Exodus 26
Introduction
Exodus 26 provides the detailed architectural blueprint for the tabernacle itself — the portable dwelling place of God among his people. Having described the furnishings that will go inside the tabernacle (the ark, the table, the lampstand, and the altar of incense), God now instructs Moses on how to construct the structure that will house them. The chapter moves methodically from the innermost layer outward: first the fine linen curtains with their woven cherubim, then the goat hair tent covering, then the ram skin and leather outer coverings, then the wooden framework that supports it all, and finally the veil and entrance screen that define the sacred spaces within. Every detail — the number of curtains, the placement of clasps, the dimensions of frames — is dictated by God himself, because this is not an ordinary building project; it is the construction of a dwelling for the Creator of the universe on earth.
The theological significance of the chapter runs deep. The tabernacle is sacred architecture designed to express in physical form the reality of God's presence among a sinful people. The layered structure — outer court, Holy Place, Most Holy Place — creates a gradient of holiness, with access becoming progressively more restricted as one approaches the innermost room where the ark of the covenant rests beneath the mercy seat. The veil separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (vv. 31-33) stands as the physical boundary between God's immediate presence and even the priests who serve him. The cherubim woven into the innermost curtains and into the veil recall the cherubim placed to guard the way to the tree of life after Adam and Eve were expelled from Eden (Genesis 3:24), suggesting that the tabernacle is a symbolic re-creation of Eden — a place where God and humanity dwell together. The New Testament will identify the tearing of this veil at Christ's death as the opening of access to God's presence for all believers (Hebrews 10:19-20, Matthew 27:51).
The Inner Curtains of the Tabernacle (vv. 1-6)
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. 2 Each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide — all curtains the same size. 3 Five of the curtains are to be joined together, and the other five joined as well. 4 Make 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. 5 Make 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. 6 Make fifty gold clasps as well, and join the curtains together with the clasps, so that the tabernacle will be a unit.
1 And the tabernacle you shall make with ten curtains of finely twisted linen and blue and purple and scarlet yarn, with cherubim — the work of a skilled craftsman — you shall make them. 2 The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits — all the curtains having the same measurement. 3 Five curtains shall be joined one to another, and five curtains shall be joined one to another. 4 And you shall make loops of blue yarn on the edge of the outermost curtain in the first set, and likewise you shall make them on the edge of the outermost curtain in the second set. 5 You shall make fifty loops on the one curtain, and fifty loops on the end curtain of the second set, the loops being opposite one to another. 6 And you shall make fifty gold clasps and join the curtains one to another with the clasps, so that the tabernacle becomes one.
Notes
מִשְׁכָּן ("tabernacle/dwelling") — The word comes from the root שָׁכַן ("to dwell, to settle, to inhabit"). It is not the general word for "tent" (אֹהֶל), which appears separately in v. 7 for the outer covering. The מִשְׁכָּן is specifically the dwelling place — the place where God's presence resides among his people. The later Jewish concept of the שְׁכִינָה (the divine indwelling presence) derives from this same root. The New Testament echoes this language: "The Word became flesh and dwelt (ἐσκήνωσεν, literally 'tabernacled') among us" (John 1:14).
יְרִיעֹת ("curtains") — The noun יְרִיעָה refers to a woven fabric panel or curtain. These ten inner curtains formed the ceiling and innermost walls of the tabernacle, visible from inside as one looked up. They were the most ornate layer, made of the finest materials, because they were closest to the divine presence. Each measured approximately 42 feet long and 6 feet wide (28 cubits by 4 cubits).
שֵׁשׁ מָשְׁזָר ("finely twisted linen") — שֵׁשׁ is fine white linen, a luxury textile in the ancient world, often associated with purity and priestly garments. The participle מָשְׁזָר (from שָׁזַר, "to twist, to twine") indicates that the linen threads were twisted together for strength and texture. White linen in Scripture frequently symbolizes purity and righteousness (Revelation 19:8).
The three colored yarns — תְּכֵלֶת ("blue"), אַרְגָּמָן ("purple"), and תּוֹלַעַת שָׁנִי ("scarlet yarn," literally "worm of scarlet," since the crimson dye was extracted from the crushed bodies of the kermes insect) — are the same colors used throughout the tabernacle and in the priestly garments (Exodus 28:5-6). Blue is often associated with heaven, purple with royalty, and scarlet with blood and sacrifice, though the text does not explicitly assign these symbolic meanings.
