Exodus 26:1 Kommentar

Moses here receives instructions, I. Concerning the inner curtains of the tent or tabernacle, and the coupling of those curtains (Exo 26:1-6). II. Concerning the outer curtains which were of goats' hair, to strengthen the former (Exo 26:7-13). III. Concerning the case or cover which was to secure it from the weather (Exo 26:14). IV. Concerning the boards which were to be reared up to support the curtains, with their bars and sockets (v. 15-30). V. The partition between the holy place and the most holy (Exo 26:31-35). VI. The veil for the door (Exo 26:36, Exo 26:37). These particulars, thus largely recorded, seem of little use to us now; yet, having been of great use to Moses and Israel, and God having thought fit to preserve down to us the remembrance of them, we ought not to overlook them. Even the antiquity renders this account venerable.

I. The house must be a tabernacle or tent, such as soldiers now use in the camp, which was both a mean dwelling and a movable one; and yet the ark of God had not better, till Solomon built the temple 480 years after this, Kg1 6:1. God manifested his presence among them thus in a tabernacle, 1. In compliance with their present condition in the wilderness, that they might have him with them wherever they went. Note, God suits the tokens of his favour, and the gifts of his grace, to his people's wants and necessities, according as they are, accommodating his mercy to their state, prosperous or adverse, settled or unsettled. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee, Isa 43:2. 2. That it might represent the state of God's church in this world, it is a tabernacle-state, Psa 15:1. We have here no continuing city; being strangers in this world, and travellers towards a better, we shall never be fixed till we come to heaven. Church-privileges are movable goods, from one place to another; the gospel is not tied to any place; the candlestick is in a tent, and may easily be taken away, Rev 2:5. If we make much of the tabernacle, and improve the privilege of it, wherever we go it will accompany us; but, if we neglect and disgrace it, wherever we stay it will forsake us. What hath my beloved to do in my house? Jer 11:15. II. The curtains of the tabernacle must correspond to a divine pattern. 1. They were to be very rich, the best of the kind, fine twined linen; and colours very pleasing, blue, and purple, and scarlet. 2. They were to be embroidered with cherubim (Exo 26:1), to intimate that the angels of God pitch their tents round about the church, Psa 34:7. As there were cherubim over the mercy-seat, so there were round the tabernacle; for we find the angels compassing, not only the throne, but the elders; see Rev 5:11. 3. There were to be two hangings, five breadths in each, sewed together, and the two hangings coupled together with golden clasps, or tacks, so that it might be all one tabernacle, Exo 26:6. Thus the churches of Christ and the saints, though they are many, are yet one, being fitly joined together in holy love, and by the unity of the Spirit, so growing into one holy temple in the Lord, Eph 2:21, Eph 2:22; Eph 4:16. This tabernacle was very strait and narrow; but, at the preaching of the gospel, the church is bidden to enlarge the place of her tent, and to stretch forth her curtains, Isa 54:2.

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 26 In this chapter a description is given of the tabernacle itself, and first of its inward curtains, of their number, matter, length, and breadth, and the manner of coupling them together, Exo 26:1, and then of the outward curtains of it, their number, matter, length, and breadth, and coupling, and how disposed of, Exo 26:7, and next of the two coverings of the tabernacle, of rams' skins and badgers' skins, Exo 22:14, the boards for the tabernacle are also described, with their tenons and sockets, Exo 26:15 and the bars and rings for it, by which it was kept firm together, Exo 26:26, an account is given of the vail between the holy and the most holy place, Exo 26:31, and of the hanging for the door of the tabernacle, Exo 26:36.

