¹sn This chapter is given over to the details of the structure itself, the curtains, coverings, boards and walls and veil. The passage can be studied on one level for its function both practically and symbolically for Israel’s worship. On another level it can be studied for its typology, for the tabernacle and many of its parts speak of Christ. For this one should see the commentaries.
²tn The word order thrusts this to the front for particular emphasis. After the first couple of pieces of furniture are treated (chap. 25), the subject turns to the tabernacle itself.
³tn This is for the adverbial accusative explaining how the dwelling place is to be made.
⁴sn Driver suggests that the curtains were made with threads dyed with these colors (p. 280). Perhaps the colored threads were used for embroidering the cherubim in the curtains.
⁵tn The construction is difficult in this line because of the word order. “Cherubim” is an adverbial accusative explaining how they were to make the curtains. And bv@j) hC@u&m^ (ma’aseh hoseb) means literally “the work of the designer”; it is in apposition to “cherubim.” The Hebrew participle means “designer” or “deviser” so that one could render this “of artistic designs in weaving” (Driver, 280-81). B. Jacob says that it refers to “artistic weavers” (p. 789). The line reads: “You will make them…[with] cherubim, the work of the artistic designer.”
⁶tn Heb “one.”
⁷sn The text says “28 cubits long” and “four cubits” wide.
⁸tn This is the active participle, not the passive. It would normally be rendered “joining together.” The Bible uses the active because it has the result of the sewing in mind, namely, that every curtain accompanies another (Cassuto, 348).
⁹tn Heb “a woman to her sister,” this form of using nouns to express “one to another” is selected because “curtains” is a feminine noun (see GKC §139.e).
¹⁰tn “the other” has been supplied.
¹¹tn “loops” has been supplied.
¹²tn Heb “a woman to her sister.”
¹³tn Heb “one.”
¹⁴sn This chapter will show that there were two sets of curtains and two sets of coverings that went over the wood building to make the tabernacle or dwelling place. From inside the curtains of fine linen described above could only be seen by the priests. Above that will be the curtain of goats’ hair. Then, over that were the coverings, an inner covering of rams’ skins dyed red, and an outer covering of hides of sea cows. The movement is from the inside to the outside because it is God’s dwelling place; the approach of the worshiper would be the opposite. The pure linen represented the righteousness of God, guarded by the embroidered cherubim; the curtain of goats’ hair was a reminder of sin through the daily sin offering of a goat; the covering of rams’ skins dyed red was a reminder of the sacrifice, and the priestly ministry set apart by blood; and the outer covering marked the separation between God and the world. These are the interpretations set forth by Kaiser; others vary, but not greatly (W. C. Kaiser, Jr, “Exodus,” in EBC 459).
¹⁵sn This curtain will serve /K*v=M!h^-lu^ lh#a)l= (l^e’ohel ‘al-hammiskan), “for a tent over the tabernacle” or dwelling place.
¹⁶tn Heb “you will make them”
¹⁷tn Heb “one”
¹⁸sn The text seems to describe this part as being in front of the tabernacle, hanging down to form a valence at the entrance (Driver, 284; Kennedy, from Hastings Dictionary of the Bible, 662).
¹⁹tn Heb “one”
²⁰sn Cassuto cites b. Shabbat 98b which says, “What did the tabernacle resemble? A woman walking on the street with her train trailing behind her.” In the expression “the half of the curtain that remains,” the verb agrees in gender with the genitive near it (p. 353).
²¹tn Literally “cubit.”
²²sn Cassuto says: “To the north and to the south, since the tent curtains were thirty cubits long, there were ten cubits left over on each side; these covered the nine cubits of the curtains of the tabernacle and also the bottom cubit of the boards, which the tabernacle curtains did not suffice to cover. It is to this that v. 13 refers” (p. 353).
²³sn Two outer coverings made of stronger materials will now be put over the tent and the curtain, the two inner layers.
²⁴tn See the note on this phrase in Exod 25:5.
²⁵tn There is debate whether the word <yv!r*Q=h^ (haqq^erasim) means “boards” or “frames” or better, “beams,” given the size of them. The literature on this includes: M. Haran, “The Priestly Image of the Tabernacle,” HUCA 36 (1965): 192; B. A. Levine, “The Description of the Tabernacle Texts of the Pentateuch,” JAOS 85 (1965): 307-18; J. Morgenstern, “The Ark, the Ephod, and the Tent,” HUCA 17 (1942/43): 153-265; 18 (1943/44): 1-52.
²⁶tn “Wood” is an adverbial accusative.
²⁷tn The plural participle “standing” refers to how these items will be situated; they will be horizontal rather than vertical (U. Cassuto, Exodus, 354).