כְּרֻבִים ("cherubim") — These are the angelic guardians of God's presence, first mentioned guarding the entrance to Eden after the fall (Genesis 3:24). Woven into the innermost curtains, they would have been visible from inside the tabernacle, hovering above as guardians of the sacred space. The cherubim are also fashioned in gold atop the mercy seat on the ark (Exodus 25:18-20). Together, the woven cherubim and the golden cherubim create an environment in which the worshiper is surrounded by heavenly guardians — a visual representation of the heavenly throne room.
מַעֲשֵׂה חֹשֵׁב ("the work of a skilled craftsman") — The phrase literally means "the work of a thinker/designer." The word חֹשֵׁב is a participle from חָשַׁב ("to think, to devise, to plan"), indicating that this was not merely weaving but artistic design work requiring imagination and skill. This distinguished it from simpler embroidery (מַעֲשֵׂה רֹקֵם, "the work of an embroiderer") used for the entrance screen in v. 36. The cherubim were woven into the fabric as part of its design, not appliqued or stitched on afterward.
קַרְסֵי זָהָב ("gold clasps") — The word קֶרֶס ("clasp" or "hook") appears only in the tabernacle instructions. Fifty gold clasps connected the two sets of five curtains into a single unit. The gold clasps for the inner curtains contrast with the bronze clasps used for the outer goat hair covering (v. 11), reflecting the principle that materials become more precious as one moves closer to the divine presence. The result was that וְהָיָה הַמִּשְׁכָּן אֶחָד — "the tabernacle shall be one." Unity is the goal: God's dwelling is not fragmented but whole.
The Goat Hair Tent Covering (vv. 7-14)
7 You are to make curtains of goat hair for the tent over the tabernacle — eleven curtains in all. 8 Each of the eleven curtains is to be the same size — thirty cubits long and four cubits wide. 9 Join 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. 10 Make 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. 11 Make fifty bronze clasps and put them through the loops to join the tent together as a unit. 12 As 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. 13 And 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. 14 Also make a covering for the tent out of ram skins dyed red, and over that a covering of fine leather.
7 And you shall make curtains of goat hair for a tent over the tabernacle — eleven curtains you shall make. 8 The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits — all eleven curtains having the same measurement. 9 You shall join five of the curtains by themselves and the six curtains by themselves, and you shall fold the sixth curtain double at the front of the tent. 10 And you shall make fifty loops on the edge of the outermost curtain in the first set, and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain in the second set. 11 And you shall make fifty bronze clasps and insert the clasps into the loops and join the tent together so that it becomes one. 12 As for the excess that remains of the curtains of the tent — the half curtain that is left over — it shall hang down over the back of the tabernacle. 13 And the extra cubit on one side and the extra cubit on the other side in the length of the tent curtains shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle, on this side and that side, to cover it. 14 And you shall make a covering for the tent of ram skins dyed red, and a covering of fine leather on top.
Notes
יְרִיעֹת עִזִּים ("curtains of goat hair") — Literally "curtains of goats." Goat hair was a common material for tent-making in the ancient Near East, as it is naturally waterproof when woven tightly. These curtains formed the אֹהֶל ("tent") that covered the inner מִשְׁכָּן ("tabernacle"). The distinction between the two terms is significant: the מִשְׁכָּן is the dwelling proper (the inner linen curtains), while the אֹהֶל is the tent that protects it. The goat hair curtains were slightly larger than the inner linen curtains — thirty cubits long rather than twenty-eight, and eleven curtains instead of ten — so they would overhang and protect the more precious fabric beneath.
קַרְסֵי נְחֹשֶׁת ("bronze clasps") — The outer tent is joined with bronze clasps rather than the gold clasps of the inner curtains. This reflects the consistent pattern in tabernacle construction: gold for what is nearest to God's presence, bronze for what is further away. Bronze (or copper) is associated throughout the tabernacle with the outer areas where judgment and sacrifice take place — the bronze altar (Exodus 27:1-2) and the bronze basin (Exodus 30:18).
וְכָפַלְתָּ אֶת הַיְרִיעָה הַשִּׁשִּׁית ("you shall fold the sixth curtain double") — The sixth curtain of the second set was doubled over at the entrance of the tent. This created an extra layer of protection at the front, the point most exposed to weather and wear. The practical detail serves the architectural whole — nothing in the design is arbitrary.
