Worthy.Bible » YLT » Exodus » Chapter 36 » Verse 8

Exodus 36:8 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

8 And all the wise-hearted ones among the doers of the work make the tabernacle; ten curtains of twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, `with' cherubs, work of a designer, he hath made them.

Cross Reference

Exodus 26:1-37 YLT

`And thou dost make the tabernacle: ten curtains of twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet; `with' cherubs, work of a designer, thou dost make them; the length of the one curtain `is' eight and twenty by the cubit, and the breadth of the one curtain four by the cubit, one measure `is' to all the curtains; five of the curtains are joining one unto another, and five curtains are joining one to another. `And thou hast made loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain, at the end in the joining; and so thou makest in the edge of the outermost curtain, in the joining of the second. fifty loops thou dost make in the one curtain, and fifty loops thou dost make in the edge of the curtain which `is' in the joining of the second, causing the loops to take hold one unto another; and thou hast made fifty hooks of gold, and hast joined the curtains one to another by the hooks, and the tabernacle hath been one. `And thou hast made curtains of goats' `hair', for a tent over the tabernacle; thou dost make eleven curtains: the length of the one curtain `is' thirty by the cubit, and the breadth of the one curtain four by the cubit; one measure `is' to the eleven curtains; and thou hast joined the five curtains apart, and the six curtains apart, and hast doubled the six curtains over-against the front of the tent. `And thou hast made fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain, the outermost in the joining, and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain which is joining the second; and thou hast made fifty hooks of brass, and hast brought in the hooks into the loops, and hast joined the tent, and it hath been one. `And the superfluity in the curtains of the tent -- the half of the curtain which is superfluous -- hath spread over the hinder part of the tabernacle; and the cubit on this side, and the cubit on that, in the superfluity in the length of the curtains of the tent, is spread out over the sides of the tabernacle, on this and on that, to cover it; and thou hast made a covering for the tent, of rams' skins made red, and a covering of badgers' skins above. `And thou hast made the boards for the tabernacle, of shittim wood, standing up; ten cubits `is' the length of the board, and a cubit and a half the breadth of the one board; two handles `are' to the one board, joined one unto another; so thou dost make for all the boards of the tabernacle; and thou hast made the boards of the tabernacle: twenty boards for the south side southward; and forty sockets of silver thou dost make under the twenty boards, two sockets under the one board for its two handles, and two sockets under the other board for its two handles. `And for the second side of the tabernacle, for the north side, `are' twenty boards, and their forty sockets of silver, two sockets under the one board, and two sockets under another board. And for the sides of the tabernacle westward, thou dost make six boards. And two boards thou dost make for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides. And they are pairs beneath, and together they are pairs above its head unto the one ring; so is it for them both, they are for the two corners. And they have been eight boards, and their sockets of silver `are' sixteen sockets, two sockets under the one board, and two sockets under another board. `And thou hast made bars of shittim wood: five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the second side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle at the two sides, westward; and one hath caused the middle bar in the midst of the boards to reach from end unto end; and the boards thou dost overlay `with' gold, and their rings thou dost make of gold places for bars, and hast overlaid their bars with gold; and thou hast raised up the tabernacle according to its fashion which thou hast been shewn in the mount. `And thou hast made a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen, work of a designer; he maketh it `with' cherubs; and thou hast put it on four pillars of shittim wood, overlaid `with' gold, their pegs `are' of gold, on four sockets of silver. `And thou hast put the vail under the hooks, and hast brought in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony; and the vail hath made a separation for you between the holy and the holy of holies. `And thou hast put the mercy-seat on the ark of the testimony, in the holy of holies. `And thou hast set the table at the outside of the vail, and the candlestick over-against the table on the side of the tabernacle southward, and the table thou dost put on the north side. `And thou hast made a covering for the opening of the tent, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen, work of an embroiderer; and thou hast made for the covering five pillars of shittim `wood', and hast overlaid them `with' gold, their pegs `are' of gold, and thou hast cast for them five sockets of brass.