²⁸tn Heb “the frame.”
²⁹sn Heb “hands,” the reference is probably to projections that served as stays or supports. They were pegs projecting underneath the bottom of the frames to hold the frames in their sockets (Driver, 286).
³⁰tn Or “parallel.”
³¹tn Heb “on the south side southward.”
³²tn The clause is repeated to show the distributive sense; it literally says, “and two bases under the one frame for it two projections.”
³³tn Or “westward” (toward the sea).
³⁴tn Heb “they will be for the two corners.” This is the last clause of the verse, moved forward for clarity.
³⁵tn Heb “two of them”; the referent (corners) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
³⁶sn These bars served as another reinforcement to hold the upright frames together. On each side of the structure there would be five of these top, cross bars to stabilize the frames: one bar ran the length of the wall, and then the other four parallel to it, two on each end running halfway the length, and of each of the two, one on each side of the upright frames.
³⁷tn The noun is fP*v=m! (mispat), often translated “judgment” or “decision” in other contexts. In those settings it may reflect its basic idea of custom, which here would be reflected with a rendering of “prescribed norm” or “plan.”
³⁸tn This could be translated “curtain” but it is a different word. The etymology of the word tk#r)p* (paroket) seems to be connected with a verb that means “to shut off” and was used with a shrine. This veil or curtain would form a barrier in the approach to God (see Driver, 289).
³⁹tn The verb is the third masculine singular form, but no subject is expressed. It could be translated “one will make” or as a passive. The verb means “to make,” but probably has the sense of embroidering both here and in v. 1.
⁴⁰tn Heb “put it.”
⁴¹tn This clause simply says “and their hooks gold,” but is taken as a circumstantial clause telling how the veil will be hung.
⁴²tn Heb “on four silver bases.”
⁴³tn The expression “within the veil” is literally “into the house (or area) of the veil.”
⁴⁴tn Or “the Most Holy Place.”
⁴⁵tn It could be rendered differently by adding “which is” here, to show that the verb “you will put” goes with “in the Holy of Holies.”
⁴⁶sn This was another curtain, serving as a screen in the entrance way. Since it was far away from the veil, it was less elaborate. It was not the work of the master designer, but of the “embroiderer,” and it did not have the cherubim in it.
⁴⁷tn The word <qr* (roqem) refers to someone who made cloth with colors. It is not certain, however, whether the colors were woven into the fabric on the loom or applied with a needle; so “embroiderer” should be understood as an approximation (cf. HALOT s.v. <qr).
⁴⁸tn “will be” has been supplied.
⁴⁹sn In all the details of this chapter the expositor should pay attention to the overall message rather than engage in speculation concerning the symbolism of the details. It is, after all, the divine instruction for the preparation of the dwelling place for Yahweh. The point could be said this way: The dwelling place of Yahweh must be prepared in accordance with, and by the power of, his divine word. If God was to fellowship with his people, then the center of worship had to be made to his specifications, which were in harmony with his nature. Everything was functional for the approach to God through the ritual by divine provisions. But everything also reflected the nature of God, the symmetry, the order, the pure wood, the gold overlay, or (closer to God) the solid gold. And the symbolism of the light, the table, the veil, the cherubim—all of it was revelatory. All of it reflected the reality in heaven. Churches today do not retain the pattern and furnishings of the old tabernacle. However, they would do well to learn what God was requiring of Israel, so that their structures are planned in accordance with the theology of worship and the theology of access to God. Function is a big part; but symbolism and revelation instruct the planning of everything to be used. Christians live in the light of the fulfillment of Christ, and so they know the realities that the old foreshadowed. While a building is not necessary for worship (just as Israel worshiped in places beside the sanctuary), it is practical, and if there is going to be one, then the most should be made of it in the teaching and worshiping of the assembly. This chapter, then, provides an inspiration for believers on preparing a functional, symbolical, ordered place of worship that is in harmony with the word of God. And there is much to be said for making it as beautiful and uplifting as is possible—as a gift of freewill offering to God. Of course, the most important part of preparing a place of worship is the preparing of the heart. Worship, to be acceptable to God, must be in Christ. He said that when the temple was destroyed he would raise it up in three days. While he referred to his own body, he also alluded to the temple by the figure. When they put Jesus to death, they were destroying the temple; at his resurrection he would indeed begin a new form of worship. He is the tent, the veil, the propitiatory, that the sanctuary foreshadowed. And then, believers also when they receive Christ, become the temple of the Lord. So the NT will take the imagery and teaching of this chapter in a number of useful ways, that call for more study.