261 '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; 2 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; 3 five of the curtains are joining one unto another, and five curtains are joining one to another. 4 '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. 5 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; 6 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.
7 'And thou hast made curtains of goats' 'hair', for a tent over the tabernacle; thou dost make eleven curtains: 8 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; 9 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. 10 '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; 11 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. 12 '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; 13 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;
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Exodus 26:1-13
Commentary on Exodus 26:1-6
(Read Exodus 26:1-6)
God manifested his presence among the Israelites in a tabernacle or tent, because of their condition in the wilderness. God suits the tokens of his favour, and the gifts of his grace, to his people's state and wants. The curtains of the tabernacle were to be very rich. They were to be embroidered with cherubim, signifying that the angels of God pitch their tents round about the church, Psalm 34:7.
Commentary on Exodus 26:7-14
(Read Exodus 26:7-14)
The curtains of meaner materials, being made both longer and broader, covered the others, and were defended by coverings of skins. The whole represents the person and doctrine of Christ, and the church of true Christians, and all heavenly things, which outwardly are mean, but inwardly, and in the sight of God, are glorious and precious.