Ezekiel 1:5-28 YLT

And out of its midst `is' a likeness of four living creatures, and this `is' their appearance; a likeness of man `is' to them, and four faces `are' to each, and four wings `are' to each of them, and their feet `are' straight feet, and the sole of their feet `is' as a sole of a calf's foot, and they are sparkling as the colour of bright brass; and hands of man under their wings -- on their four sides, and their faces and their wings -- `are' to them four; joining one unto another `are' their wings, they turn not round in their going, each straight forward they go. As to the likeness of their faces, the face of a man, and the face of a lion, toward the right `are' to them four, and the face of an ox on the left `are' to them four, and the face of an eagle `are' to them four. And their faces and their wings are separate from above, to each `are' two joining together, and two are covering their bodies. And each straight forward they go, whither the spirit is to go, they go, they turn not round in their going. As to the likeness of the living creatures, their appearances `are' as coals of fire -- burning as the appearance of lamps; it is going up and down between the living creatures, and brightness `is' to the fire, and out of the fire is going forth lightning. And the living creatures are running, and turning back, as the appearance of the flash. And I see the living creatures, and lo, one wheel `is' in the earth, near the living creatures, at its four faces. The appearance of the wheels and their works `is' as the colour of beryl, and one likeness `is' to them four, and their appearances and their works `are' as it were the wheel in the midst of the wheel. On their four sides, in their going they go, they turn not round in their going. As to their rings, they are both high and fearful, and their rings `are' full of eyes round about them four. And in the going of the living creatures, the wheels go beside them, and in the living creatures being lifted up from off the earth, lifted up are the wheels. Whither the spirit is to go, they go, thither the spirit `is' to go, and the wheels are lifted up over-against them, for a living spirit `is' in the wheels. In their going, they go; and in their standing, they stand; and in their being lifted up from off the earth, lifted up are the wheels over-against them; for a living spirit `is' in the wheels. And a likeness `is' over the heads of the living creatures of an expanse, as the colour of the fearful ice, stretched out over their heads from above. And under the expanse their wings `are' straight, one toward the other, to each are two covering on this side, and to each are two covering on that side -- their bodies. And I hear the noise of their wings, as the noise of many waters, as the noise of the Mighty One, in their going -- the noise of tumult, as the noise of a camp, in their standing they let fall their wings. And there is a voice from above the expanse, that `is' above their head: in their standing they let fall their wings. And above the expanse that `is' over their head, as an appearance of a sapphire stone, `is' the likeness of a throne, and on the likeness of the throne a likeness, as the appearance of man upon it from above. And I see as the colour of copper, as the appearance of fire within it round about, from the appearance of his loins and upward, and from the appearance of his loins and downward, I have seen as the appearance of fire, and brightness `is' to it round about. As the appearance of the bow that is in a cloud in a day of rain, so `is' the appearance of the brightness round about.

Ezekiel 10:1-19 YLT

And I look, and lo, on the expanse that `is' above the head of the cherubs, as a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne, He hath been seen over them. And He speaketh unto the man clothed with linen, and saith, `Go in unto the midst of the wheel, unto the place of the cherub, and fill thy hands with coals of fire from between the cherubs, and scatter over the city.' And he goeth in before mine eyes. And the cherubs are standing on the right side of the house, at the going in of the man, and the cloud hath filled the inner court, and become high doth the honour of Jehovah above the cherub, over the threshold of the house, and the house is filled with the cloud, and the court hath been filled with the brightness of the honour of Jehovah. And a noise of the wings of the cherubs hath been heard unto the outer court, as the voice of God -- the Mighty One -- in His speaking. And it cometh to pass, in His commanding the man clothed with linen, saying, `Take fire from between the wheel, from between the cherubs,' and he goeth in and standeth near the wheel, that the `one' cherub putteth forth his hand from between the cherubs unto the fire that `is' between the cherubs, and lifteth up, and giveth into the hands of him who is clothed with linen, and he receiveth, and cometh forth. And there appeareth in the cherubs the form of a hand of man under their wings, and I look, and lo, four wheels near the cherubs, one wheel near the one cherub, and another wheel near the other cherub, and the appearance of the wheels `is' as the colour of a beryl stone. As to their appearances, one likeness `is' to them four, as it were the wheel in the midst of the wheel. In their going, on their four sides they go; they turn not round in their going, for to the place whither the head turneth, after it they go, they turn not round in their going. And all their flesh, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, are full of eyes round about; to them four `are' their wheels. To the wheels -- to them is one calling in mine ears, `O wheel!' And four faces `are' to each; the face of the one `is' the face of the cherub, and the face of the second the face of man, and of the third the face of a lion, and of the fourth the face of an eagle. And the cherubs are lifted up, it `is' the living creature that I saw by the river Chebar. And in the going of the cherubs, the wheels go beside them; and in the cherubs lifting up their wings to be high above the earth, the wheels turn not round, even they, from being beside them. In their standing they stand, and in their exaltation they are exalted with them: for the living spirit `is' in them. And go forth doth the honour of Jehovah from off the threshold of the house, and standeth over the cherubs, and the cherubs lift up their wings, and are lifted up from the earth before mine eyes; in their going forth, the wheels also `are' over-against them, and he standeth at the opening of the east gate of the house of Jehovah, and the honour of the God of Israel `is' over them from above.