The overlap described in vv. 12-13 ensured that the goat hair tent fully covered and protected the inner linen curtains on all sides. The half curtain that hung over the rear (v. 12) and the extra cubit on each side (v. 13) meant that the precious inner fabric with its woven cherubim was completely shielded from the elements.
עֹרֹת אֵילִם מְאָדָּמִים ("ram skins dyed red") — Above the goat hair tent came a layer of ram skins dyed red. The word מְאָדָּמִים is a Pual participle from אָדַם ("to be red"), related to the words אָדָם ("man/humanity"), אֲדָמָה ("ground"), and דָּם ("blood"). Red-dyed ram skins may have carried symbolic associations with blood and sacrifice, given that rams were prominent sacrificial animals (Genesis 22:13, Exodus 29:15-18).
עֹרֹת תְּחָשִׁים ("fine leather") — The outermost covering was made of תְּחָשׁ skins. The exact identification of the תְּחָשׁ is uncertain and has been debated for centuries. Suggestions include dugong (a marine mammal found in the Red Sea), porpoise, seal, or simply a fine, durable leather. The KJV renders it "badgers' skins," the ESV and BSB have "fine leather" or "goatskins," and the Septuagint has skins "dyed blue" (hyakinthina). Whatever the exact animal, the function is clear: the outermost layer was utilitarian, designed to withstand the harsh desert environment and protect the layers of beauty beneath. The tabernacle's plainest exterior concealed its most glorious interior — an architectural parable of how God's presence may be hidden beneath what appears ordinary.
The Wooden Frames and Silver Bases (vv. 15-25)
15 You are to construct upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle. 16 Each frame is to be ten cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. 17 Two tenons must be connected to each other for each frame. Make all the frames of the tabernacle in this way. 18 Construct twenty frames for the south side of the tabernacle, 19 with forty silver bases under the twenty frames — two bases for each frame, one under each tenon. 20 For the second side of the tabernacle, the north side, make twenty frames 21 and forty silver bases — two bases under each frame. 22 Make six frames for the rear of the tabernacle, the west side, 23 and two frames for the two back corners of the tabernacle, 24 coupled together from bottom to top and fitted into a single ring. These will serve as the two corners. 25 So there are to be eight frames and sixteen silver bases — two under each frame.
15 And you shall make the frames for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing upright. 16 Ten cubits shall be the length of each frame, and a cubit and a half the width of each frame. 17 Each frame shall have two tenons joined one to another. So you shall make for all the frames of the tabernacle. 18 You shall make the frames for the tabernacle: twenty frames for the south side, toward the Negev. 19 And you shall make forty bases of silver under the twenty frames — two bases under each frame for its two tenons, and two bases under each frame for its two tenons. 20 And for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, twenty frames, 21 and their forty bases of silver — two bases under each frame, and two bases under each frame. 22 And for the rear of the tabernacle, to the west, you shall make six frames. 23 And you shall make two frames for the corners of the tabernacle at the rear. 24 They shall be joined together at the bottom and together shall be whole at the top, fitted into a single ring. So it shall be for both of them; they shall form the two corners. 25 And there shall be eight frames with their bases of silver — sixteen bases: two bases under each frame, and two bases under each frame.
Notes
קְרָשִׁים ("frames") — The word קֶרֶשׁ has traditionally been translated "boards" (KJV) or "frames" (ESV, BSB, NIV). The traditional understanding was that these were solid planks of wood, but many modern scholars, following the work of Frank Cross and others, argue that they were open frameworks — essentially ladder-like structures — since solid boards of the specified dimensions would have been enormously heavy and difficult to transport. The word עֹמְדִים ("standing upright") indicates they were set vertically to form the walls.
עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים ("acacia wood") — Acacia is the only wood specified for tabernacle construction. It is one of the few trees that grows in the Sinai desert, producing a hard, durable, insect-resistant wood ideal for construction in arid environments. The choice of acacia demonstrates God's provision from the materials available in the wilderness. The Hebrew שִׁטָּה (singular; שִׁטִּים, plural) specifically denotes Acacia nilotica or Acacia tortilis, both native to the Sinai region.
