Focused Passage

Exodus 26:1-14

The Tabernacle Structure: Curtains, Coverings, Frames, Veil, and Holy Arrangement

The LORD gives Moses instructions for the inner curtains of the tabernacle, the goat-hair tent coverings, the protective outer coverings, the upright frames and bases, the crossbars, the veil separating the Most Holy Place from the Holy Place, the placement of the ark, table, and lampstand, and the entrance curtain for the tent.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1“You are to construct the tabernacle itself with ten curtains of finely spun linen, each with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and cherubim skillfully worked into them.

2Each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide—all curtains the same size.

3Five of the curtains are to be joined together, and the other five joined as well.

4Make loops of blue material on the edge of the end curtain in the first set, and do the same for the end curtain in the second set.

5Make fifty loops on one curtain and fifty loops on the end curtain of the second set, so that the loops line up opposite one another.

6Make fifty gold clasps as well, and join the curtains together with the clasps, so that the tabernacle will be a unit.

7You are to make curtains of goat hair for the tent over the tabernacle—eleven curtains in all.

8Each of the eleven curtains is to be the same size—thirty cubits long and four cubits wide.

9Join five of the curtains into one set and the other six into another. Then fold the sixth curtain over double at the front of the tent.

10Make fifty loops along the edge of the end curtain in the first set, and fifty loops along the edge of the corresponding curtain in the second set.

11Make fifty bronze clasps and put them through the loops to join the tent together as a unit.

12As for the overlap that remains of the tent curtains, the half curtain that is left over shall hang down over the back of the tabernacle.

13And the tent curtains will be a cubit longer on either side, and the excess will hang over the sides of the tabernacle to cover it.

14Also make a covering for the tent out of ram skins dyed red, and over that a covering of fine leather.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerYou are to constructתַּעֲשֶׂ֖הH6213Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularthe tabernacle [itself]הַמִּשְׁכָּ֥ןH4908Article | Noun - masculine singular[with] tenעֶ֣שֶׂרH6235Number - feminine singular constructcurtainsיְרִיעֹ֑תH3407Noun - feminine pluralof finely spunמָשְׁזָ֗רH7806Verb - Hofal - Participle - masculine singularlinenשֵׁ֣שׁH8336Noun - masculine singular[each] with blueוּתְכֵ֤לֶתH8504Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singularpurpleוְאַרְגָּמָן֙H713Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularand scarlet yarnוְתֹלַ֣עַתH8438Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct. . .שָׁנִ֔יH8144Noun - masculine singular[and] cherubimכְּרֻבִ֛יםH3742Noun - masculine pluralskillfullyחֹשֵׁ֖בH2803Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularworkedמַעֲשֵׂ֥הH4639Noun - masculine singular constructתַּעֲשֶׂ֥התַּעֲשֶׂ֥הH6213Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularinto themאֹתָֽם׃H853Direct object marker | third person masculine plural
Verse 2

Original words

Eachהָֽאַחַ֗תH259Article | Number - feminine singularcurtainהַיְרִיעָ֣הH3407Article | Noun - feminine singularshall be twenty-eightשְׁמֹנֶ֤הH8083Number - feminine singularוְעֶשְׂרִים֙וְעֶשְׂרִים֙H6242Conjunctive waw | Number - common pluralcubitsבָּֽאַמָּ֔הH520Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singularlongאֹ֣רֶךְ׀H753Noun - masculine singular construct-הָאֶחָ֑תH259Article | Number - feminine singular-הַיְרִיעָ֖הH3407Article | Noun - feminine singularand fourאַרְבַּ֣עH702Number - feminine singularcubitsבָּאַמָּ֔הH520Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singularwideוְרֹ֙חַב֙H7341Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularallלְכָל־H3605Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular constructcurtainsהַיְרִיעֹֽת׃H3407Article | Noun - feminine pluralthe sameאַחַ֖תH259Number - feminine singularsizeמִדָּ֥הH4060Noun - feminine singular