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Exodus 36

Commentary on Exodus 36 Matthew Henry Commentary


Chapter 36

In this chapter,

  • I. The work of the tabernacle is begun (v. 1-4).
  • II. A stop is put to the people's contributions (v. 5-7).
  • III. A particular account is given of the making of the tabernacle itself; the fine curtains of it (v. 8-13). The coarse ones (v. 14-19). The boards (v. 20-30). The bars (v. 31-34). The partition veil (v. 35, 36). And the hanging for the door (v. 37, etc.).

Exd 36:1-7

  • I. The workmen set in without delay. Then they wrought, v. 1. When God had qualified them for the work, then they applied themselves to it. Note, The talents we are entrusted with must not be laid up, but laid out; not hid in a napkin, but traded with. What have we all our gifts for, but to do good with them? They began when Moses called them, v. 2. Even those whom God has qualified for, and inclined to, the service of the tabernacle, yet must wait for a regular call to it, either extraordinary, as that of prophets and apostles, or ordinary, as that of pastors and teachers. And observe who they were that Moses called: Those in whose heart God had put wisdom for this purpose, beyond their natural capacity, and whose heart stirred them up to come to the work in good earnest. Note, Those are to be called to the building of the gospel tabernacle whom God has by his grace made in some measure fit for the work and free to engage in it. Ability and willingness (with resolution) are the two things to be regarded in the call of ministers. Has God given them not only knowledge, but wisdom? (for those that would win souls must be wise, and have their hearts stirred up to come to the work, and not to the honour only; to do it, and not to talk of it only), let them come to it with full purpose of heart to go through with it. The materials which the people had contributed were delivered by Moses to the workmen, v. 3. They could not create a tabernacle, that is, make it out of nothing, nor work, unless they had something to work upon; the people therefore brought the materials and Moses put them into their hands. Precious souls are the materials of the gospel tabernacle; they are built up a spiritual house, 1 Pt. 2:5. To this end they are to offer themselves a free-will offering to the Lord, for his service (Rom. 15:16), and they are then committed to the care of his ministers, as builders, to be framed and wrought upon by their edification and increase in holiness, till they all come, like the curtains of the tabernacle, in the unity of the faith, to be a holy temple, Eph. 2:21, 22; 4:12, 13.
  • II. The contributions restrained. The people continued to bring free offerings every morning, v. 3. Note, We should always make it our morning's work to bring our offerings unto the Lord; even the spiritual offerings of prayer and praise, and a broken heart surrendered entirely to God. This is that which the duty of every day requires. God's compassions are new every morning, and so must our duty to him be. Probably there were some that were backward at first to bring their offering, but their neighbours' forwardness stirred them up and shamed them. The zeal of some provoked many. There are those who will be content to follow who yet do not care for leading in a good work. It is best to be forward, but better late than never. Or perhaps some who had offered at first, having pleasure in reflecting upon it, offered more; so far were they from grudging what they had contributed, that they doubled their contribution. Thus, in charity, give a portion to seven, and also to eight; having given much, give more. Now observe,
    • 1. The honesty of the workmen. When they had cut out their work, and found how their stuff held out, and that the people were still forward to bring in more, they went in a body to Moses to tell him that there needed no more contributions, v. 4, 5. Had they sought their own things, they had now a fair opportunity of enriching themselves by the people's gifts; for they might have made up their work, and converted the overplus to their own use, as perquisites of their place. But they were men of integrity, that scorned to do so mean a thing as to sponge upon the people, and enrich themselves with that which was offered to the Lord. Those are the greatest cheats that cheat the public. If to murder many is worse than to murder one, by the same rule to defraud communities, and to rob the church or state, is a much greater crime than to pick the pocket of a single person. But these workmen were not only ready to account for all they received, but were not willing to receive more than they had occasion for, lest they should come either into the temptation or under the suspicion of taking it to themselves. These were men that knew when they had enough.
    • 2. The liberality of the people. Though they saw what an abundance was contributed, yet they continued to offer, till they were forbidden by proclamation, v. 6, 7. A rare instance! Most need a spur to quicken their charity; few need a bridle to check it, yet these did. Had Moses aimed to enrich himself, he might have suffered them still to bring in their offerings; and when the work was finished might have taken the remainder to himself: but he also preferred the public before his own private interest, and was therein a good example to all in public trusts. It is said (v. 6), The people were restrained from bringing; they looked upon it as a restraint upon them not to be allowed to do more for the tabernacle; such was the zeal of those people, who gave to their power, yea, and beyond their power, praying the collectors with much entreaty to receive the gift, 2 Co. 8:3, 4. These were the fruits of a first love; in these last-days charity has grown too cold for us to expect such things from it.

