THE CHERUBIM CURTAIN TABERNACLE

THE CHERUBIM CURTAIN TABERNACLE The curtains, skins, and boards of the sacred edifice, considered as a whole, are called the tabernacle (Heb. “dwelling”), but regarded separately, the cherubim curtains are so named, and consequently in the text (Exodus 36:1-15) have the place of honor, being first mentioned in the order of relative importance thus: first, the cherubim curtains (Exodus 36:1); second, the goat-hair curtains (Exodus 36:7); third, the two sets of skin coverings (Exodus 36:14); and fourth and last, the boards, which are not called the tabernacle (or dwelling), but merely the boards for the tabernacle (Exodus 36:1 with Exodus 36:6; Exodus 36:15). The beautiful ornamental cherubim curtains were visible on the roof and walls of the interior, being with their goats’ hair tent covering suspended within the house from the top of the boards. There is no other possible sense in which they could have been designated the tabernacle. Some writers throw them over the framework of golden boards, and then cover them entirely over with the goat-hair curtains and the two sets of skin coverings, but certainly two-thirds of the beautiful and highly decorated curtains were never thus intended to be covered and hid from view. Rich tapestry is not used on the outside of buildings, but displayed in the interior. According to the above writers, the cherubim curtains were only displayed to view on the ceiling, and the rest of them unseen.

Made of undyed and dyed linen yarn.—The warp or foundation was of the very finest pure white linen yarn (Heb. “shesh”), and the weft of the same material dyed blue, purple, and scarlet (Exodus 36:1). Figures of cherubim were interwoven by skillful weavers (Exodus 36:1). THE WISE-HEARTED WOMEN WERE THE SPINNERS (Exodus 35:25; Exodus 35:35).

Some render “shesh” silk (Variorum Bible, mar., Exodus 25), but they are certainly mistaken, for in ancient times the Egyptians used only linen and cotton. It was not till a few centuries before our era that the use of wool and silk.., was introduced. Egyptian linen was exceedingly fine: Herodotus, describing the breastplate sent to the Lacedaemonians by King Amasis, tells us it was made of linen... Each slender thread was composed of three hundred and sixty distinct threads (See Eugene Muntz, Short History of Tapestry, pp. 5, 6). The number and size of the curtains.—There were ten of these very fine and rich curtains woven. Each measured 28 cubits long and 4 broad. The joining of the curtains.—Five of the curtains were “coupled one to another,” and the other five in like manner (Exodus 26:3) probably by needlework, forming two great curtains joined together by means of loops of blue and taches of gold (Exodus 26:4; Exodus 26:6); fifty loops extending along the outermost edge of one of the great curtains, and fifty along that of the other (Exodus 26:4-5). At the place where the junction was effected, loops took hold one of the other, and were kept locked together by means of the golden clasps (Exodus 26:6). (See diagram of the two great cherubim curtains, p. 26.)

Disposition of the curtains.—The curtains were placed lengthways across the roof, and down the side walls; but as the wall on each side was 10 cubits high, and the roof 10 cubits broad (in all 30 cubits), and as the curtains were only 28 cubits long, they did not quite reach to the ground, but to a cubit of it on both sides. (See diagram, p. 28.)

LENGTH AND BREADTH OF THE HOUSE DETERMINED
BY THE SIZE OF THE CURTAINS (SEE DIAGRAM, P. 27.) The breadth of the first grand division of five curtains being twenty cubits extended along the roof of the holy place (See diagram), and ten cubits of the second grand division of twenty cubits, extended along the roof of the most holy place, showing that the combined length of the two apartments was thirty cubits, the remaining ten cubits of this grand division hung down the back wall. That the two great curtains of five each were thus used, one for the holy place and the other for the holy of holies, is proved by Exodus 26:33, where it is said, “Thou shalt hand up the veil under the taches,” that is before the entrance into the most holy place, and where the two grand curtains were united by the taches.

As to surplusage, see appendix, chapter 27.

Ten cubits of curtains spanning the roof (see diagram) show that the house was ten cubits broad. Thus the measurements of the curtains, like the length of the sockets (p. 6), and the breadth of the boards (p. 12), show that the tabernacle was thirty cubits (45 feet) long, and ten cubits (15 feet) broad.