Westminster Annotations, Exodus · Chapter 26
CHAP. XXVI.
Of the Sanctuarie or Tabernacle, a brief description.
THE Sanctuary (at this time the Tabernacle) was a moveable house, made of boards of Shittim wood, whereof see vers. 15. and hung about with curtaines, wrought with divers colours in a curious manner, and covered over with three coverings, one upon another, to keepe it from harme. It was thirty cubits long, ten cubits high, ten broad: the uppermost pa… whereof was made slope, and somewhat bending, each way (as the roofe of an house) to shoot off raine, that it might not rest upon it. It was divided into two parts, the one called the holy of holies at the upper end of it taking up ten cubits, wherein what was placed, see Chap. 25. vers. 16. and in it what was laid up, see Chap. 25. vers. 16. Into this holy of holies onelyonly the High-priest came, and that but once a yeare, Levit. 16. The other part was called the holy place, containing in it twenty cubits, Jer. 5. In this was the Altar of Incense, on which incense was burned: on the right side thereof was the Candlestick, mentioned vers. 31. and on the left the Table of shew-bread, whereof vers. 35. These two parts were divided by a vaile, and from the latter part of the Tabernacle for fiftie cubits in length, there was a Court walled with boards, but without a covering above; in part of this Court which was next unto the Tabernacle, was the Altar of the burnt-offering, and the brasen Sea, or Laver for the washings; and so far might none approach but the Priests, whose place was divided from the peoples by a partition wall of boards, which was three cubits high, and no more, that the people might see the Priest at his sacrifice; and into this part neither Gentiles, nor any uncleane person must approach. Josephus Antiq. l. 3. c. 5.
Vers. 1. A Tabernacle] That is, a Tent, or moveable house for the Arke, Table, Shew-bread, &c. See Annot. on vers. 8.
of cunning worke] Heb. the worke of a cunning workman, or …mbroiderer. Silke or linen being the ground, threads of blew purple, and scarlet, were curiously wrought upon i…; to make it both various and glorious.
V. 3. five curtaines] So joyned as to make up one great one; the other five so joyned, as to make up another great one, and these two after by loops, buckles, or hooks, so coupled together, as to make the Tabernacle as one entire worke or structure.
V. 7. to be a covering] Not onelyonly above, but round about; so they were as a case for the Tabernacle (which was fine and precious) to preserve it both above, and on all sides, from the injurie of weather; and it was made of Goats haire, woven into cloth: and there was a third covering dyed red, vers. 14. and a fourth above that, next unto the weather (of Badgers skins) which are stronger, and courser then they: these curtaines were joyned together as the other, vers. 3.
V. 9. double the sixt curtaine] That is, five on the one side and five on the other, and the sixt should hang over the entrance of the Tabernacle, the curtaines being eleven in all, which number is made up of five and sixe, the sixt of the six and the eleventh of the whole was to be doubled, and so to hang on both sides the doore of the Tabernacle. These were larger then the former curtains of cunning worke, for they were thirtie cubits long, vers. 8. the other but twentie eight, vers. 2. because they were for a covering and safegard of the finer curtains.
V. 12. remnant] For these curtaines were two cubits longer then the curtaines of the Tabernacle, so that they were side: by a cubite on both sides, that they might the better cover the better covering which was under them, and save it from wearing or defiling.
V. 15. Shittim wood] Whereof there was store in the desart of Arabia.
V. 24. coupled] Like twins exactly answering one another: this is to be understood of the two corner boards in the backe part of the Tabernacle, whereof he made mention in the precedent verse, with farre more strength and firmnesse were to be double, above and below, and so closed together that the ring put in the corner might serve for the barres which met on both sides.
V. 26. barres] These barres covered with gold, and put into golden rings were to strengthen and hold the boards together that they might be firme and stedfast.
V. 28. midst of the boards] Not through the thicknesse of them, but through the rings, which were fastened to the middle of the outside, the middle in respect of the space above and below the barres.
V. 30. according to the fashion] Chap. 25. 9. 40. Act. 7. 44. Heb. 8. 5. See Annot. on Chap. 25. v. 9.
V. 31. * vaile] Within this vaile which separated betwixt the holy place and the most holy was the Arke placed, vers. 33. * 2 Chron. 3. 14.
with cherubims] The portraiture of them wrought or woven into the worke. See the Note on Chap. 25. 18.
V. 32. hookes] Some read heads of the pillars.
V. 33. most holy] Whereinto the high Priest only entred once a yeare; here was the Arke placed, and hence God gave Answers, therefore it was sometimes called the Oracle, in the 1 King. 6. 19. it was a Type of heaven, the throne of God, for here God manifested his especiall presence, and the high Priest entered into it by especiall prerogative, as Christ our high Priest into heaven, and but once a yeare, the better to preserve the reverence of the place, for which cause it was separated by a vaile from the rest of the Tabernacle.
V. 35. the Table without] That is, the Table of the shewbread or twelve cakes or loaves (representing the twelve Tribes) shall be set on the outside of the vaile, not in the inside; (where the Arke was placed) that is, it must be set not in the most holy place, but in the holy place divided from it by a vaile.
V. 36. an hanging] This hanging or vaile was a partition betwixt the holy place of the Priests, and the place where the people were, it being not close to the ground, because at the entrance it was to let in some light.