Exodus 40:28

40:28 Then he put the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle.

Exodus 26:36

26:36 “You are to make a hanging ¹  for the entrance of the tent of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine twined linen, the work of an embroiderer. ² 

Exodus 35:12

35:12 the ark, with its poles, the atonement lid, and the special curtain that conceals it;

Exodus 35:17

35:17 the hangings of the courtyard, its posts and its bases, and the curtain for the gateway to the courtyard;

Exodus 36:37

36:37 He made a hanging for the entrance of the tent of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine twisted linen, the work of an embroiderer,

Exodus 39:34

39:34 and the coverings of ram skins dyed red, the covering of fine leather, ³  and the protecting ⁴  curtain;

Exodus 40:8

40:8 You are to set up the courtyard around it and put the curtain at the gate of the courtyard.

Exodus 26:37

26:37 You are to make for the hanging five posts of acacia wood and overlay them with gold, and their hooks will be ⁵  gold, and you are to cast five bronze bases for them. ⁶ 

Exodus 27:16

27:16 For the gate of the courtyard there is to be a curtain of thirty feet, of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine twined linen, the work of an embroiderer, with four posts and their four bases.

Exodus 35:15

35:15 and the altar of incense with its poles, the anointing oil, and the fragrant incense; the hanging for the door at the entrance of the tabernacle;

Exodus 39:38

39:38 and the gold altar, and the anointing oil, and the fragrant incense; and the curtain for the entrance to the tent;

Exodus 40:5

40:5 You are to put ⁷  the gold altar for incense in front of the ark of the testimony and put the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle.

Exodus 40:21

40:21 And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, hung ⁸  the protecting curtain, ⁹  and shielded the ark of the testimony from view, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Exodus 40:33

40:33 And he set up the courtyard around the tabernacle and the altar, and put the curtain at the gate of the courtyard. So Moses finished the work.

Exodus 38:18

38:18 The curtain ¹⁰  for the gate of the courtyard was of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine twisted linen, the work of an embroiderer. It was thirty feet long, and like the hangings in the courtyard, it was seven and a half feet high,

Exodus 39:40

39:40 the hangings of the courtyard, its posts and its bases, and the curtain for the gateway of the courtyard, its ropes and its tent pegs, and all the furnishings ¹¹  for the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of meeting;

[26:36]  ¹ sn This was another curtain, serving as a screen in the entrance way. Since it was far away from the special curtain screening the Most Holy Place, it was less elaborate. It was not the work of the master designer, but of the “embroiderer,” and it did not have the cherubim on it.

[26:36]  ² tn The word רֹקֵם (roqem) refers to someone who made cloth with colors. It is not certain, however, whether the colors were woven into the fabric on the loom or applied with a needle; so “embroiderer” should be understood as an approximation (cf. HALOT 1290-91 s.v. רקם).

[39:34]  ¹ tn See the note on this phrase in Exod 25:5.

[39:34]  ² tn Or “shielding” (NIV); NASB “the screening veil.”

[26:37]  ¹ tn “will be” has been supplied.

[26:37]  ² sn In all the details of this chapter the expositor should pay attention to the overall message rather than engage in speculation concerning the symbolism of the details. It is, after all, the divine instruction for the preparation of the dwelling place for Yahweh. The point could be said this way: The dwelling place of Yahweh must be prepared in accordance with, and by the power of, his divine word. If God was to fellowship with his people, then the center of worship had to be made to his specifications, which were in harmony with his nature. Everything was functional for the approach to God through the ritual by divine provisions. But everything also reflected the nature of God, the symmetry, the order, the pure wood, the gold overlay, or (closer to God) the solid gold. And the symbolism of the light, the table, the veil, the cherubim – all of it was revelatory. All of it reflected the reality in heaven. Churches today do not retain the pattern and furnishings of the old tabernacle. However, they would do well to learn what God was requiring of Israel, so that their structures are planned in accordance with the theology of worship and the theology of access to God. Function is a big part, but symbolism and revelation instruct the planning of everything to be used. Christians live in the light of the fulfillment of Christ, and so they know the realities that the old foreshadowed. While a building is not necessary for worship (just as Israel worshiped in places other than the sanctuary), it is practical, and if there is going to be one, then the most should be made of it in the teaching and worshiping of the assembly. This chapter, then, provides an inspiration for believers on preparing a functional, symbolical, ordered place of worship that is in harmony with the word of God. And there is much to be said for making it as beautiful and uplifting as is possible – as a gift of freewill offering to God. Of course, the most important part of preparing a place of worship is the preparing of the heart. Worship, to be acceptable to God, must be in Christ. He said that when the temple was destroyed he would raise it up in three days. While he referred to his own body, he also alluded to the temple by the figure. When they put Jesus to death, they were destroying the temple; at his resurrection he would indeed begin a new form of worship. He is the tent, the curtain, the atonement, that the sanctuary foreshadowed. And then, believers also (when they receive Christ) become the temple of the Lord. So the NT will take the imagery and teaching of this chapter in a number of useful ways that call for more study. This does not, however, involve allegorization of the individual tabernacle parts.

[40:5]  ¹ tn Heb “give” (also four additional times in vv. 6-8).

[40:21]  ¹ tn Heb “set up,” if it includes more than the curtain.

[40:21]  ² tn Or “shielding” (NIV); Heb “the veil of the covering” (cf. KJV).

[38:18]  ¹ tn This word is different from the word for hangings; it has more of the idea of a screen, shielding or securing the area.

[39:40]  ¹ tn Heb “utensils, vessels.”