Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs, Biblical commentary 2 · Chapter 26
CHAP. XXVI.
1, God commandeth to make a Tabernacle, with ten curtaines embroidered. 7, And a Tent over it of eleven certaines of Goats haire. 14, And a covering for the Tent, of Rams skinnes, and a covering of Tachash skinnes. 15. The boards of the Tabernacle, of Shittim wood. 19, The sockets of silver. 26, The bars of Shittim wood. 31, The embroidered vesle betweene the most holy place, and the holy. 36, The hanging vesle for the doore.
AND thou shalt make the Tabernacle with ten curtaines of fine linnen twined, and blew, and purple, and scarlet: with Cherubims, the worke of a cunning workeman, shalt thou make them. The length of one curtaine shall be eight and twenty cubits, and the bredth foure cubits, of one curtaine: one measure shall be for all the curtaines. Five curtaines shall be coupled together, one to another, and five curtaines coupled together one to another. And thou shalt make loopes of blew upon the edge of the one curtaine, from the selvedge in the coupling; & so shalt thou make in the uttermost edge of the curtaine, in the second coupling. Fiftie loopes shalt thou make in the one curtaine, and fiftie loopes shalt thou make in the selvedge of the curtaine, which is in the second coupling, the loopes being one right over against another. And thou shalt make fiftie taches of gold, and shalt couple together the curtaines, one unto another, with the taches; and it shall bee one Tabernacle. And thou shalt make curtaines of go… …, for a Tent over the Tabernacle: eleven curtaines shalt thou make them. The length of one curtaine shall be thirtie cu…its, and the bredth foure cubits, of one curtaine: one measure shall be for the eleven curtaines. And thou shalt couple together five curtaines by themselves, and sixe curtaines by themselves, and shalt double the sixt curtaine in the forefront of the Tent. And thou shalt make fiftie loopes on the edge of the one curtaine, the outmost in the coupling, and fiftie loopes on the edge of the curtaine of the second coupling. And thou shalt make fiftie taches of brasse, & shalt put the taches into the loops, and shalt couple together the Tent, and it shall be one. And the overplus that remaineth of the curtaines of the Tent, the halfe curtaine that remaineth shall hang over, on the backe sides of the Tabernacle. And a cubit on this side, and a cubit on that side, in the remainder in the length of the curtaines of the tent, it shall bee hanging over on the sides of the Tabernacle, on this side and on that side, to cover it. And thou shalt make a covering for the tent, of Rams skins died red, and a covering of Tachash skins above. And thou shalt make boards for the Tabernacle, of Shittim wood, standing up. Ten cubits shall be the length of a board, and a cubit and halfe a cubit the bredth of one board. Two tenons for one board, set in order one against another: so shalt thou make for all the boards of the Tabernacle. And thou shalt make the boards for the Tabernacle, twenty boards for the South …de Southward▪ And fo…ie sockets of silver shalt thou make under the twenty boards; two … unde… one board for his two tenons, and two sockets under another … for his …. And for the second side of the …, on the North side, twenty …. And the… fortie socke…s of silver… … one …ard, and two soc… another board. And for the sides of the … thou shalt …ake … ▪ And two boards shalt thou make for th… of the …, in the two sides▪ And they shall be equally joyned be… … shall bee perfectly … the he…d of it▪ unto one ring: so … before them …oth▪ they shall bee for …. And they sh…ll bee eight … and th… … of silver sixteene … two so… … board, and … under another board▪ And thou shalt make barres of Shittim wood: five for the boards of the one side of the Tabernacle. And five barres for the boards of the second side of the Tabernacle: and five barres for the boards of the side of the Tabernacle, for the two sides Seaward. And the mid… barre in the mids of the boards, reaching from end to end. And thou shalt overlay the boards with gold, and their rings thou shalt make of gold, places for the barres: and thou shalt overlay the barres with gold. And thou shalt reare up the Tabernacle according to the right fashion therof, which thou wast shewed in the mount. And thou shalt make a veile of blew, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linnen twined; the worke of a cunning workeman: he shall make it with Cherubims. And thou shalt hang it upon foure pillars of Shittim, overlaid with gold, their hookes shall be of gold; upon the foure sockets of silver. And thou shalt hang the veise under the taches, and shalt bring in thither within the veile, the Arke of the Testimonie; and the veile shall divide unto you, betweene the Holy place, and the Holy of holies. And thou shalt put the Covering-merciemercy-seat, upon the Arke of the Testimony, in the Holy of holies. And thou shalt set the Table without the veile; and the Candlesticke over against the table, on the side of the Tabernacle, toward the South; and the table thou shalt put on the North side. And thou shalt make an hanging-veile for the doore of the Tent, of blew and purple, and scarlet, and fine linnen twined; the worke of the Embroiderer. And thou shalt make for the hanging-veile five pillars of Shittim, and overlay them with gold, their hookes gold, and thou shalt cast for them, five sockets of brasse.