Moreover, thou shalt make the tabernacle,.... Which he was ordered to make before, the pattern of which was shown him in the mount: this was an habitation for God to dwell in, as the word properly signifies, and into which the furniture before described was to be put; this tabernacle was a type both of the human nature of Christ, which is the true tabernacle which God pitched, and not man, the greater and more perfect one, Heb 8:2 in which the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily, where the glory of God is seen, in whom he grants his gracious presence to his people, and accepts of them and their sacrifices of prayer and praise; and also of the church of God, Psa 43:3. Here Jehovah dwells, grants his presence to his people, and comes and blesses them; here he is worshipped, and spiritual sacrifices are offered up to him with acceptance: the tabernacle of Moses was made with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet; the ground of these curtains was fine linen, twined or doubled: and the Jewish writers, as Maimonides, Ben Gersom, and others, say it was six times doubled, the word "Shesh", here used, signifying six; and this was interwoven with threads of yarn dyed blue, purple, and scarlet; according to Jarchi, the threads of which this tapestry was made were twenty four times doubled: he observes,"there were four sorts in every thread, one thread of fine linen, and three of wool, and every thread was doubled six times; lo, the four sorts, when they were twined together, there were twenty four double to a thread;''which if so, must make a stuff of a very great consistence and stiffness. This, as applied to the human nature of Christ, the fine linen may denote the purity of it; the various colours the different graces of the Spirit, with which it is adorned; or else the wounds, bruises, bloodshed, sufferings and death he endured in it: as applied to the church, may signify the clothing of the saints with the righteousness of Christ, that fine linen clean and white, and their being washed in his precious blood, and beautified with the graces of his Spirit: with cherubim of cunning work shall thou make them; that is, with figures like those of the cherubim on the mercy seat, so disposed by the curious art and contrivance of the weaver, as to appear on both sides of this tapestry; for this was not wrought by a needle, which only shows the figure on one side, but by weaving, as Jarchi observes; and who says, that there was one figure on one side, and another on another; as, for instance, a lion on one side, and an eagle on the other; or, which is more likely, the same figure was seen on both sides, as Maimonides affirms, who says (e), the work called Chosheb (which is what is here spoken of) is that whose figures appear on both sides, before and behind: this in the mystical sense may point either to the ministration of angels to Christ in his human nature, and to his people the heirs of salvation; or else to the service of Gospel ministers, done for the honour and glory of Christ, and the good of his church and people: Josephus (f) thinks these curtains had a mystical meaning in them, and represent the nature of the elements, and so Philo (g). (e) Hilchot Cele Hamikdash, c. 8. sect. 15. (f) Antiqu. l. 3. c. 7. sect. 7. (g) De Vita Mosis, l. 3. p. 667.

It should be known that just as a garment is woven on two beams, namely the upper and the lower, so charity is held in two commandments, that is, in the love of God and of neighbor. For it is written: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength; and your neighbor as yourself." Therefore whoever takes care to have a wedding garment at the wedding must keep these two commandments of charity. For this is why, in the prophet Ezekiel, the vestibule of the gate of that city situated on the mountain is measured at two cubits, because surely the entrance to the heavenly city is not opened to us if in this Church, which is called a vestibule because it is still outside, the love of God and neighbor is not maintained. This is why scarlet twice-dyed is commanded to be woven into the curtains of the tabernacle. You are, brothers, you are the curtains of the tabernacle, who veil heavenly secrets in your hearts through faith. But twice-dyed scarlet must be in the curtains of the tabernacle. For scarlet has the appearance of fire. And what is charity, if not fire? But this charity must be twice-dyed, so that it may be dyed through the love of God, and dyed through the love of neighbor.

The ten curtains of the tabernacle, and of what composed, Exo 26:1. Their length, Exo 26:2, Exo 26:3; their loops, Exo 26:4, Exo 26:5; their taches, Exo 26:6. The curtains of goats' hair for a covering, Exo 26:7; their length and breadth, Exo 26:8. Coupled with loops, Exo 26:9, Exo 26:10, and taches, Exo 26:11. The remnant of the curtains, how to be employed, Exo 26:12, Exo 26:13. The covering of rams' skins, Exo 26:14. The boards of the tabernacle for the south side, Exo 26:15; their length, Exo 26:16, tenons, Exo 26:17, number, Exo 26:18, sockets, Exo 26:19. Boards, etc., for the north side, Exo 26:20, Exo 26:21. Boards, etc., for the west side, Exo 26:22; for the corners, Exo 26:23; their rings and sockets, Exo 26:24, Exo 26:25. The bars of the tabernacle, Exo 26:26-30. The veil, its pillars, hooks, and taches, Exo 26:31-33. How to place the mercy-seat, Exo 26:34. The table and the candlestick, Exo 26:35. The hanging for the door of the tent, Exo 26:36; and the hangings for the pillars, Exo 26:37.