BSB notes

  • Each of the ten curtains was approximately 42 feet long and 6 feet wide (12.8 meters long and 1.8 meters wide).
Verse 3

Original words

Fiveחֲמֵ֣שׁH2568Number - feminine singular constructof the curtainsהַיְרִיעֹ֗תH3407Article | Noun - feminine pluralare to beתִּֽהְיֶ֙יןָ֙H1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine pluraljoinedחֹֽבְרֹ֔תH2266Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine pluraltogetherאִשָּׁ֖הH802Noun - feminine singular. . .אֶל־H413Preposition. . .אֲחֹתָ֑הּH269Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singularand the other fiveוְחָמֵ֤שׁH2568Conjunctive waw | Number - feminine singular-יְרִיעֹת֙H3407Noun - feminine pluraljoinedחֹֽבְרֹ֔תH2266Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine plural[as well]אִשָּׁ֖הH802Noun - feminine singular. . .אֶל־H413Preposition. . .אֲחֹתָֽהּ׃H269Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Verse 4

Original words

Makeוְעָשִׂ֜יתָH6213Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularloopsלֻֽלְאֹ֣תH3924Noun - feminine plural constructof blue [material]תְּכֵ֗לֶתH8504Noun - feminine singularonעַ֣לH5921Prepositionthe edgeשְׂפַ֤תH8193Noun - feminine singular constructof the endמִקָּצָ֖הH7098Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singularcurtainהַיְרִיעָה֙H3407Article | Noun - feminine singularin the firstהָאֶחָ֔תH259Article | Number - feminine singularsetבַּחֹבָ֑רֶתH2279Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singularand doתַּעֲשֶׂה֙H6213Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularthe sameוְכֵ֤ןH3651Conjunctive waw | Adverbvvvבִּשְׂפַ֣תH8193Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular constructfor the endהַקִּ֣יצוֹנָ֔הH7020Article | Adjective - feminine singularcurtainהַיְרִיעָ֔הH3407Article | Noun - feminine singularin the secondהַשֵּׁנִֽית׃H8145Article | Number - ordinal feminine singularsetבַּמַּחְבֶּ֖רֶתH4225Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 5

Original words

Makeתַּעֲשֶׂה֮H6213Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularfiftyחֲמִשִּׁ֣יםH2572Number - common pluralloopsלֻֽלָאֹ֗תH3924Noun - feminine pluralon oneהָאֶחָת֒H259Article | Number - feminine singularcurtainבַּיְרִיעָ֣הH3407Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular-תַּעֲשֶׂה֙H6213Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularand fiftyוַחֲמִשִּׁ֣יםH2572Conjunctive waw | Number - common pluralloopsלֻֽלָאֹ֗תH3924Noun - feminine pluralon the endבִּקְצֵ֣הH7097Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructcurtainהַיְרִיעָ֔הH3407Article | Noun - feminine singular-אֲשֶׁ֖רH834Pronoun - relativeof the secondהַשֵּׁנִ֑יתH8145Article | Number - ordinal feminine singularsetבַּמַּחְבֶּ֣רֶתH4225Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singularso that the loopsהַלֻּ֣לָאֹ֔תH3924Article | Noun - feminine pluralline upמַקְבִּילֹת֙H6901Verb - Hifil - Participle - feminine pluraloppositeאִשָּׁ֖הH802Noun - feminine singular. . .אֶל־H413Prepositionone anotherאֲחֹתָֽהּ׃H269Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Verse 6

Original words

Makeוְעָשִׂ֕יתָH6213Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularfiftyחֲמִשִּׁ֖יםH2572Number - common pluralgoldזָהָ֑בH2091Noun - masculine singularclasps {as well}קַרְסֵ֣יH7165Noun - masculine plural constructand joinוְחִבַּרְתָּ֨H2266Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe curtainsהַיְרִיעֹ֜תH3407Article | Noun - feminine pluraltogetherאִשָּׁ֤הH802Noun - feminine singular. . .אֶל־H413Preposition. . .אֲחֹתָהּ֙H269Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singularwith the claspsבַּקְּרָסִ֔יםH7165Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine pluralso that the tabernacleהַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ןH4908Article | Noun - masculine singularwill beוְהָיָ֥הH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singulara unitאֶחָֽד׃פH259Number - masculine singular
Verse 7