Annotations.
…] or Habitacle, which was for the foresaid▪ Arke, Table with shew-bread, and C…dl…sticke to be placed in a figure of the Church, wherein God dwelleth graciously with his people, and inligh… them with his Law, and the seven spirits which are before his throne. See the anno…tions on the former Chapter▪ twined] or twisted▪ after it was spunne▪ and this was for more strength▪ …. 4. 12. In the Hebrew canons it is said, Wheresoever fine linn…n twisted is spoken of in the …, it must be six… double thred. Maimony, treat of the … of the Sanctuary, chap. 8. Sect. 14. scarlet] or double dy…d scarlet. These colours represented the blood of Christ, and the white … bysse,) his justice. and so the vatietie of …erewith he and his Church is made glorious…he notes on Exod. …5. 4. Cheru…] that is, as the Chaldee explaineth it, figures of … ▪ signifying heavenly affections in Christ a… his Church, and the Angels ministers … and about them: See Exod. 25. 18. cun…] or exquisite craftsman; that skilfully deviseth, and curiously worketh in any Arte, Exod. 35. …. 33. 2 Chro. 26. 15. The Chaldee translateth it Craftsman; the Greeke, Weaver: of which there is also mention in this worke of the Tabernacle, Exod. 35. 35. and 39. 22. The Hebrew Doctors put a difference betweene this cunning worke…a…, and the embroiderer, in verse 36. Wheresoever it is said in the Law, THE WORKE OF THE EMBROIDERER, that is, when the figures which are made in the weaving, are seene but on the one side; but THE WORKE OF THE CVNNING WORKEMAN, is, when the figures are seene on both sides, before and after. Maimony, in …. of the Implements of the Sanctuarie, chap. 8. Sect. 15. The veile of the most holy place being of this cunning workemanship, verse 31. sheweth that both sides were wrought alike.
Vers. 2▪ cubits] Hebr. by cubit, that is, measuring by the Cubit, which is sixe hand-breadths, or a foot and a halfe. of one] which may bee understood of every one, as in 2 Chron. 9. 16. one shield, it for every shield. Or, as the Greeke here translateth, the curtai… shall be one▪
Vers. 3. one to anoth…] Hebr. woman to her sister, which He…aisme, the Chaldee also translateth one … another; and the Greeke giveth the like sense, and Moses himselfe so explaineth it in Exod. 36. 10. 12. where he saith one …. So after in verse 5. and 17. This signified the union of persons and of g…es in the Church, by the Spirit, Ephes. 4. 3. 4. 5. 6. 1 Cor. 12. 4. 5. 6. 12. 13. for, in Christ all the building … coupled together, groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord, Ephes. 2. 21. 22. and 4. 16.
Ver…. 4. …dge] Hebr. lip. So in vers. 10. the one] or, the first curtaine. so in verse 5. So one is used for the first, G…. 1. 5. second coupling] or, coupling of the … so in verse 5.
Vers. 5. being one▪ right ove… against another] or, …eceiving one to another, & so holding by the taches, one curtaine to another. But both the Greeke and Chaldee version favoureth the first exposition.
Vers. 6. one Tabernacle] or the Habitacle shall bee … is said for the Tent, verse …. How…, because of the distinction by the veise, there were after a sort two Tabernacles, and so the Apos…e speaketh of the first, called the Holy, and after the second …, … Tabernacle called the Holy of holies, … ▪ As the golden taches, clasped in the blew▪ (o… heaven-coloured) loopes, made the ten … one Tent: so by faith and love in Christ, the Saints are fastened, & builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit, Eph. 2. 22. where… the … mentioneth the unitie of the Spirit, … peace; the …nit…e of the faith, and our … together in love, Ephes: 4. 3. 13. Co…s. 2▪ 2. … this is to be for all affaires, both of peace and of warre, Iudges 20. 11.