יָדוֹת ("tenons") — Literally "hands." The word יָד normally means "hand" but here refers to projecting pieces of wood that fit into the silver bases, like a hand grasping or fitting into a socket. The BSB supplies the English technical term "tenon," which is appropriate. Each frame had two of these projections, and each projection fit into its own silver base, giving every frame a stable, two-footed foundation. The term מְשֻׁלָּבֹת ("joined/set in order") from שָׁלַב describes the tenons as being fitted or interlocked with each other.
אַדְנֵי כֶסֶף ("bases of silver") — The word אֶדֶן ("base, pedestal, socket") occurs repeatedly in this section. The silver bases served as the foundation sockets into which the wooden frames were inserted. Silver in the tabernacle came from the atonement money — the half-shekel collected from every Israelite male (Exodus 30:11-16, Exodus 38:25-28). Thus the very foundation of God's dwelling was built from the ransom money of the people. Each base weighed one talent of silver (approximately 75 pounds), and there were 96 bases in total for the frames, plus 4 for the veil — a total of 100 silver bases, corresponding to the 100 talents of silver collected from the census. The symbolism is profound: the tabernacle literally stands on redemption.
The dimensions of the frames — ten cubits tall (approximately 15 feet) and one and a half cubits wide (approximately 2.25 feet) — would produce a structure roughly 15 feet tall, 15 feet wide (ten frames of 1.5 cubits on each side), and 45 feet long (thirty cubits, from the entrance to the rear wall). The rear wall consisted of six frames plus two corner frames, totaling eight frames.
לִפְאַת נֶגְבָּה תֵימָנָה ("for the south side, toward the Negev") — The Hebrew uses two terms for "south": נֶגֶב (the dry southern region) and תֵּימָן (from the root meaning "right hand," since in Hebrew orientation one faces east, making south the right side). The doubling emphasizes which direction is meant. The tabernacle was oriented with its entrance facing east, toward the sunrise.
The Crossbars (vv. 26-30)
26 You are also to make five crossbars of acacia wood for the frames on one side of the tabernacle, 27 five for those on the other side, and five for those on the rear side of the tabernacle, to the west. 28 The central crossbar in the middle of the frames shall extend from one end to the other. 29 Overlay the frames with gold and make gold rings to hold the crossbars. Also overlay the crossbars with gold. 30 So you are to set up the tabernacle according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.
26 And you shall make crossbars of acacia wood: five for the frames of the one side of the tabernacle, 27 and five crossbars for the frames of the other side of the tabernacle, and five crossbars for the frames of the rear side of the tabernacle, to the west. 28 And the middle crossbar, in the center of the frames, shall run from end to end. 29 You shall overlay the frames with gold and make their rings of gold as holders for the crossbars, and you shall overlay the crossbars with gold. 30 And you shall erect the tabernacle according to its plan, which you were shown on the mountain.
Notes
בְרִיחִם ("crossbars") — From בְּרִיחַ, meaning "bar, bolt, crossbar." These horizontal bars ran through gold rings attached to the vertical frames, locking the entire wall structure together. Five bars were assigned to each of the three walls (north, south, and west), for a total of fifteen crossbars. The middle bar (הַבְּרִיחַ הַתִּיכֹן) ran the full length of each wall, "from end to end" (מִן הַקָּצֶה אֶל הַקָּצֶה), providing the main structural support. Rabbinic tradition (Shabbat 98b) held that this middle bar ran miraculously through the interior of the frames themselves rather than through external rings.
תְּצַפֶּה זָהָב ("you shall overlay with gold") — The verb צָפָה means "to overlay, to plate, to cover." The wooden frames and crossbars were covered in gold, transforming the interior of the tabernacle into a glittering, golden space. From inside the tabernacle, a priest would have seen golden walls surrounding him, with the multicolored cherubim of the linen curtains forming the ceiling above. The gold overlay also appears on the ark (Exodus 25:11), the table (Exodus 25:24), and the incense altar (Exodus 30:3) — everything within the sacred space gleams with gold.
כְּמִשְׁפָּטוֹ אֲשֶׁר הָרְאֵיתָ בָּהָר ("according to its plan, which you were shown on the mountain") — The word מִשְׁפָּט here means "plan, pattern, prescribed manner" (not its more common meaning of "judgment/justice"). The same idea appears in Exodus 25:9 and Exodus 25:40, where Moses is told to build everything according to the תַּבְנִית ("pattern") shown to him on the mountain. The implication is that the earthly tabernacle is a copy of a heavenly reality — a theme the author of Hebrews develops at length: "They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: 'See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain'" (Hebrews 8:5).
