Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary

on the Whole Bible

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Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706)

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E X O D U S

CHAP. XXVI.

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Moses here receives instructions,

I. Concerning the inner curtains of the tent or tabernacle, and the

coupling of those curtains,

ver. 1-6.

II. Concerning the outer curtains which were of goats’ hair, to

strengthen the former,

ver. 7-13.

III. Concerning the case or cover which was to secure it from the

weather,

ver. 14.

IV. Concerning the boards which were to be reared up to support the

curtains, with their bars and sockets,

ver. 15-30.

V. The partition between the holy place and the most holy,

ver. 31-35.

VI. The veil for the door,

ver. 36, 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.

The Tabernacle and Its Furniture.	B. C. 1491.

     

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.

2 The length of one curtain shall be eight and twenty cubits,

and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and every one of the

curtains shall have one measure.

3 The five curtains shall be coupled together one to another;

and other five curtains shall be coupled one to another.

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.

5 Fifty loops shalt thou make in the one curtain, and fifty

loops shalt thou make in the edge of the curtain that is in the

coupling of the second; that the loops may take hold one of

another.

6 And thou shalt make fifty taches of gold, and couple the

curtains together with the taches: and it shall be one

tabernacle.

     

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,

1 Kings vi. 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. xliii. 2.

2. That it might represent the state of God’s church in this world, it

is a tabernacle-state,
Ps. xv. 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. ii. 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. xi. 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

(v. 1),

to intimate that the angels of God pitch their tents round about

the church,

Ps. xxxiv. 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. v. 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,

v. 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. ii. 21, 22; iv. 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. liv. 2.

     

7 And thou shalt make curtains of goats’ hair to be a

covering upon the tabernacle: eleven curtains shalt thou make.

8 The length of one curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the

breadth of one curtain four cubits: and the eleven curtains

shall be all of one measure.

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.

10 And thou shalt make fifty loops on the edge of the one

curtain that is outmost in the coupling, and fifty loops in the

edge of the curtain which coupleth the second.

11 And thou shalt make fifty taches of brass, and put the

taches into the loops, and couple the tent together, that it may

be one.

12 And the remnant that remaineth of the curtains of the tent,

the half curtain that remaineth, shall hang over the backside of

the tabernacle.

13 And a cubit on the one side, and a cubit on the other side

of that which remaineth in the length of the curtains of the

tent, it shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle on this side

and on that side, to cover it.

14 And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams’ skins

dyed red, and a covering above of badgers’ skins.

     

Moses is here ordered to make a double covering for the tabernacle,

that it might not rain in, and that the beauty of those fine curtains

might not be damaged.

1. There was to be a covering of hair camlet curtains, which were

somewhat larger every way than the inner curtains, because they were to

enclose them, and probably were stretched out at some little distance

from them,

v. 7,

&c. These were coupled together with brass clasps. The stuff being less

valuable, the tacks were so; but the brass tacks would answer the

intention as effectually as the golden ones. The bonds of unity may be

as strong between curtains of goats’ hair as between those of purple

and scarlet.

2. Over this there was to be another covering, and that a double one

(v. 14),

one of rams’ skins dyed red, probably dressed with the wool on;

another of badgers’ skins, so we translate it, but it should

rather seem to have been some strong sort of leather (but very fine),

for we read of the best sort of shoes being made of it,

Ezek. xvi. 10.

Now observe here,

(1.) That the outside of the tabernacle was coarse and rough, the

beauty of it was in the inner curtains. Those in whom God dwells must

labour to be better than they seem to be. Hypocrites put the best side

outwards, like whited sepulchres; but the king’s daughter is

all glorious within

(Ps. xlv. 13);

in the eye of the world black as the tents of Kedar, but, in the eye of

God, comely as the curtains of Solomon,

Cant. i. 5.

Let our adorning be that of the hidden man of the heart, which God

values,

1 Pet. iii. 4.

(2.) That where God places his glory he will create a defence upon it;

even upon the habitations of the righteous there shall be a covert,

Isa. vi. 5, 6.

The protection of Providence shall always be upon the beauty of

holiness. God’s tent will be a pavilion,

Ps. xxvii. 5.

     

15 And thou shalt make boards for the tabernacle of shittim

wood standing up.

16 Ten cubits shall be the length of a board, and a cubit and

a half shall be the breadth of one board.

