Exodus 26

Ch. 26. The Dwelling, or (RV.) ‘tabernacle,’ i.e. (see on Exodus 25:9) the interior fabric of curtains, supported upon a wooden framework, forming the Holy place, and the Holy of holies.

Exodus 26:1-6

1–6 (cf. Exodus 36:8-13). The ornamented curtains, forming the Dwelling itself. These were ten in number, each 28 cubits (42 ft.) long, and 4 cubits (6 ft.) wide, all made of richly coloured tapestry, with figures of cherubim interwoven (the ‘work of the designer’). When joined together, they formed a single large curtain, 40 cubits (60 ft.) long, and 28 cubits (42 ft.) broad.

Exodus 26:3

3. The curtains were to be joined together, so as to form two sets of five, each 28 cubits (42 ft.) long, and 20 cubits (30 ft.) broad. The Dwelling was 30 cubits long, and 10 cubits high and broad: and the curtain was spread over it in such a way that it hung down for the entire height of 10 cubits behind (the front, having a ‘screen’ of its own (v. 36), not needing any curtain), and for 9 cubits on each of the two sides.

Exodus 26:4-6

4–6. These sets were to be coupled together so as to form a single large curtain 28 cubits (42 ft.) broad, and 40 cubits (60 ft.) long. The coupling was to be effected by 50 loops of violet tape being attached to one of the outer edges of each set, and fastened to the loop opposite to it by golden clasps. 4. from the selvedge, &c.] at the extremity. in the (first) set] ‘Coupling’ = things coupled together, i.e. ‘set.’ 4 end, 5b. coupling] set (RVm.). 6 and the Dwelling shall be one] it will be formed by one single curtain.

Exodus 26:7-13

Exodus 7-13 (cf. Exodus 36:14-18). The Tent over the Dwelling, consisting of eleven curtains of cloth made of goats’ hair, each 30 cubits long, and 4 cubits wide, fastened together so as to form a single large curtain, 30 cubits broad, and 44 cubits long. The Bedawin still make their tents of goats’ hair in the same way: breadths of goats’ hair cloth, it may be ¾ yd. broad, and as long as the breadth of the tent, are stitched together, and form a covering capable of keeping out the heaviest rain (Burckh. Bedouins, i. 37; cf. DB. iv. 717): comp. Son 1:5, where their dark colour is alluded to.

Exodus 26:8-9

8. The dimensions of the ‘curtains,’ or, as we should here say, ‘breadths.’ On the late Heb. for ‘eleven,’ see LOT. 156 n. 9a. The curtains, or ‘breadths,’ are to be coupled together, so as to form two sets, of five and six breadths respectively. 9b. double over] i.e., as commonly understood, lay double on the top

6082Model of P’s Tent of Meeting, as reconstructed by Prof. Kennedy. The two outermost coverings (Exodus 26:14) are removed, shewing the framework covered by the tapestry curtains a a with the figures of cherubim, the goats’ hair curtains of the ‘tent’ (Exodus 26:7) b b, one of the corner frames c, the bars d d d, the veil e, and the screen f. From Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible, iv. 661. of the Dwelling in front, so as to form a kind of portal above the entrance. But this is not the natural meaning of the Heb., which is that the curtain is to be doubled in front of the Dwelling, so as to hang down there for 2 cubits, forming a kind of valance over the top of the screen (v. 36), and securing that the Dwelling is in perfect darkness (so Kennedy, p. 662a). Render then double (without ‘over’); and see further on v. 12.

Exodus 26:10-11

10, 11. How the two sets, of five and six breadths respectively, were to be held together, viz. by 50 loops, with clasps of copper, attached to the outer edge of one of the end breadths in each set.

Exodus 26:11

11. brass] copper or bronze. Gold (v. 6) was confined to the clasps for the inner curtains, forming the Dwelling proper.

Exodus 26:12

12. overhanging] The Heb. means loose or free, not necessarily ‘overhanging.’ the half curtain that remaineth] The breadth in front is laid double (v. 9): it is consequently halved in width; and the entire length of the curtain is thus 42 cubits. As the Dwelling Isaiah 30 cubits long and 10 cubits high, it follows that, according to the usual view of v. 9b, 12 cubits will hang down behind, according to Kennedy’s view, 10 cubits will hang down behind. The ‘half-curtain’ (= 2 cubits) overhanging a the back can thus, upon the usual view, be only the 2 cubits in excess of the 10 (so Di.), the whole 12, we may suppose, being stretched out, and pegged to the ground in the manner of a tent: it is not, however, very natural to speak of only the 2 cubits as hanging down loosely behind: we should rather expect the whole 12 to be so spoken of. The difficulty would be removed, if we might suppose the words, ‘the half-curtain that remaineth,’ in v. 12 to be a mistaken gloss, arising out of a hasty reading of v. 9b: if these words are omitted, the length of the part hanging down behind is not specified, and it might, of course, be either the 12 cubits required by the ordinary view of v. 9b, or the 10 cubits required by Kennedy’s view. The latter view does better justice to v. 9b, and also has the advantage of making the goats’ hair curtain hang down symmetrically on the two sides and the back, viz. so a exactly to touch the ground in each case.