Interpretations
The relationship between the earthly tabernacle and the heavenly pattern has been understood differently across traditions. Some interpreters take the "pattern shown on the mountain" quite literally — Moses was shown an actual heavenly sanctuary and told to replicate it in physical materials. This view is prominent in the book of Hebrews (Hebrews 8:5, Hebrews 9:23-24) and in much early Christian and Jewish interpretation. Other scholars understand the "pattern" more functionally: God gave Moses precise architectural instructions (perhaps in a vision), and the "heavenly pattern" language expresses the divine origin of the design rather than implying the existence of a literal heavenly structure. Dispensational interpreters often emphasize that each element of the tabernacle typologically points to Christ — the gold to his deity, the wood to his humanity, the curtains to his different aspects of character and work. Covenant theologians tend to focus on the tabernacle as the fulfillment of God's covenant promise to dwell among his people, with the heavenly reality being God's own presence rather than a literal building.
The Veil Separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (vv. 31-35)
31 Make a veil of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen, with cherubim skillfully worked into it. 32 Hang it with gold hooks on four posts of acacia wood, overlaid with gold and standing on four silver bases. 33 And hang the veil from the clasps and place the ark of the Testimony behind the veil. So the veil will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. 34 Put the mercy seat on the ark of the Testimony in the Most Holy Place. 35 And place the table outside the veil on the north side of the tabernacle, and put the lampstand opposite the table, on the south side.
31 And you shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen — it shall be made with cherubim, the work of a skilled craftsman. 32 And you shall hang it on four pillars of acacia wood overlaid with gold, with gold hooks, on four silver bases. 33 And you shall hang the veil beneath the clasps and bring the ark of the Testimony in there, behind the veil. The veil shall divide for you between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. 34 And you shall place the mercy seat on the ark of the Testimony in the Most Holy Place. 35 And you shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle, and the table you shall place on the north side.
Notes
פָרֹכֶת ("veil") — This is the most theologically significant piece of fabric in the entire tabernacle. The word פָּרֹכֶת appears only in connection with the tabernacle and later the temple, always referring to the curtain that separates the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. Its etymology is debated; some connect it to an Akkadian root meaning "to shut off, to block." The veil was made of the same materials as the inner curtains (v. 1) — blue, purple, and scarlet yarn on finely twisted linen with cherubim woven in — indicating that it belonged to the same sacred fabric system as the innermost layer of the tabernacle. The cherubim on the veil served as guardians of the divine presence, just as cherubim guarded the way to the tree of life in Genesis 3:24.
וְהִבְדִּילָה הַפָּרֹכֶת לָכֶם בֵּין הַקֹּדֶשׁ וּבֵין קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים ("The veil shall divide for you between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place") — The verb הִבְדִּיל ("to separate, to divide") is the same verb used in Genesis 1:4 when God "separated" the light from the darkness, and in Genesis 1:6-7 when he "separated" the waters above from the waters below. The act of sacred separation is fundamental to creation and to worship. The veil makes a division between הַקֹּדֶשׁ ("the Holy Place") and קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים ("the Holy of Holies," literally "the holiness of holinesses" — a Hebrew superlative construction meaning "the most holy place"). Only the high priest could pass through this veil, and only once a year on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:2, Leviticus 16:12-15).
אֲרוֹן הָעֵדוּת ("the ark of the Testimony") — The ark is called the "ark of the Testimony" because it contained the עֵדוּת ("testimony") — the stone tablets of the covenant law. The word עֵדוּת is related to עֵד ("witness"); the tablets are God's witness to his covenant with Israel. The placement of the ark behind the veil in the Most Holy Place means that the very heart of the tabernacle — its innermost, most sacred space — is defined by the presence of God's covenant word.
הַכַּפֹּרֶת ("the mercy seat") — From the root כָּפַר ("to cover, to atone, to make propitiation"). The mercy seat was the golden lid of the ark, flanked by the two golden cherubim whose wings overshadowed it (Exodus 25:17-22). It was the place where God said he would meet with Moses and where, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest sprinkled blood for the sins of the people (Leviticus 16:14-15). The Septuagint translated כַּפֹּרֶת as ἱλαστήριον ("place of propitiation"), the same word Paul uses in Romans 3:25 to describe Christ as the one "whom God put forward as a propitiation."
