You are to make curtains of goat hair for the tent over the tabernacle—eleven curtains in all.
Parallel translations
- WEB “You shall make curtains of goats’ hair for a covering over the tabernacle. You shall make them eleven curtains.
- KJV And thou shalt make curtains of goats’ hair to be a covering upon the tabernacle: eleven curtains shalt thou make.
- NKJV “You shall also make curtains of goats’ hair, to be a tent over the tabernacle. You shall make eleven curtains.
- NASB “Then you shall make curtains of goats’ hair as a tent over the tabernacle; you shall make eleven curtains in all.
- NLT “Make eleven curtains of goat-hair cloth to serve as a tent covering for the Tabernacle.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Over the linen curtains was a second covering of eleven goats'-hair curtains, forming a protective tent. This outer layer shielded the beautiful inner dwelling.
Overview
Goats' hair, a common and durable material, formed the tent that covered the costly linen curtains beneath. The layered coverings combined beauty within and protection without, fitting for God's portable dwelling. The plain exterior hiding glory within is a pattern echoed in Christ, who had no outward majesty yet was full of God's glory (Isaiah 53:2; John 1:14).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Exod 26:14Also make a covering for the tent out of ram skins dyed red, and over that a covering of fine leather.
- Exod 25:4blue, purple, and scarlet yarn; fine linen and goat hair;
- Exod 26:9Join 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.
- Exod 35:26And all the skilled women whose hearts were stirred spun the goat hair.
- Exod 26:12As 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.
- 1 Pet 5:5Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
- Exod 35:23Everyone who had blue, purple, or scarlet yarn, or fine linen, goat hair, ram skins dyed red, or articles of fine leather, brought them.
- Exod 36:14–18He then made curtains of goat hair for the tent over the tabernacle—eleven curtains in all.
- Exod 26:1“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.
- Ps 45:13All glorious is the princess in her chamber; her gown is embroidered with gold.
- 1 Pet 3:4but from the inner disposition of your heart, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in God’s sight.
- Num 31:20And purify every garment and leather good, everything made of goat’s hair, and every article of wood.”
- Isa 4:5Then the LORD will create over all of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud of smoke by day and a glowing flame of fire by night. For over all the glory there will be a canopy,
- Num 4:25They are to carry the curtains of the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting with the covering of fine leather over it, the curtains for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting,
- Exod 35:6blue, purple, and scarlet yarn; fine linen and goat hair;
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Passover lamb whose blood turns away death, the exodus through the sea, the manna, the rock, and the tabernacle where God dwells with his people all foreshadow Jesus — our Passover, our redemption, the bread from heaven, and God-with-us in the flesh.
How Exodus 26:7 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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