The length of one curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits ,.... The breadth of them is the same with the linen curtains, but the length of them two cubits more; the reason of which was, that they might hang down lower on either side, and the better preserve them from any injury: and the eleven curtains shall be all of one measure ; as to length and breadth. read more
And thou shall couple five curtains by themselves ,.... And make one large curtain of them, as was ordered with respect to the linen curtains: and six curtains by themselves ; as there were eleven of them, such a division was made of five into one large curtain, and six into another; and as that which had six in it would reach further than the other, provision is made for the disposal and use of that as follows: and shall double the sixth curtain in the forefront of the tabernacle ;... read more
And thou shalt make fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain, that is outmost in the coupling ,.... Just in like manner, and in the same place where they were ordered to be put on the linen curtains, only these are not said to be of blue, but perhaps were wrought with goats hair: and fifty loops in the edge of the curtain which coupleth the second; these loops were set on each of the curtains where the two large pieces were to be coupled together. read more
And thou shalt make fifty taches of brass ,.... As these curtains were coarser, and also the loops, so the taches, hooks, or clasps, were made of meaner metal, but answered the purpose of joining and coupling together full as well: and put the taches into the loops; one end of the hook or clasp into the loop on one of the curtains, and the other end of the hook or clasp into the loop on the other curtain answering to it: and couple the tent together, that it may be one; that the tent or... read more
And the remnant that remaineth of the curtains of the tent ,.... Of the goat hair curtains, which were one more than the linen curtains: the half curtain that remaineth ; for the other half extended to the east end of it, at the entrance of the tabernacle, and hung down and was doubled there, and the other that remained is here disposed of: shall hang over the backside of the tabernacle ; the west end of it, where was the holy of holies; or rather, as Dr. Lightfoot F14 Works,... read more
And a cubit on the one side, and a cubit on the other side o that which remaineth in the length of the curtains of the tent ,.... The curtains of the tent, or the goat hair curtains, were two cubits longer than the other, and these are the two cubits, one on one side and the other on the other, which remained, and by which they were longer than the linen curtains: it shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle ; the north and south sides: on this side: and on that side, to cover it ;... read more
And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red ,.... This was a covering that was put over the curtains of goats' skin; but whether it went all over them, or only upon the roof of the tabernacle they covered, to keep out the rains from soaking through, is not certain, nor very evident; Jarchi thinks the roof was only covered with this covering of rams' skins; but others think it more reasonable that the whole was covered with them to preserve from dust and rain: and a... read more
And thou shalt make the boards for the tabernacle ,.... Which were the pillars and supports, and properly the walls of it, which gave it its firmness and security, or otherwise the curtains would have been blown about by every wind: they were to be made of shittim wood standing up ; just as they grew, as a Jewish writer observes F16 Bartenora in Misn. Succa, c. 3. sect. 14. ; these planks or boards were not to be laid along the lengthways of them, but to be set upright; and may... read more
Ten cubits shall be the length of a board ,.... Or five yards, according to the common cubit: and a cubit and a half shall be the breadth of one board ; or three quarters of a yard; and from hence we may learn what were the height and the length of the tabernacle; according to the common computation of a cubit, it was but five yards high and fifteen long, since there were but twenty boards on each side, Exodus 26:18 , but if three inches are added to each cubit, it will make its... read more
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John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 26:7
And thou shalt make curtains of goats' hair ,.... Jarchi calls it the flower or down of goats, the softer and finer part of their hair, which was spun by women, as appears from Exodus 35:26 , and was made up into a stuff somewhat like our camelot; these curtains were coarser than the former, and were made to be put over them, to preserve them from the weather, as it follows: to be a covering upon the tabernacle : which, by the curtains of linen coupled together, became one tabernacle,... read more