Matthew Poole and continuators on Exodus 26

1 MOreover, thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet : with cherubims of cunning work , shalt thou make them.

Or, Tent, a little house, wherein the Ark, Table, and Candlestick were to be placed.

(i. e.) With materials of these colours, to wit, Wool, as may be gathered from hence, that it is opposed to Linnen. Compare Exod. 25. 4.

Either woven, or rather wrought with needle, wherein is more skill and curiosity.

Marginal references: chap. 36. 8.; Heb [illegible: 1 word] work of [illegible: 1+ letters] [illegible: 1 word] workman or embroiderer.

4 And thou shalt make loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain, from the selvedge in the coupling : and likewise shalt thou make in the uttermost edge of another curtain, in the coupling of the second.

Which together with the taches were for the joyning the curtains together, as appears from verse 11. which way of conjunction was most convenient for the often taking them down and setting them up.

Or from or in the extremity, or end, or edge. Heb. lip.

(i. e.) In the place where the two curtains are coupled together.

The second curtain is to be made exactly like the first.

6 And thou shalt make fifty taches of gold, and couple the curtains together with the taches : and it shall be one Tabernacle.

Or hooks, or buttons, which were put into the loops to unite and fasten the curtains.

7 And thou shalt make curtains of goats hair to be a covering upon the tabernacle: eleven curtains shalt thou make.

Spun, Exod. 35. 26. and woven into a stuffe, like our camlet.

To be put next above the curtains.

9 And thou shalt couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and shalt double the sixth curtain in the forefront of the tabernacle.

For the better security of the inward covering.

14 And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams skins died red, and a covering above of badgers skins .

To preserve the rest from the injury of the weather.

17 Two tenons shall there be in one board, set in order one against another: thus shalt thou make for all the boards of the tabernacle.

Heb. hands▪ (i. e.) parts of the boards so cut and framed that like hands they may take hold of and be fastned into the sockets, ver. 19.

Marginal references: Heb. hands.

19 And thou shalt make fourty sockets of silver under the twenty boards: two sockets under one board for his two tenons, and two sockets under another board for his two tenons.

Or bases, or pedestals, or seet, upon which the boards stood, and to which they were fastned.

23 And two boards shalt thou make for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides.

Which were of another fashion than the former, as may be gathered both from the distinct nomination and use of them, and from the laws of building. And whereas the rest were but single boards, these were double for greater strength and conveniency of joyning them together.

24 And they shall be coupled together beneath, and they shall be coupled together above the head of it unto one ring : thus shall it be for them both, they shall be for the two corners.

Heb. as twins, i. e. equal and equally joyned together, and exactly answering one to the other.

Which ring was exactly in the corner, and with the help of the bars kept the corner-boards, and with them the other boards of the Tabernacle close together. But you must note, that here were two rings in each corner, the one in the upper, the other in the lower, parts.

Marginal references: Heb. twinned.

26 And thou shalt make bars of shittim-wood: five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle.

By bars you may understand either 1. Several rows or orders of bars, one bar beginning at the end of the other, and each containing 4 cubits in length, and all together 20 cubits, which was the length of the Tabernacle: or 2. single bars, which seems truer, 1. because the word signifies bars, not rows of [illegible: 1 word]: And why should we go from the proper signification of the word without cause. 2. if bars be put for rows of bars, there must be 5 rows of bars on a side, there being so many bars said to be on a side. But the abettors of that opinion allow only 4 rows of bars on a side, and it is apparent the middle bar, which is one of the five, is but one single bar, ver. 28. and therefore it may be presumed the rest were so too. 3. the name of the middle bar implyes, that of the other 4 bars two were above it and two below it. Obj. But if they were each single bars, reaching the whole length of the building, why is it said peculiarly of the middle bar, that it should reach from end to end or from extremity to extremity, ver. 28. Ans. This may be peculiarly said of this, either because the other four might want something of the just length of the building, or because the middle bar might stand out beyond the two ends of it, for conveniency of carriage of the building.

27 And five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle; and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle for the two sides westward .

There was but one side westward. Either therefore here is a transposition of the Hebrew words, which is usual, and the words are thus to be placed and rendred, westward looking to both sides, or, west-ward, according to both the other sides, now mentioned, to note that the number and length of bars in the west end should be equal to those on either of the other sides: or here is an Enallage of the number, the dual or plural for the singular, of which there are many examples, and so the words are to be rendred, for the side looking westward.

28 And the middle bar in the midst of the boards , shall reach from end to end.

Not within the thickness of the boards, as the Iews conceive, but in the length of them, as appears, 1. because this bar, as well as the rest, was guilded, ver. 29. which was frivolous if it were never seen. 2. because all the bars had rings made to receive and hold them up, ver. 29.

30 And thou shalt rear up the tabernacle, according to the fashion thereof, which was shewed thee in the mount.

Either by visible representation to his eye, or rather by mental vision or impression of it upon his imagination.

Marginal references: chap. 25. [illegible: 1+ letters] ▪ 40. Act. 7. 44▪ Heb. 8. 5.

31 And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made.

Which was thick and strong that none could see through it, called the second vail, Heb. 9. 3. whereby the Holy of Holies, which represented the highest heaven, was divided from the Holy place, where the Church militant, or its representatives met and served God, ver. 33. For the signification of this vail see Luk. 23. 45. Heb. 9. 8, 24. and 10. 19, 20.

Marginal references: 2 Chro. 3. 1. Matth. 27. 5▪

32 And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim-wood, overlaid with gold: their hooks shall be of gold, upon the four sockets of silver.

Which were fastened to the tops of the pillars, as the vail was fastened to them.

33 And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches , that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you, between the holy place, and the most holy.

Or, in the place (as the Hebrew tacheth oft signifies) of the taches, to wit, where the two curtains are joyned together by taches, ver. 6.

Marginal references: Heb. 9. [illegible: 1 word] ▪

36 And thou shalt make an hanging for the door of the tent of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework.

(i. e.) Of the Holy-place, where it was divided from the court of the people.