Original words

You are to makeוְעָשִׂ֙יתָ֙H6213Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularcurtainsיְרִיעֹ֣תH3407Noun - feminine plural constructof goat hairעִזִּ֔יםH5795Noun - feminine pluralfor the tentלְאֹ֖הֶלH168Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularoverעַל־H5921Prepositionthe tabernacleהַמִּשְׁכָּ֑ןH4908Article | Noun - masculine singular-תַּעֲשֶׂ֥הH6213Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular-אֹתָֽם׃H853Direct object marker | third person masculine pluralelevenעַשְׁתֵּי־H6249Number - common singular construct. . .עֶשְׂרֵ֥הH6240Number - feminine singularcurtains [in all]יְרִיעֹ֖תH3407Noun - feminine plural
Verse 8

Original words

Eachהָֽאַחַ֗תH259Article | Number - feminine singular construct-הַיְרִיעָ֣הH3407Article | Noun - feminine singularof the elevenלְעַשְׁתֵּ֥יH6249Preposition-l | Number - common singular construct. . .עֶשְׂרֵ֖הH6240Number - feminine singularcurtainsיְרִיעֹֽת׃H3407Noun - feminine plural[is to be] the sameאַחַ֔תH259Number - feminine singularsizeמִדָּ֣הH4060Noun - feminine singularthirtyשְׁלֹשִׁים֙H7970Number - common pluralcubitsבָּֽאַמָּ֔הH520Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singularlongאֹ֣רֶךְ׀H753Noun - masculine singular construct-הָאֶחָ֑תH259Article | Number - feminine singular-הַיְרִיעָ֖הH3407Article | Noun - feminine singular[and] fourאַרְבַּ֣עH702Number - feminine singularcubitsבָּאַמָּ֔הH520Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singularwideוְרֹ֙חַב֙H7341Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Each of the eleven curtains was approximately 45 feet long and 6 feet wide (13.7 meters long and 1.8 meters wide).
Verse 9

Original words

Joinוְחִבַּרְתָּ֞H2266Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerfiveחֲמֵ֤שׁH2568Number - feminine singular constructof the curtainsהַיְרִיעֹת֙H3407Article | Noun - feminine pluralinto one setלְבָ֔דH905Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerand the other sixשֵׁ֥שׁH8337Number - feminine singular constructinto anotherהַיְרִיעֹ֖תH3407Article | Noun - feminine plural. . .לְבָ֑דH905Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularThen fold the sixthהַשִּׁשִּׁ֔יתH8345Article | Number - ordinal feminine singularcurtain {over}הַיְרִיעָ֣הH3407Article | Noun - feminine singulardoubleוְכָפַלְתָּ֙H3717Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markeratאֶל־H413Prepositionthe frontמ֖וּלH4136Preposition. . .פְּנֵ֥יH6440Noun - common plural constructof the tentהָאֹֽהֶל׃H168Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 10

Original words

Makeוְעָשִׂ֜יתָH6213Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularfiftyחֲמִשִּׁ֣יםH2572Number - common pluralloopsלֻֽלָאֹ֗תH3924Noun - feminine pluralalongעַ֣לH5921Prepositionthe edgeשְׂפַ֤תH8193Noun - feminine singular constructof theהָֽאֶחָ֔תH259Article | Number - feminine singularendהַקִּיצֹנָ֖הH7020Article | Adjective - feminine singularcurtainהַיְרִיעָה֙H3407Article | Noun - feminine singularin the first setבַּחֹבָ֑רֶתH2279Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singularand fiftyוַחֲמִשִּׁ֣יםH2572Conjunctive waw | Number - common pluralloopsלֻֽלָאֹ֗תH3924Noun - feminine pluralalongעַ֚לH5921Prepositionthe edgeשְׂפַ֣תH8193Noun - feminine singular constructof the corresponding curtainהַיְרִיעָ֔הH3407Article | Noun - feminine singularin the secondהַשֵּׁנִֽית׃H8145Article | Number - ordinal feminine singularsetהַחֹבֶ֖רֶתH2279Article | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 11