Vers. 7. a Tent] that is, a Covering, spred over, so the Greek translateth it a Covering; the Chaldee, an overspreading. See Exod. 40. 6. eleven] wheras the embroidered curtaines were but ten, verse …. So these were thirty cubits long, verse 8▪ those but 28. cubits, verse 2. Thus the Covering was larger in length and bredth, then the thing covered. The like may be thought by proportion of the two upper Coverings of skins, in verse 14. that they also were larger, the… this Tent of haire; though for brevity, their sise is not expressed. And that this Goats haire was woven into cloath, appeareth in that it was spunne by women, as the other stuffe, Exod. 35. 26.
Verse 14. Tachash skinnes] in Greeke Violet colour skinnes, of them see Exod. 25. 5. These three sorts of Coverings served for the safetie of the Tent, and things in the same, from the injurie of the weather: also by these covers and veils, the people were kept from beholding the holy things: as at the removing of the Tent likewise, Num. 4. 5. 15. So they signified the safetie of Gods Church, covered and hid from the injuries of the world, Esa. 4. 6. and 25. 4. Psal. 27. 5. that the S…ne shall not light on them, nor any heat, Rev. 7. 16▪ and the state of the Church then, which had the mysteries of Christ under shadowes and coverings, now taken away▪ Heb. 10. 1. Therefore the Tabernacle of the Gospell is described without any such veiles or covers, in the open heaven, where the most holy things, even the A…e of Gods Covenant is to bee seene, Rev. 4 1. 6. and 11. 19. and 21. 2. 3. &c.
Vers. 15. boards] these were to beare up the embroidered curtain… ▪ the Greeke calleth them styles or pillars: and to these, with the silver sockets wheron they stood, (verse 19.) the Apostle alludeth, when he calle…ly Gods House and Church, the pillar and stay of the Truth, 1 Tim. 3. 15.
Vers. 17. tenons] called in Hebrew hands, for that they held fast in the mortai…es of the sockets. set in order] or, set ladder wise, that is, equally distant one from another, as the sta…es of a ladder.
Vers. 19. sockets] or bases, as the Greeke translateth them, the … grounds that sustained the boards, having hollow mortail… for the tenons of the boards to be fastened in. Every one of these sockets, was of a talent of silv…, … an … dred and twenty pound weight, … ▪
Vers. 20. twenty boards] and every be and being a …bi… and an halfe broad, verse …6▪ … of the whole Tabernacle appeareth to be …0. cubi…s, … 45. foot.
Vers. 22. S…d] that is, … ▪ so vers. 27. See the notes on Gen. …. 8.
Vers. 24. equally joyned] or j… that is, joyned alike to the boards that are … the side, and on the end of the Tabernacle, so fastening them both together. The Hebrew signifieth twinning or twins▪ … in this sonse▪ but here, and againe … The Chaldee … reth it, disposed (or, … ▪) the Greeke, th… shall be of equa…e. …] … ▪ together. … perfectly joyned] or equally joyned. The Hebrew▪ though it differeth in forme, yet is thought to be of like signifie at … with the former, and so the Chaldee … it as before, and the Greeke varieth but … ▪ …, they shall be [exisou] of equalitie beneath▪ and likewise they shall be [isoi] equall at the heads, &c. so in Exod▪ 36. 19.
Vers. 26. …arres] or, …af…ers, which were for … …n the boards together.
Vers. 28. in the mids] This …ids, seemeth to bee … of the length of the boards, not of the thicknesse, as if this barre went through the boards, (which so must needs bee of an extraordinary thicknesse and weight,) but through rings put in the mids of the boards, as the other barres went through rings put in the ends. reaching] or, shooting through▪ of this word, the barre afore-said, hath the name in Hebrew, which signifieth …eeing, or speedy passing through.
Vers. 29. places] Hebr. houses, as Exod. 25. 27. The Greeke explaineth it thus, into which thou shalt bring the barres.