Exodus 26:13

13. On the two sides of the Dwelling, the curtain of goats’ hair being 30 cubits broad, while the inner tapestry curtain was 28 cubits broad, the former would of course reach a cubit lower than the latter, and touch the ground.

Exodus 26:14

14. (cf. Exodus 36:19). Two outer coverings of stronger and stouter materials, to be laid over the Tent, for protection against rain. Kn. reminds us that on military expeditions the Romans used in winter to cover their tents with skins (sub pellibus hiemare). rams’ skins dyed red] i.e. leather, dyed, not with the costly Phoenician ‘scarlet’ (Exodus 25:4), but probably (Kennedy), as LXX. ἠρυθροδανωμένα suggests, with madder (ἐρυθρόδανον). sealskins] dugong skins (Exodus 25:5). The Dwelling, with the coverings above it, was kept in its place by cords connecting it with pins driven into the ground, in the manner of a tent: see Exodus 27:19, Exodus 35:18, Exodus 38:20; Exodus 38:31. 15–30 (cf. Exodus 36:20-34). The ‘boards,’ or, perhaps, frames, for the Dwelling. There is great difficulty in some of the details: but the general sense is clear. The ‘boards’ were to be of acacia wood, overlaid with gold, each 10 cubits (15 ft.) long, and 1½ cubits (2 ft. 3 in.) broad: they were to be placed upright, so as to form the sides and back of the Dwelling, each resting in two sockets of silver: there were to be twenty forming each side, six to form the back, and two, of special construction, at the corners, where the back and sides met: five bars, attached to the boards by rings, were to run horizontally along the two sides and the back, respectively, to hold them firmly in their place.

Exodus 26:15-17

15–17. The wooden framework of the Dwelling.

Exodus 26:17

17. tenons] lit. hands, used fig. of supports: cf. 1 Kings 7:32-33 (EVV. axletrees; rather, diagonal stays under the body of the laver, holding the axles in their places), 35 (supports of the basin at the top), 36 (corrupt dittography from v. 35: see Skinner’s note in the Century Bible), Exodus 10:16 (of the ‘arms’ of a throne). These ‘hands,’ or tenons, as ordinarily understood, were pegs projecting underneath the bottom of the boards, to hold them firm in their sockets (v. 19). joined] the word (only here and in the ||, Exodus 36:22) means joined by a cross-piece (cf. the cognate shĕ ?labbim, 1 Kings 7:28-29†, ‘cross-pieces,’ or ‘cross-rails’ [see Skinner’s note: in EVV. misrendered ledges], and the post-Bibl. shĕ ?lîbâh, the ‘rung’ of a ladder), clamped together. The tenons of each board (or frame) were secured in their places by a clamp of metal underneath the bottom of the board. Kennedy, however (p. 660a), understands the ‘hands’ not of tenons, but of the upright sides of the ‘frame’ themselves, and would render vv. 15–17 thus: ‘And thou shalt make the frames for the Dwelling of acacia wood, standing up,—10 cubits the length of a frame, and 1½ cubits the breadth of a frame,—namely, two uprights for [so rightly, for EVV. in] each frame, joined one to another by cross-rails [see the illustr.]: thus shalt thou make for all the frames of the Dwelling.’ The translation is quite legitimate (for there is in the Heb. no ‘shall be’ in either v. 16 or v. 17), and the explanation clever: but it is difficult to feel certain that such ‘uprights’ would be called hands in Heb. The sense ‘frames’ for ḳ ?ĕ ?râshim is not dependent upon it; and it is perhaps safer to adhere to the usual rend, ‘tenons.’

Exodus 26:18-25

18–25. The number of frames for each side of the Dwelling, and the arrangements for holding them firmly in their place.

Exodus 26:19

19. sockets] bases (Ezekiel 41:22 RVm.), or pedestals (cf. Job 38:6 ‘foundations’; Son 5:15 supporting pillars), i.e. solid blocks of silver—acc. to Exodus 38:27 weighing a talent (96 lbs.) each—resting on the ground, and, naturally, with ‘sockets’ in them to receive the ‘tenons.’ A talent of silver, of the sacred standard, weighed probably DB. iii. 422b, 419b) about 96 lbs. av.: so that, as a cubit ft. of silver weighs 655 lbs., the talent would amount to about 250 cubic inches, i.e. it might form a block about 7 in. square and 5 in. deep: two such blocks were to stand under each of the frames. Kennedy, however, discarding Exodus 38:27 as part of a late addition to P (see on Exodus 38:24-31), pictures each base as a square plinth, ¾ cubit on the side and a cubit high, the whole forming thus a continuous wall under the frames; the weight of each base in this case would be about 1240 lbs.

