE POSITION OF THE FURNITURE. (34, 35) The sole furniture of the most holy place, or “Holy of Holies,” was to be the ark, with its covering of the mercy-seat. In the “Holy Place” without the vail were to be the “table of shewbread” against the north wall, and the “golden candlestick” opposite t... [ Continue Reading ]
7. THE HANGING FOR THE DOOR. (36, 37) It is essential in the East to shut out light and heat, whence tents have always doors. These are usually made of a piece of cloth, which is raised for a man to enter, and falls behind him. But for a tent of the size described, which seems to have been above tw... [ Continue Reading ]
FIVE PILLARS. — The odd number is surprising, especially compared with the “four pillars” of the interior (Exodus 26:32), until we remember that a tent such as that described must have a pillar, or tent-pole, in the middle of its gable-end, and an equal number of supports on either side. It is, in f... [ Continue Reading ]