The spatial arrangement described in v. 35 is significant: the table of showbread was placed on the north side and the lampstand on the south side, both outside the veil in the Holy Place. This means a priest entering the Holy Place would find the lampstand providing light to his left and the bread of the Presence to his right, with the altar of incense ahead of him before the veil (described in Exodus 30:1-6). The arrangement created a liturgical space where light, bread, and incense — all symbols of God's provision and the people's worship — surrounded the priest as he served.
Interpretations
The tearing of the temple veil at Christ's crucifixion (Matthew 27:51, Mark 15:38, Luke 23:45) is one of the most significant New Testament interpretations of tabernacle theology. The author of Hebrews explicitly identifies the veil with Christ's flesh: "We have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body" (Hebrews 10:19-20). Most Christian interpreters understand the torn veil as signifying that the barrier between God and humanity has been removed through Christ's atoning death — access to God's presence is now open to all believers, not restricted to one priest once a year. Some interpreters further note that the veil was torn "from top to bottom" (Matthew 27:51), indicating divine action rather than human. Whether the historical veil in the Herodian temple was the same curtain described here (a single veil between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place) or the outer curtain at the temple entrance is debated among scholars, though the theological point remains the same in either case.
The Screen for the Entrance (vv. 36-37)
36 For the entrance to the tent, you are to make a curtain embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen. 37 Make five posts of acacia wood for the curtain, overlay them with gold hooks, and cast five bronze bases for them.
36 And you shall make a screen for the entrance of the tent of blue and purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, the work of an embroiderer. 37 And you shall make for the screen five pillars of acacia wood and overlay them with gold, with gold hooks, and you shall cast for them five bases of bronze.
Notes
מָסָךְ ("screen") — The entrance curtain is called a מָסָךְ ("screen, covering"), a different word from פָּרֹכֶת ("veil"). The distinction is deliberate: the פָּרֹכֶת separates the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place and bears woven cherubim, while the מָסָךְ serves as the entrance curtain and has embroidered decoration but no cherubim. The absence of cherubim on the entrance screen is notable — the guardians of God's presence are present only on the innermost veil and curtains, marking the deepest thresholds of holiness.
מַעֲשֵׂה רֹקֵם ("the work of an embroiderer") — The entrance screen is described as מַעֲשֵׂה רֹקֵם, in contrast to the מַעֲשֵׂה חֹשֵׁב ("work of a skilled designer") used for the inner curtains and veil. The distinction appears to be between two levels of textile artistry: the חֹשֵׁב work involved weaving figures (like cherubim) directly into the fabric as part of its structure, while the רֹקֵם work was surface embroidery — decorative needlework applied onto the fabric. The entrance screen was beautiful but less complex than the inner curtains, consistent with the pattern of increasing artistry as one moves deeper into the sacred space.
אַדְנֵי נְחֹשֶׁת ("bases of bronze") — The five pillars supporting the entrance screen rest on bases of bronze, not silver. This is the third material used for bases in the chapter: gold for hooks and overlays near the divine presence, silver for the bases of the frames and the veil pillars, and bronze for the entrance pillars. The progression from bronze (entrance) to silver (walls and veil) to gold (everything inside) maps a gradient of holiness from the outside in. The shift from silver bases for the veil's four pillars (v. 32) to bronze bases for the screen's five pillars marks a clear boundary: one is crossing from the court into the tent, not yet approaching the innermost presence. The number of pillars also differs — four for the veil, five for the entrance — further distinguishing the two thresholds.
The entire chapter reveals a carefully designed system of graded holiness expressed through architecture and materials. Moving from the outside in: the outermost covering is plain leather, the next is dyed ram skins, then goat hair with bronze clasps, then fine linen with gold clasps. The entrance screen has embroidered work on bronze bases; the veil has woven cherubim on silver bases. Inside the Most Holy Place, everything is gold — the ark, the mercy seat, the cherubim. This physical gradient taught Israel a fundamental theological truth: the closer one draws to God, the greater the holiness required and the more costly the approach. What was once expressed architecturally has been fulfilled in Christ, through whom believers may "draw near with confidence to the throne of grace" (Hebrews 4:16).