Exodus 26

Exodus 26:1

A Tabernacle] That is, a Tent, or moveable house for the Arke, Table, Shew-bread, &c. See Annot. on vers. 8.

of cunning worke] Heb. the worke of a cunning workman, or mbroiderer. Silke or linen being the ground, threads of blew purple, and scarlet, were curiously wrought upon i; to make it both various and glorious.

Exodus 26:3

five curtaines] So joyned as to make up one great one; the other five so joyned, as to make up another great one, and these two after by loops, buckles, or hooks, so coupled together, as to make the Tabernacle as one entire worke or structure.

Exodus 26:7

to be a covering] Not onely above, but round about; so they were as a case for the Tabernacle (which was fine and precious) to preserve it both above, and on all sides, from the injurie of weather; and it was made of Goats haire, woven into cloth: and there was a third covering dyed red, vers. 14. and a fourth above that, next unto the weather (of Badgers skins) which are stronger, and courser then they: these curtaines were joyned together as the other, vers. 3.

Exodus 26:9

double the sixt curtaine] That is, five on the one side and five on the other, and the sixt should hang over the entrance of the Tabernacle, the curtaines being eleven in all, which number is made up of five and sixe, the sixt of the six and the eleventh of the whole was to be doubled, and so to hang on both sides the doore of the Tabernacle. These were larger then the former curtains of cunning worke, for they were thirtie cubits long, vers. 8. the other but twentie eight, vers. 2. because they were for a covering and safegard of the finer curtains.

Exodus 26:12

remnant] For these curtaines were two cubits longer then the curtaines of the Tabernacle, so that they were side: by a cubite on both sides, that they might the better cover the better covering which was under them, and save it from wearing or defiling.

Exodus 26:15

Shittim wood] Whereof there was store in the desart of Arabia.

Exodus 26:24

coupled] Like twins exactly answering one another: this is to be understood of the two corner boards in the backe part of the Tabernacle, whereof he made mention in the precedent verse, with farre more strength and firmnesse were to be double, above and below, and so closed together that the ring put in the corner might serve for the barres which met on both sides.

Exodus 26:26

barres] These barres covered with gold, and put into golden rings were to strengthen and hold the boards together that they might be firme and stedfast.

Exodus 26:28

midst of the boards] Not through the thicknesse of them, but through the rings, which were fastened to the middle of the outside, the middle in respect of the space above and below the barres.

Exodus 26:30

according to the fashion] Chap. 25. 9. 40. Acts 7:44. Hebrews 8:5. See Annot. on Chap. 25. 5: 9.

Exodus 26:31

• vaile] Within this vaile which separated betwixt the holy place and the most holy was the Arke placed, vers. 33. * 2 Chron. 3. 14.

with cherubims] The portraiture of them wrought or woven into the worke. See the Note on Chap. 25. 18.

Exodus 26:32

hookes] Some read heads of the pillars.

Exodus 26:33

most holy] Whereinto the high Priest only entred once a yeare; here was the Arke placed, and hence God gave Answers, therefore it was sometimes called the Oracle, in the 1 Kings 6:19. it was a Type of heaven, the throne of God, for here God manifested his especiall presence, and the high Priest entered into it by especiall prerogative, as Christ our high Priest into heaven, and but once a yeare, the better to preserve the reverence of the place, for which cause it was separated by a vaile from the rest of the Tabernacle.

Exodus 26:35

the Table without] That is, the Table of the shewbread or twelve cakes or loaves (representing the twelve Tribes) shall be set on the outside of the vaile, not in the inside; (where the Arke was placed) that is, it must be set not in the most holy place, but in the holy place divided from it by a vaile.

Exodus 26:36

an hanging] This hanging or vaile was a partition betwixt the holy place of the Priests, and the place where the people were, it being not close to the ground, because at the entrance it was to let in some light.