THE SURPLUSAGE OF THE CHERUBIM AND GOAT-HAIR CURTAINS
THE SURPLUSAGE OF THE CHERUBIM AND GOAT-HAIR CURTAINS In the cherubim curtains there is a large surplusage not easily accounted for (p. 27), and in the goat-hair curtains there is a corresponding surplusage (p. 30, 31). As stated at p. 31, which we repeat here, the five goat-hair curtains of the grand division of six spanned the roof, and hung down the walls of the holy place, being the exact measure required; and half of the other grand division of five curtains spanned the roof, and hung down the walls of the most holy place; and the remainder of this great curtain (may this not be the half curtain of Exodus 26:1-27) hung down the back wall, being the exact length required to reach the ground, yet leaving a large surplusage as indicated in the diagrams, p. 27 and p. 30.
Dr. Kalisch tells us that the half of this grand division of five curtains hung down the back wall, but ignores the fact that one-third of it was sufficient for the purpose. While trying to solve lesser difficulties, the doctor finds it convenient to take no notice whatever of the superfluous two-thirds which measures 10 feet by 20, nor of the corresponding surplusage of 10 feet by18 in the cherubim curtains, yet affirms that he has solved all the difficulties arising out of the apparent discrepancy between the measurement of the wooden frame-work and the curtains.
Soltau, in his Tabernacle and the Priesthood, at p. 48, says:—”Half the curtains which was formed of the five breadths of four cubits joined together, hung down over the back or west end of the tabernacle so as to cover up that extremity, for the width of it would be exactly twenty cubits; ten of which would reach over the top, from the taches to the end of the tabernacle, and other ten would fall down from the top over the west end, so as to reach to the ground.” He forgets all about the length of the curtains which was thirty cubits, and while using up all the width of the curtains, uses up only a third of the length. Moreover, a third of the other half of this great curtain of five breadths was used for the roof of the holy of holies, so that not an inch of the half Mr. Soltau referred to was required for the roof.
Otto Von Gerlach, in speaking of the goat-hair curtains, although unlike Dr. Kalisch and Soltau, not blind to this large surplusage, gets easily over the mountain of difficulty by remarking that the half of the great curtain (of five) hung down the back wall in folds, leaving it to be inferred that the superfluity was used up by this means. A very easy mode of getting quit of a superfluity, two-thirds more than was necessary to hang down, and not only so, for besides there was the similar surplusage in the cherubim curtains.
Mr. Fergusson, the celebrated architect (Smith’s Bible Dictionary, p. 1451), asserts that he has solved all the difficulties which have troubled former restorers; but while the sloping-roof of his tabernacle effectually uses up the entire curtains, it gives rise to a very large deficiency (a greater difficulty than that of a surplusage), besides creating other difficulties greater than those which he vainly attempts to solve (see p. 203, 204).
We admit our inability to solve the difficulties arising out of the surplusage in both sets of curtains, but these are difficulties that no one else as yet has solved.