All the skilled craftsmen among the workmen made the ten curtains for the tabernacle. They were made of finely spun linen, as well as blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, with cherubim skillfully worked into them.
Parallel translations
- WEB All the wise-hearted men among those who did the work made the tabernacle with ten curtains; of fine twined linen, blue, purple, and scarlet, with cherubim, the work of the skillful workman, they made them.
- KJV And every wise hearted man among them that wrought the work of the tabernacle made ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work made he them.
- NKJV Then all the gifted artisans among them who worked on the tabernacle made ten curtains woven of fine linen, and of blue, purple, and scarlet thread; with artistic designs of cherubim they made them.
- NASB All the skillful people among those who were performing the work made the tabernacle with ten curtains; of fine twisted linen and violet, purple, and scarlet material, with cherubim, the work of a skilled embroiderer, Bezalel made them.
- NLT The skilled craftsmen made ten curtains of finely woven linen for the Tabernacle. Then Bezalel decorated the curtains with blue, purple, and scarlet thread and with skillfully embroidered cherubim.
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
The skilled workers make the tabernacle's ten curtains of fine linen and colored yarn, embroidered with cherubim.
Overview
Construction now begins in careful obedience to the pattern God gave, starting with the inner curtains woven with figures of cherubim. The cherubim recalled the guardians of God's holy presence, signaling that this was sacred space. These details point to the heavenly reality the tabernacle copied, where God dwells in unapproachable holiness now opened in Christ (Hebrews 9:23-24).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Exod 25:22And I will meet with you there above the mercy seat, between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the Testimony; I will speak with you about all that I command you regarding the Israelites.
- Exod 26:1–37“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.
- Exod 25:18Make two cherubim of hammered gold at the ends of the mercy seat,
- Exod 35:10Let every skilled craftsman among you come and make everything that the LORD has commanded:
- Exod 31:6Moreover, I have selected Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, as his assistant. I have also given skill to all the craftsmen, that they may fashion all that I have commanded you:
- 1 Kgs 6:23In the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim, each ten cubits high, out of olive wood.
- 1 Chr 15:1David constructed buildings for himself in the City of David, and he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it.
- 2 Chr 3:10In the Most Holy Place he made two cherubim of sculptured work, and he overlaid them with gold.
- Ezek 1:5–28and within it was the form of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: They had a human form,
- Ezek 10:1–19And I looked and saw above the expanse, above the heads of the cherubim, the likeness of a throne of sapphire.
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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 36:8 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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