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. 9 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. 10 And he joineth the five curtains one unto another, and the 'other' five curtains he hath joined one unto another; 11 and he maketh loops of blue on the edge of the one curtain, at the end, in the joining; so he hath made in the edge of the outmost curtain, in the joining of the second; 12 fifty loops he hath made in the one curtain, and fifty loops hath he made in the end of the curtain which 'is' in the joining of the second; the loops are taking hold one on another. 13 And he maketh fifty hooks of gold, and joineth the curtains one unto another by the hooks, and the tabernacle is one.
14 And he maketh curtains of goats' 'hair' for a tent over the tabernacle; eleven curtains he hath made them; 15 the length of the one curtain 'is' thirty by the cubit, and the breadth of the one curtain 'is' four cubits; one measure 'is' to the eleven curtains; 16 and he joineth the five curtains apart, and the six curtains apart. 17 And he maketh fifty loops on the outer edge of the curtain, in the joining; and fifty loops he hath made on the edge of the curtain which is joining the second; 18 and he maketh fifty hooks of brass to join the tent—to be one; 19 and he maketh a covering for the tent of rams' skins made red, and a covering of badgers' skins above. 20 And he maketh the boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood, standing up; 21 ten cubits 'is' the length of the 'one' board, and a cubit and a half the breadth of the 'one' board; 22 two handles 'are' to the one board, joined one unto another; so he hath made for all the boards of the tabernacle. 23 And he maketh the boards for the tabernacle; twenty boards for the south side southward; 24 and forty sockets of silver he hath made 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. 25 And for the second side of the tabernacle, for the north side, he hath made twenty boards, 26 and their forty sockets of silver, two sockets under the one board, and two sockets under the other board; 27 and for the sides of the tabernacle, westward, hath he made six boards; 28 and two boards hath he made for the corners of the tabernacle, in the two sides; 29 and they have been twins below, and together they are twins at its head, at the one ring; so he hath done to both of them at the two corners; 30 and there have been eight boards; and their sockets of silver 'are' sixteen sockets, two sockets under the one board. 31 And he maketh bars of shittim wood, five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle, 32 and five bars for the boards of the second side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the tabernacle, for the sides westward; 33 and he maketh the middle bar to enter into the midst of the boards from end to end; 34 and the boards he hath overlaid with gold, and their rings he hath made of gold, places for bars, and he overlayeth the bars with gold.
35 And he maketh the vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen, work of a designer he hath made it, 'with' cherubs; 36 and he maketh for it four pillars of shittim 'wood', and overlayeth them with gold; their pegs 'are' of gold; and he casteth for them four sockets of silver. 37 And he maketh a covering for the opening of the tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen, work of an embroiderer, 38 also its five pillars, and their pegs; and he overlaid their tops and their fillets 'with' gold, and their five sockets 'are' brass.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Exodus 36:8-38
Chapter Contents
The making of the tabernacle The liberality of the people restrained.
The readiness and zeal with which these builders set about their work, the exactness with which they performed it, and the faithfulness with which they objected to receive more contributions, are worthy of our imitation. Thus should we serve God, and our superiors also, in all things lawful. Thus should all who are in public trusts abhor filthy lucre, and avoid all occasions and temptations to covetousness. Where have we the representation of God's love towards us, that we by love dwell in him and he in us, save in Emmanuel? John 1:14, wherein, as the original expresses it, he did tabernacle among us.