Exodus 26:22

22. westward] lit. sea-ward. Sea (i.e. the Medit. sea) is in Heb. the regular word for ‘west’; and the usage, like that of négeb in v. 18 in the sense of ‘south,’ could only have arisen after Israel had been long settled in Canaan. So Exodus 10:19; Exodus 10:27; Exodus 27:12; Exodus 36:27; Exodus 36:32; Exodus 38:12. The twenty frames for the sides of the Dwelling made up its entire length of 30 cubits (= 1 ½ × 20). The six frames at the end would make 9 cubits: so that, as the entire width of the Dwelling was 10 cubits, if the frames at the sides were ½ a cubit thick, the six at the end would just fill up the 9 cubits between them.

Exodus 26:23-24

23, 24. The two corner frames.

Exodus 26:24

24. A most obscure verse, the crux of all interpreters. It must suffice here to state Kennedy’s view (p. 661); for a discussion of others, the reader is referred to McNeile, p. lxxv f. (see also W. R. Smith, Journ. of Phil. xvi. 76). After v. 22 these two extra frames do not really appear to be required: apparently, however, they are intended to strengthen the two corners, at the back of the Dwelling, the idea being that the last frame at each end of the hinder wall is to be doubled, the second frame forming a buttress, sloping upwards from the outside and terminating just under the uppermost of the bars described in v. 26 f.

The verse may be rendered, And they shall be twinned (so AVm.: i.e. twin-pieces to the two extreme frames of the end wall, and braced to them to give additional strength) from beneath, and together (i.e. both alike, as Deuteronomy 12:22) they shall be twinned (reading ϊΰξιν, as just before, for ϊξιν) unto the top thereof (viz. of the Dwelling) unto the first ring (i.e. the topmost ring (see v. 29) at the back of the Dwelling): thus shall it be, &c. The sense, it must be admitted, is contortedly expressed: but no explanation is free from objection, and nothing more satisfactory has been proposed.

Exodus 26:25

25. eight] i.e. the 6 + 2 of vv. 22, 23. Bases for sockets, as before.

Exodus 26:26-29

26–29. The bars. Five gilt bars of acacia wood, attached to the frames by gold rings, are to run horizontally along the two sides and the back of the Dwelling, to keep the frames in their places. The middle bar in each case ran from end to end: the other bars, it may be inferred, were shorter, perhaps arranged as is here shewn: It is not stated whether the bars were to be outside or inside the Dwelling: but the former seems the more natural, and is commonly assumed.

Exodus 26:30

30. Cf. Exodus 25:9; Exodus 25:40; and see Exodus 40:18. fashion] more exactly, prescribed norm: cf. 1 Kings 6:38, Ezekiel 42:11; and see on this sense of mishpâṭ ? the writer’s Jeremiah, p. 345.

Exodus 26:31-35

31–35. The veil, to separate the Holy place from the Holy of holies, made of the same richly coloured tapestry, with figures of cherubim woven into it (the ‘work of the designer’), as the curtain (v. 1), and suspended on four gilt pillars of acacia wood, vv. 31–33 (cf. Exodus 36:35-36). The position of the ark, the table of the Presence-bread, and he candlestick, vv. 34–5 (cf. Exodus 40:20; Exodus 40:22; Exodus 40:24).

Exodus 26:32

32. four bases of silver] such as the frames rested upon, v. 19 ff.

Exodus 26:33

33. under the clasps] the clasps mentioned in v. 6, which must have been (vv. 2, 3) at a distance of 5 Χ 4 (= 20) cubits from the front of the Dwelling, and (as the Dwelling Isaiah 30 cubits long) 10 cubits from its back. The Holy place is thus 20 cubits long, and the Most Holy place 10 cubits; as the latter is also Exodus 10 cubits high and 10 cubits wide, it forms a cube. The length and breadth of the Dwelling are exactly half those of Solomon’s Temple (60 Χ 20 cubits): the Holy of holies is also half the height of that in the Temple (20 Χ 20 Χ 20 cubits), but the Holy place is only a third as high as that in the Temple (40 Χ 20 Χ 30 cubits): see 1 Kings 6:2; 1 Kings 6:16-17; 1 Kings 6:20 [for ‘oracle,’ read hindmost part, or shrine, and for ‘temple,’ Heb. hκkβl, read hall; see p. 259].

Exodus 26:35

35. over against] opposite to, on the south side of the table.

Exodus 26:36-37

Exodus 36-7 (Exodus 26:36-37). The screen, to cover the entrance to the Dwelling. This was of the same materials as the veil (v. 31), but, as it was further from the shrine, of less elaborate workmanship, the ‘work of the variegator,’ or ‘embroiderer’ (not of the ‘designer’ or pattern-weaver see on v. 1), and without cherubim.