Exodus 26:34

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, Heb 9:8. That the ceremonial law could not make the comers thereunto perfect, nor would the observance of it bring men to heaven; the way into the holiest of all was not made manifest, while the first tabernacle was standing. Life and immortality lay hidden till they were brought to light by the gospel; which was signified by the rending of this vail at the death of Christ, Mt 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?

And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon ark of the testimony,.... With the cherubim of glory overshadowing it; all which were a representation of the way of man's salvation flowing from the mercy and grace of God, through the propitiation by Christ, and his perfect righteousness, by which the law is fulfilled; and all this is published in the Gospel by the ministers of it, signified by the cherubim: and these are all the things that were "in the most holy place"; and they were placed at the west end of it.

6. THE POSITION OF THE FURNITURE. (34, 35) The sole furniture of the most holy place, or “Holy of Holies,” was to be the ark, with its covering of the mercy-seat. In the “Holy Place” without the vail were to be the “table of shewbread” against the north wall, and the “golden candlestick” opposite to it, against the south wall. Intermediate between them, but advanced nearer the vail, was to be the “golden altar of incense” (Exodus 30:6; Exodus 40:26), which, however, is not here mentioned.

(16) The testimony which I shall give thee. —The two tables of stone were called “the Testimony” (comp. Exodus 16:34 ), as being God’s witness against sin ( Deuteronomy 31:26 ). As containing them, the ark was called “the ark of the testimony” ( Exodus 25:22 ; Exodus 26:34 ; Exodus 30:6 ; Exodus 30:26 , &c.; Numbers 4:5 ; Numbers 7:89 ; Joshua 4:16 ).

(Compare Exodus 36:8-33 .) The tabernacle was to comprise three main parts, the tabernacle Exodus 26:1-6 , more strictly so-called, its tent Exodus 26:7-13 , and its covering Exodus 26:14 (Compare Exodus 35:11 ; Exodus 39:33-34 ; Exodus 40:19 , Exodus 40:34 ; Numbers 3:25 , etc.). These parts are very clearly distinguished in the Hebrew, but they are confounded in many places of the English Version (see Exodus 26:7 , Exodus 26:9 , etc.). The tabernacle itself was to consist of curtains of fine linen woven with colored figures of cherubim, and a structure of boards which was to contain the holy place and the most holy place; the tent was to be a true tent of goats' hair cloth to contain and shelter the tabernacle: the covering was to be of red rams' skins and "tachash" skins Exodus 25:5 , and was spread over the goats' hair tent as an additional protection against the weather. On the external form of the tabernacle and the arrangement of its parts, see cuts at the end of the chapter. Exodus 26:1 The tabernacle - The משׁכן mı̂shkân, i. e. the dwelling-place; the definite article regularly accompanies the Hebrew word when the dwelling-place of Yahweh is denoted. But in this place the word is not used in its full sense as denoting the dwelling-place of Yahweh: it denotes only the tabernacle-cloth Exodus 26:6.

15-30. thou shalt make boards … rear up the tabernacle according to the fashion … which was showed thee—The tabernacle, from its name as well as from its general appearance and arrangements, was a tent; but from the description given in these verses, the boards that formed its walls, the five (cross) bars that strengthened them, and the middle bar that "reached from end to end," and gave it solidity and compactness, it was evidently a more substantial fabric than a light and fragile tent, probably on account of the weight of its various coverings as well as for the protection of its precious furniture.

"Thither (where the curtain hands under the loops) within the curtain shalt thou bring the ark of testimony ( Exodus 25:16-22 ), and the curtain shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy" (הקּדשׁים קדשׁ the holy of holies). The inner compartment was made into the most holy place through the ark of the covenant with the throne of grace upon it.

[Reformed Biblical] e words are to be rendered, for the side looking westward . Exodus 26:28 ## In the midst of the boards ; not within the thickness of the boards, as the Jews conceive, but in the length of them; as appears, 1. Because this bar, as well as the rest, was gilded, Exo_26:29, which was frivolous if it were never seen 2. Because all the bars had rings made to receive and hold them up, Exo_26:29. Exodus 26:29 Exodus 26:30 Either by visible representation to his eye, or rather by mental vision or impression of it upon his imagination. Exodus 26:31 ## Thou shalt make a veil , which was thick and strong that none could see through it, called the second veil , Heb_9:3, whereby the holy of holies, which represented the highest heaven, was divided from the holy place, where the church militant, or its representatives, met and served God, Exo_26:33. For the signification of this veil, see Luk_23:45 Heb_9:8,24 10:19,20. Exodus 26:32 ## The hooks were fastened to the tops of the pillars, as the veil was fastened to them. Exodus 26:33 ## Under the taches , or, in the place (as the Hebrew tacheth oft signifies) of the taches, to wit, where the two curtains are joined together by taches, Exo_26:6. Exodus 26:34 Exodus 26:35 Exodus 26:36 ## For the door of the tent , i.e. of the holy place, where it was divided from the court of the pe