Thou shalt make the tabernacle - משכן mischan, from שכן shachan, to dwell, means simply a dwelling place or habitation of any kind, but here it means the dwelling place of Jehovah, who, as a king in his camp, had his dwelling or pavilion among his people, his table always spread, his lamps lighted, and the priests, etc., his attendants, always in waiting. From the minute and accurate description here given, a good workman, had he the same materials, might make a perfect facsimile of the ancient Jewish tabernacle. It was a movable building, and so constructed that it might be easily taken to pieces, for the greater convenience of carriage, as they were often obliged to transport it from place to place, in their various journeyings. For the twined linen, blue, purple, and scarlet, see Clarke's note on Exo 25:4, etc. Cherubims - See Clarke's note on Exo 25:18. Cunning work - חשב chosheb probably means a sort of diaper, in which the figures appear equally perfect on both sides; this was probably formed in the loom. Another kind of curious work is mentioned, Exo 26:36, רקם rokem, which we term needle-work; this was probably similar to our embroidery, tapestry, or cloth of arras. It has been thought unlikely that these curious works were all manufactured in the wilderness: what was done in the loom, they might have brought with them from Egypt; what could be done by hand, without the use of complex machinery, the Israelitish women could readily perform with their needles, during their stay in the wilderness. But still it seems probable that they brought even their looms with them. The whole of this account shows that not only necessary but ornamental arts had been carried to a considerable pitch of perfection, both among the Israelites and Egyptians. The inner curtains of the tabernacle were ten in number, and each in length twenty-eight cubits, and four in breadth; about sixteen yards twelve inches long, and two yards twelve inches broad. The curtains were to be coupled together, five and five of a side, by fifty loops, Exo 26:5, and as many golden clasps, Exo 26:6, so that each might look like one curtain, and the whole make one entire covering, which was the first.

TEN CURTAINS (Exo. 26:1-37) cunning work--that is, of elegant texture, richly embroidered. The word "cunning," in old English, is synonymous with "skilful."

(cf. Ex 36:8-38). The Dwelling-Place. - This was to be formed of a framework of wood, and of tapestry and curtains. The description commences with the tapestry or tent-cloth (Exo 26:1-14), which made the framework (vv. 15-30) into a dwelling. The inner lining is mentioned first (Exo 26:1-6), because this made the dwelling into a tent (tabernacle). This inner tent-cloth was to consist of ten curtains (יריעת, αὐλαίαι), or, as Luther has more aptly rendered it, Teppiche, pieces of tapestry, i.e., of cloth composed of byssus yarn, hyacinth, purple, and scarlet. משׁזר twisted, signifies yarn composed of various colours twisted together, from which the finer kinds of byssus, for which the Egyptians were so celebrated, were made (vid., Hengstenberg, Egypt, pp. 139ff.). The byssus yarn was of a clear white, and this was woven into mixed cloth by combination with dark blue, and dark and fiery red. It was not to be in simple stripes or checks, however; but the variegated yarn was to be woven (embroidered) into the white byssus, so as to form artistic figures of cherubim ("cherubim, work of the artistic weaver, shalt thou make it"). חשׁב מעשׂה (lit., work or labour of the thinker) is applied to artistic weaving, in which either figures or gold threads (Exo 28:6, Exo 28:8, Exo 28:15) are worked into the cloth, and which is to be distinguished from רקם מעשׂה variegated weaving (Exo 26:36).