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.

18 And thou shalt make the boards for the tabernacle, twenty

boards on the south side southward.

19 And thou shalt make forty 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.

20 And for the second side of the tabernacle on the north side

there shall be twenty boards:

21 And their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one

board, and two sockets under another board.

22 And for the sides of the tabernacle westward thou shalt make

six boards.

23 And two boards shalt thou make for the corners of the

tabernacle in the two sides.

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.

25 And they shall be eight boards, and their sockets of

silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board, and two

sockets under another board.

26 And thou shalt make bars of shittim wood; five for the

boards of the one side of the tabernacle,

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.

28 And the middle bar in the midst of the boards shall reach

from end to end.

29 And thou shalt overlay the boards with gold, and make their

rings of gold for places for the bars: and thou shalt overlay

the bars with gold.

30 And thou shalt rear up the tabernacle according to the

fashion thereof which was showed thee in the mount.

     

Very particular directions are here given about the boards of the

tabernacle, which were to bear up the curtains, as the stakes of a tent

which had need to be strong,

Isa. liv. 2.

These boards had tenons which fell into the mortises that were made for

them in silver bases. God took care to have every thing strong, as well

as fine, in his tabernacle. Curtains without boards would have been

shaken by every wind; but it is a good thing to have the

heart established with grace, which is as the boards to support

the curtains of profession, which otherwise will not hold out long. The

boards were coupled together with gold rings at top and bottom

(v. 24),

and kept firm with bars that ran through golden staples in every board

(v. 26),

and the boards and bars were all richly gilded,

v. 29.

Thus every thing in the tabernacle was very splendid, agreeable to that

infant state of the church, when such things were proper enough to

please children, to possess the minds of the worshippers with a

reverence of the divine glory, and to affect them with the greatness of

that prince who said, Here will I dwell; in allusion to this the

new Jerusalem is said to be of pure gold,
Rev. xxi. 18.

But the builders of the gospel church said, Silver and gold have we

none; and yet the glory of their building far exceeded that of the

tabernacle,

2 Cor. iii. 10, 11.

How much better is wisdom than gold! No orders are given here

about the floor of the tabernacle; probably that also was boarded; for

we cannot think that within all these fine curtains they trod upon the

cold or wet ground; if it was so left, it may remind us of

ch. xx. 24,

An altar of earth shalt thou make unto me.

     

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:

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.

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.

34 And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of the

testimony in the most holy place.

35 And thou shalt set the table without the vail, and the

candlestick over against the table on the side of the tabernacle

toward the south: and thou shalt put the table on the north side.

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.

37 And thou shalt make for the hanging five pillars of

shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, and their hooks

shall be of gold: and thou shalt cast five sockets of brass for

them.

     

Two veils are here ordered to be made,

1. One for a partition between the holy place and the most holy, which

not only forbade any to enter, but forbade them so much as to look into

the holiest of all,

v. 31, 33.

Under that dispensation, divine grace was veiled, but now we behold it

with open face,

2 Cor. iii. 18.

The apostle tells us

(Heb. ix. 8, 9)

what was the meaning of this veil; it intimated that the ceremonial law

could not make the comers thereunto perfect, nor would the

observance of it bring men to heaven; the way into the holiest of

all was not made manifest while the first tabernacle was standing; life

and immortality lay concealed till they were brought to light by

the gospel, which was therefore signified by the rending of this

veil at the death of Christ,

Matt. xxvii. 51.

We have not boldness to enter into the holiest, in all acts of

devotion, by the blood of Jesus, yet such as obliges us to a

holy reverence and a humble sense of our distance.

2. Another veil was for the outer door of the tabernacle,

v. 36, 37.

Through this first veil the priests went in every day to minister in

the holy place, but not the people,

Heb. ix. 6.

This veil, which was all the defence the tabernacle had against thieves

and robbers, might easily be broken through, for it could be neither

locked nor barred, and the abundance of wealth in the tabernacle, one

would think, might be a temptation; but by leaving it thus exposed,

(1.) The priests and Levites would be so much the more obliged to keep

a strict watch upon it, and,

(2.) God would show his care of his church on earth, though it is weak

and defenceless, and continually exposed. A curtain shall be (if God

please to make it so) as strong a defence to his house as gates of

brass and bars of iron.

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Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706)

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