Vers. 30. right fashion] or, just constitution: Hebr. judgement, which the Greeke translateth fashion (or shape) and Stephen calleth it a type, Acts 7. 44. so it is the same in effect, with Exod. 25. 40.
Vers. 31. of a cunning workeman] that is, wrought (or woven) both sides alike: see the notes on verse 1. he] that is, the workeman: the Greeke saith as before, thou shalt make. Cherubi…s] that is, as the Chaldee …presseth, figures of Cherub…, wrought in the veile.
Vers. 32. hang] Hebrew, give… ▪ so verse 33. Shittim] or …edar, wood that will not rot, Exod… 25. 5.
Vers. 33. of the testimony] that is, of the Tables where on the Law was written, for a testimonie to Israel, See Exod. 2…. 16. divide] or separate. This was the speciall use of this veile, to de…arre men from entring (yea or seeing) into the most holy place, or the Arke, Exod. 40. 3. whereby. (as Paul saith) the Holy Ghost signified this▪ that the way into the Holies was not yet manifested, while as the first Ta… had st…g, Heb. 9. 8. that is, the way … heaven (which the most holy place shadowed,) was not by those legall services; but should be … …to …n by Christ, first entring there … his … ▪ Heb. 9. 24▪ and 10. 19. Therefore … this … ▪ signified the flesh of Christ, (under … was veiled▪) and through … death) hee entred himselfe, … also for us, to enter into heaven, Heb. 9. 19. 20. To … this▪ the veile of the Temple (at the death of Christ) was rent in …, … ▪ Matt… ▪ …7. 51. So the curious embroiderie, and glorious Cherubims of this … manifold graces of▪ the Spirit, … had in his … al… of his Word and Spi… ▪ which are in … understood▪ … of Holinesses▪ that … most holy place▪ … name Christ him… c…ed, … ▪ 9▪ …4▪ but … it figured Heaven, into which Christ is entred in flesh, we also now are by hope, and shall also in our flesh, at his appearing, Heb. 6. 19. 20. and 9. 11. 12. 24. and 10. 19. Ioh. 14. 2. 3. It was also a type of the Churches estate under the Gospell, wherein without veiles we enjoy the mysteries of Christ, Revel. 4. and 11. 19. This place in Solomons Temple, was called Debir, that is, the Oracle, (because from thence Gods oracles were heard, Num. 7. 89.) 1 King. 6. 19. where the Chaldee translateth it, the house of propitiations.
Vers. 35. without] signifying that the twelve Tribes of Israel, (represented by the Cakes upon that Table, were yet without the open enjoying of the mysteries of the Gospell, Heb. 9. 8. 9. 10. and 10. 19. and 11. 39. 40. and in respect of heaven it selfe, we all in this life, are yet without, and enter in onelyonly by the anker of hope, Heb. 6. 18. 19. 20. 1 Pet. 1. 4. 5. 2 Cor. 5. 1. 2. 3. &c. the south▪ which is the right hand, both in respect of the world, Psal. 89. 13. and of this Tabernacle, where God from the most holy place betweene the Cherubims, beheld his people worshipping with their faces towards the West, the type of them on the table, being on the Northside, and the Candlesticke of his law burning with the seven lamps of his Spirit on the South side. So the Word, is above the Church.
Vers. 36. an hanging veile] or covering, as the word more properly signifieth. This was another veile, which hung as a doore at the entry of the Tabernacle, through which the priests of the Law went every day to minister in the holy place; but the people might not, Heb. 9. …2. 6. Shewing also the restraint of the Iewish Chruch, from such blessings as God hath opened unto us in Christ, Heb. 9. 9. 10. &c. and 10. …9. 20. embroiderer] or, weaver with tinsell worke, who worketh curiously, and with many colours; figuring the variety of graces which God deeketh his Church with, Ezek. 16. 10. Psal. 45. …5. But the workmanship of this veile, was infe…ou… to the former, which had Cherubi…s. See the notes on verse 1.
Vers. 37. …verlay them] for this in Exod. 36. 38. is said, he overlaid their heads (or chapiters.) brasse] inferiour to the former, which were of silver, verse 32. The … things were unto God, the …ore precious they were, both for stuffe and wo…ship.