1Uděláš příbytek z deseti pruhů jemného plátna propleteného purpurově fialovými, nachovými a karmínovými nitěmi a s dovedně zobrazenými cheruby. 2Délka pruhů bude dvacet osm loket a jejich šířka čtyři lokte; všechny pruhy budou mít stejné rozměry. 3Pět pruhů bude spojeno navzájem a dalších pět pruhů bude také spojeno navzájem. 4Zhotovíš poutka z purpurově fialové látky na okraji jednoho pruhu, na konci spojení; a stejně učiníš na okraji posledního pruhu u druhého spojení. 5Padesát poutek uděláš na jednom pruhu a padesát poutek uděláš na konci pruhu, který je u druhého spojení, takže si budou poutka navzájem odpovídat. 6Uděláš padesát zlatých spon a spojíš jimi pruhy dohromady, takže vznikne jediný příbytek. 7Uděláš také pruhy z kozí srsti pro stan nad příbytkem; zhotovíš jedenáct pruhů. 8Délka jednoho pruhu bude třicet loket, šířka čtyři lokte. Všech jedenáct pruhů bude mít stejné rozměry. 9Spojíš pět pruhů samostatně a šest pruhů zvlášť tak, že šestý pruh přeložíš dvojmo na čelní straně stanu. 10Také uděláš padesát poutek na okraji pruhu, který je na konci spojeného celku, a padesát poutek na okraji pruhu na druhém spojeném celku. 11Uděláš padesát bronzových spon a vložíš je do poutek a spojíš tak, že bude jeden stan. 12Z toho, co zbývá ze stanových pruhů, bude přesahující polovina pruhu splývat přes zadní stranu příbytku. 13Loket na jedné straně i loket na druhé straně, který přečnívá po délce stanového pruhu, bude viset dolů po jedné i druhé straně příbytku, takže jej zakryjí. 14Uděláš pro stan pokrývku z beraních kůží zbarvených načerveno a navrch pokrývku z tmavomodrých kůží. 15Také uděláš pro příbytek z akáciového dřeva kolmo vztyčené desky. 16Deset loket bude délka každé desky a loket a půl její šířka. 17Každá deska bude mít dva navzájem souběžné čepy. Tak to učiníš u všech desek příbytku. 18Zhotovíš desky pro příbytek; bude jich dvacet pro pravou jižní stranu. 19A uděláš čtyřicet stříbrných podstavců pod dvaceti deskami, vždy dva podstavce pod jednu desku k oběma jejím čepům. 20Také pro druhou stranu příbytku směrem k severu bude dvacet desek, 21které budou mít čtyřicet stříbrných podstavců, dva podstavce pod každou deskou. 22Šest desek uděláš pro zadní stranu příbytku, směrem k západu. 23Dvě desky uděláš pro rohy příbytku v zadní části. 24Ty budou zdvojené dole, ale dokonale spojené nahoře až k prvnímu kroužku: tak to bude u obou desek pro obě rohové opěry. 25Bude tedy osm desek a jejich šestnáct stříbrných podstavců: vždy dva podstavce pod každou deskou. 26Uděláš také příčky z akáciového dřeva. Pět jich bude pro jednu stranu příbytku, 27pět pro desky na druhé straně příbytku a pět příček pro zadní stranu příbytku, směrem k západu. 28Prostřední příčka mezi deskami bude sahat od jednoho konce k druhému. 29Desky potáhneš zlatém a jejich kruhy uděláš ze zlata. Do nich se vloží příčky, které také potáhneš zlatém. 30Zbuduješ příbytek podle plánu, který ti byl ukázán na hoře. 31Uděláš oponu v barvě purpurově fialové, nachové a karmínové, z jemně tkaného plátna, s dovedně vyšitými cheruby. 32A pověsíš ji na čtyři sloupy z akáciového dřeva potažené zlatem, které mají zlaté háčky a stojí na čtyřech stříbrných podstavcích. 33Pověsíš oponu na spony a dovnitř za ni uložíš archu svědectví; opona bude oddělovat svatyni od velesvatyně. 34Ve velesvatyni položíš na archu svědectví příkrov. 35Postavíš stůl na vnější straně opony a svícen naproti stolu na jižní straně příbytku; stůl dáš na stranu severní. 36Ke vchodu do stanu uděláš závěs v barvě purpurově fialové, nachové a karmínové, z jemně tkaného plátna, dílo vyšívače. 37Pro ten závěs uděláš pět sloupů z akáciového dřeva a potáhneš je zlatém, i jejich háčky budou ze zlata; odliješ pro ně pět bronzových podstavců.
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary 1 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,
1Kgs 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, Pss 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,
Revel 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 (
Exod 26:1), to intimate that the angels of God pitch their tents round about the church,
Pss 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
Revel 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,
Exod 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, Ephes 2:21,
Ephes 2:22;
Ephes 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.
7 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,
Exod 26:7, etc. 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 (
Exod 26:14), 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 16:10. 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 (
Pss 45:13); 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 1:5. Let our adorning be that of the hidden man of the heart, which God values,
1Pet 3:4. (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 6:5,
Isa 6:6. The protection of Providence shall always be upon the beauty of holiness. God's tent will be a pavilion,
Pss 27:5.
15 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 54:2. 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 (
Exod 26:24), and kept firm with bars that ran through golden staples in every board (
Exod 26:26), and the boards and bars were all richly gilded,
Exod 26:29. 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, Revel 21:18. 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,
2Cor 3:10,
2Cor 3:11.
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
Exod 20:24,
An altar of earth shalt thou make unto me. 31 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,
Exod 26:31,
Exod 26:33. Under that dispensation, divine grace was veiled, but now we behold it with open face,
2Cor 3:18. The apostle tells us (
Hebre 9:8,
Hebre 9:9) 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 27:51. 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,
Exod 26:36,
Exod 26:37. Through this first veil the priests went in every day to minister in the holy place, but not the people,
Hebre 9:6. 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.
