31 'And thou hast made a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen, work of a designer; he maketh it 'with' cherubs; 32 and thou hast put it on four pillars of shittim wood, overlaid 'with' gold, their pegs 'are' of gold, on four sockets of silver. 33 '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. 34 'And thou hast put the mercy-seat on the ark of the testimony, in the holy of holies. 35 '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. 36 'And thou hast made a covering for the opening of the tent, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen, work of an embroiderer; 37 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.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Exodus 26:31-37
Commentary on Exodus 26:31-37
(Read Exodus 26:31-37)
A vail, or curtain, separated the holy place from the most holy place. It was hung upon pillars. This vail was for a partition between the holy place and the most holy; which forbade any to look into the holiest of all. The apostle tells what was the meaning of this vail, Matthew 27:51. We have now boldness to enter into the holiest, in all acts of worship, by the blood of Jesus; yet such as obliges us to holy reverence. Another vail was for the outer door of the tabernacle. This vail was all the defence the tabernacle had. God takes care of his church on earth. 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. With this typical description of Christ and his church before us, what is our judgment of these matters? Do we see any glory in the person of Christ? any excellence in his character? any thing precious in his salvation? or any wisdom in the doctrine of the cross? Will our religion bear examination? and are we more careful to approve our hearts to God than our characters toward men?