Exd 36:8-13

The first work they set about was the framing of the house, which must be done before the furniture of it was prepared. This house was not made of timber or stone, but of curtains curiously embroidered and coupled together. This served to typify the state of the church in this world, the palace of God's kingdom among men.

  • 1. Though it is upon the earth, yet its foundation is not in the earth, as that of a house is; no, Christ's kingdom is not of this world, nor founded in it.
  • 2. It is mean and mutable, and in a militant state; shepherds dwelt in tents, and God is the Shepherd of Israel; soldiers dwelt in tents, and the Lord is a man of war, and his church marches through an enemy's country, and must fight its way. The kings of the earth enclose themselves in cedar (Jer. 22:15), but the ark of God was lodged in curtains only.
  • 3. Yet there is a beauty in holiness; the curtains were embroidered, so is the church adorned with the gifts and graces of the Spirit, that raiment of needle-work, Ps. 45:14.
  • 4. The several societies of believers are united in one, and, as here, all become one tabernacle; for there is one Lord, one faith, and one baptism.

Exd 36:14-34

Here,

  • 1. The shelter and special protection that the church is under are signified by the curtains of hair-cloth, which were spread over the tabernacle, and the covering of rams' skins and badgers' skins over them, v. 14-19. God has provided for his people a shadow from the heat, and a covert from storm and rain, Isa. 4:6. They are armed against all weathers; the sun and the moon shall not smite them: and they are protected from the storms of divine wrath, that hail which will sweep away the refuge of lies, Isa. 28:17. Those that dwell in God's house shall find, be the tempest ever so violent, or the dropping ever so continual, it does not rain in.
  • 2. The strength and stability of the church, though it is but a tabernacle, are signified by the boards and bars with which the curtains were borne up, v. 20-34. The boards were coupled together and joined by the bars which shot through them; for the union of the church, and the hearty agreement of those that are its stays and supporters, contribute abundantly to its strength and establishment.

Exd 36:35-38

In the building of a house there is a great deal of work about the doors and partitions. In the tabernacle these were answerable to the rest of the fabric; there were curtains for doors, and veils for partitions.

  • 1. There was a veil made for a partition between the holy place, and the most holy, v. 35, 36. This signified the darkness and distance of that dispensation, compared with the New Testament, which shows us the glory of God more clearly and invites us to draw near to it; and the darkness and distance of our present state, in comparison with heaven, where we shall be ever with the Lord and see him as he is.
  • 2. There was a veil made for the door of the tabernacle, v. 37, 38. At this door the people assembled, though forbidden to enter; for, while we are in this present state, we must get as near to God as we can.