Commentaria in Exodum
Chapter Twenty-six
1. And the tabernacle thou shalt make thus: Ten curtains of fine twisted linen, and violet, and purple, and scarlet twice dyed, diversified with embroidered work, thou shalt make. 2. The length of one curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits: the breadth shall be of four cubits. All the curtains shall be of one measure. 3. Five curtains shall be joined one to another, and the other five shall be coupled together in like manner. 4. Loops of violet thou shalt make on the sides and in the top of the curtains, that they may be joined one to another. 5. Fifty loops shall the curtain have on both sides, so set in that one loop may be against another loop, and one may be fitted to the other. 6. Thou shalt make also fifty rings of gold, wherewith the veils of the curtains are to be joined, that it may be made one tabernacle. 7. Thou shalt make also eleven curtains of goats’ hair, to cover the roof of the tabernacle. 8. The length of one curtain shall have thirty cubits, and the breadth four: the measure of all the curtains shall be equal. 9. Of which five thou shalt join apart, and the other six thou shalt couple one to another, so that the sixth curtain thou shalt double in the front of the roof. 10. Thou shalt make also fifty loops in the hem of one curtain, that it may be coupled with the other, and fifty loops in the hem of the other curtain, that it may be joined with the other. 11. Thou shalt make also fifty buttons of brass, wherewith the loops may be joined, that of all there may be made one covering. 12. And whereas there shall be somewhat over in the curtains that are prepared for the roof, that is, one curtain that is more, with the half of it thou shalt cover the back part of the tabernacle. 13. And the cubit on the one side shall hang down, and the other on the other, which is more in the length of the curtains, covering both sides of the tabernacle. 14. Thou shalt make also another covering for the roof, of rams’ skins dyed red: and over that again another covering of violet skins. 15. Thou shalt make also the boards of the tabernacle of setim wood standing, 16. Of which every one shall be ten cubits in length, and a cubit and a half in breadth. 17. In the sides of the boards there shall be made two mortises, whereby one board may be joined to another: and in this manner shall all the boards be prepared. 18. Of which twenty shall be on the south side toward the south. 19. And these shall have forty bases of silver: two bases shall be put under every board, at the two corners. 20. In the second side of the tabernacle, which looketh to the north, shall be twenty boards, 21. Having forty bases of silver: two bases shall be put under every board. 22. But on the west side of the tabernacle thou shalt make six boards, 23. And again other two, which shall be raised up in the corners of the back part of the tabernacle. 24. And they shall be joined together from beneath to the top, and one joint shall hold them all. The two boards also that are to be put in the corners shall have the like joining. 25. And they shall be in all eight boards, and their bases of silver sixteen, reckoning two bases for every board. 26. Thou shalt make also bars of setim wood, five to hold the boards on the one side of the tabernacle, 27. And five others on the other, and the same number at the west side: 28. Which shall be put through the midst of the boards from one end to the other. 29. The boards also themselves thou shalt overlay with gold, and shalt cast for them rings of gold, through which the bars may hold the boards: and thou shalt cover the bars with plates of gold. 30. And thou shalt rear up the tabernacle according to the pattern that was shewn thee on the mount. 31. Thou shalt make also a veil of violet, and purple, and scarlet twice dyed, and fine twisted linen, woven with embroidered work, and beautiful variety: 32. And thou shalt hang it before four pillars of setim wood, which themselves indeed shall be overlaid with gold, and shall have heads of gold, but bases of silver. 33. And the veil shall be hung on with rings, within which thou shalt put the ark of the testimony, and the sanctuary and the holy of holies shall be divided with it. 34. Thou shalt put the propitiatory upon the ark of the testimony in the holy of holies: 35. And the table without the veil, and over against the table the candlestick in the south side of the tabernacle: for the table shall stand in the north side. 36. Thou shalt make also a hanging in the entrance of the tabernacle of violet, and purple, and scarlet twice dyed, and fine twisted linen, with embroidered work. 37. And thou shalt overlay with gold five pillars of setim wood, before which the hanging shall be drawn: whose heads shall be of gold, and the bases of brass.
TAKE here a brief synopsis of the whole tabernacle, and the court, and the vessels of each. The tabernacle was thirty cubits long, ten wide, ten high. It was divided into two parts, namely the Holy Place, which had 20 cubits in length, and the Holy of Holies, which contained the remaining ten cubits of the length of the tabernacle: the Holy Place was therefore rectangular, because it was 20 cubits long, 10 wide; the Holy of Holies, however, was square, because it was 10 cubits wide and as many long. The Holy Place was divided by a veil from the Holy of Holies, of which in verse 31.
Secondly, this tabernacle was made of 48 boards of gilded setim wood, 20 on the length toward the south, and as many toward the north; but on the west, which was part of the breadth of the tabernacle, joining both parts of the length, namely the south and north, it had 8 boards; but on the east it lay open, and had only 5 pillars of gilded setim wood, which were covered with the veil, verse 37: for on this side was the entrance into the tabernacle, the veil being lifted. Each of the boards had two bases of silver: and through these boards, on each of its three sides, 5 bars were passed, to hold the boards.
Thirdly, this tabernacle was covered both above and at the sides. First, with ten curtains made of scarlet, purple, hyacinth and byssus. Hence these curtains are here called tents, because they were stretched and spread out in the manner of a tent. Secondly, it was covered with 11 sagas, or hair-cloth coverings, each of which was 30 cubits long and 4 cubits wide. Thirdly, it was covered with rams’ skins dyed red. Fourthly, with violet skins, against rains and storms. Hence these skins are here called the roof, that is, the covering that covers the tabernacle, of which see verse 14. Hence it follows that the tabernacle was covered and veiled on every side, and had no window, but admitted light in front through the door, as I shall say at the end of the chapter.
Fourthly, before the tabernacle was a court a hundred cubits long and fifty wide, which was likewise enclosed at the sides by its own boards and curtains; but above it lay open, and was under the open sky.
Fifthly, this court was, as it were, the temple of the laity; for the laity could never approach the tabernacle nor enter it. Moreover, this court was divided into an outer court of the laity, of which I have already spoken, and an inner court of the priests, in which stood both the bronze laver and the altar of holocausts; for the latter had to be in the court under the open sky, on account of the fire, the smoke, the vapour and the odour of the victims that were burned upon this altar.
Furthermore, this court of the priests was marked off from the court of the laity by a slight fence, or wall of three cubits in height, so that the laity could look from their own court over the wall into the court of the priests, and there see the holocausts and the victims which were offered on the altar of holocausts.
Sixthly, in the front part of the tabernacle, that is, in the Holy Place, stood the altar of incense, facing the Holy of Holies and the propitiatory, so that through an opening left in the partition, or in the veil that divided them, the smoke of the incense, which was burned to God upon this altar, ascended; at the right side of this altar was the candlestick, at the left the table of the loaves of proposition. In the Holy of Holies, however, was the ark, containing within itself the tables of the law, and having above it the propitiatory, which two Cherubim overshadowed. Moreover, in the Holy of Holies were the urn with the manna and the rod of Aaron that had blossomed. In the court, as I have said, were the altar of holocausts and the bronze laver, that from it both the priests and the victims might be washed.
Seventhly, the Holy of Holies, that is, the most sacred part of the tabernacle, was like a choir, into which the high priest alone could enter, and that only once in the year, namely on the feast of expiation, Leviticus chap. XVI. Into the Holy Place, however, the priests entered daily, morning and evening, to burn incense, and to light the lamps in the evening and put them out in the morning. The court, however, was the place of the people alone.