Original words

Makeוְעָשִׂ֛יתָH6213Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularfiftyחֲמִשִּׁ֑יםH2572Number - common pluralbronzeנְחֹ֖שֶׁתH5178Noun - feminine singularclaspsקַרְסֵ֥יH7165Noun - masculine plural constructand putוְהֵבֵאתָ֤H935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object marker[them]הַקְּרָסִים֙H7165Article | Noun - masculine pluralthrough the loopsבַּלֻּ֣לָאֹ֔תH3924Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine pluralto joinוְחִבַּרְתָּ֥H2266Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularthe tentהָאֹ֖הֶלH168Article | Noun - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markertogetherוְהָיָ֥הH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularas a unitאֶחָֽד׃H259Number - masculine singular
Verse 12

Original words

As for the overlapוְסֶ֙רַח֙H5629Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularthat remainsהָעֹדֵ֔ףH5736Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularof the tentהָאֹ֑הֶלH168Article | Noun - masculine singularcurtainsבִּירִיעֹ֖תH3407Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural constructthe halfחֲצִ֤יH2677Noun - masculine singular constructcurtainהַיְרִיעָה֙H3407Article | Noun - feminine singularthat is left overהָעֹדֶ֔פֶתH5736Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singularshall hang downתִּסְרַ֕חH5628Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singularoverעַ֖לH5921Prepositionthe backאֲחֹרֵ֥יH268Noun - masculine plural constructof the tabernacleהַמִּשְׁכָּֽן׃H4908Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 13

Original words

And the tentהָאֹ֑הֶלH168Article | Noun - masculine singularcurtains [will be]יְרִיעֹ֣תH3407Noun - feminine plural constructa cubitוְהָאַמָּ֨הH520Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine singularlongerבְּאֹ֖רֶךְH753Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructon either sideמִזֶּ֜הH2088Preposition-m | Pronoun - masculine singularוְהָאַמָּ֤הוְהָאַמָּ֤הH520Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine singularמִזֶּה֙מִזֶּה֙H2088Preposition-m | Pronoun - masculine singularand the excessבָּעֹדֵ֔ףH5736Preposition-b, Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularwillיִהְיֶ֨הH1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularhangסָר֜וּחַH5628Adjective - masculine singularoverעַל־H5921Prepositionthe sidesצִדֵּ֧יH6654Noun - masculine plural constructof the tabernacleהַמִּשְׁכָּ֛ןH4908Article | Noun - masculine singular. . .מִזֶּ֥הH2088Preposition-m | Pronoun - masculine singular. . .וּמִזֶּ֖הH2088Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Pronoun - masculine singularto cover itלְכַסֹּתֽוֹ׃H3680Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular

BSB notes

  • A cubit is approximately 18 inches or 45.7 centimeters.
Verse 14

Original words

Also makeוְעָשִׂ֤יתָH6213Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singulara coveringמִכְסֶה֙H4372Noun - masculine singularfor the tentלָאֹ֔הֶלH168Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singularout of ramאֵילִ֖םH352Noun - masculine pluralskinsעֹרֹ֥תH5785Noun - masculine plural constructdyed redמְאָדָּמִ֑יםH119Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine pluraland over thatמִלְמָֽעְלָה׃פH4605Preposition-m, Preposition-l | Adverb | third person feminine singulara coveringוּמִכְסֵ֛הH4372Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct. . .עֹרֹ֥תH5785Noun - masculine plural constructof fine leatherתְּחָשִׁ֖יםH8476Noun - masculine plural

BSB notes

  • Possibly the hides of large aquatic mammals

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.