Discovery BoxExodus 26:1 
Context26:1 1 “The tabernacle itself 2 you are to make with 3 ten curtains of fine twisted linen and blue and purple and scarlet; 4 you are to make them with 5 cherubim that are the work of an artistic designer.
Exodus 26:31
Context26:31 “You are to make a special curtain 6 of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine twisted linen; it is to be made 7 with cherubim, the work of an artistic designer.
Exodus 27:16
Context27:16 For the gate of the courtyard there is to be a curtain of thirty feet, of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine twined linen, the work of an embroiderer, with four posts and their four bases.
Exodus 28:8
Context28:8 The artistically woven waistband 8 of the ephod that is on it is to be like it, of one piece with the ephod, 9 of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twisted linen.
Exodus 36:8
Context36:8 All the skilled among those who were doing the work made the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twisted linen and blue and purple and scarlet; they were made with cherubim that were the work of an artistic designer.
Exodus 38:23
Context38:23 and with him was Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an artisan, a designer, and an embroiderer in blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine linen.
Exodus 39:1
Context39:1 From the blue, purple, and scarlet yarn they made woven garments for serving in the sanctuary; they made holy garments that were for Aaron, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 10
Exodus 39:3
Context39:3 They hammered the gold into thin sheets and cut it into narrow strips to weave 11 them into the blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and into the fine linen, the work of an artistic designer.
Exodus 39:5
Context39:5 The artistically woven waistband of the ephod that was on it was like it, of one piece with it, 12 of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine twisted linen, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
1 sn This chapter is given over to the details of the structure itself, the curtains, coverings, boards and walls and veil. The passage can be studied on one level for its function both practically and symbolically for Israel’s worship. On another level it can be studied for its typology, for the tabernacle and many of its parts speak of Christ. For this one should see the commentaries.
2 tn The word order in Hebrew thrusts the direct object to the front for particular emphasis. After the first couple of pieces of furniture are treated (chap. 25), attention turns to the tabernacle itself.
3 tn This is for the adverbial accusative explaining how the dwelling place is to be made.
4 sn S. R. Driver suggests that the curtains were made with threads dyed with these colors (Exodus, 280). Perhaps the colored threads were used for embroidering the cherubim in the curtains.
5 tn The construction is difficult in this line because of the word order. “Cherubim” is an adverbial accusative explaining how they were to make the curtains. And מַעֲשֵׂה חֹשֵׁב (ma’aseh khoshev) means literally “work of a designer”; it is in apposition to “cherubim.” The Hebrew participle means “designer” or “deviser” so that one could render this “of artistic designs in weaving” (S. R. Driver, Exodus, 280-81). B. Jacob says that it refers to “artistic weavers” (Exodus, 789).
6 tn Although translated “curtain” (traditionally “veil,” so ASV, NAB, NASB) this is a different word from the one used earlier of the tent curtains, so “special curtain” is used. The word פָרֹכֶת (farokhet) seems to be connected with a verb that means “to shut off” and was used with a shrine. This curtain would form a barrier in the approach to God (see S. R. Driver, Exodus, 289).
7 tn The verb is the third masculine singular form, but no subject is expressed. It could be translated “one will make” or as a passive. The verb means “to make,” but probably has the sense of embroidering both here and in v. 1.
8 tn This is the rendering of the word חֵשֶׁב (kheshev), cognate to the word translated “designer” in v. 6. Since the entire ephod was of the same material, and this was of the same piece, it is unclear why this is singled out as “artistically woven.” Perhaps the word is from another root that just describes the item as a “band.” Whatever the connection, this band was to be of the same material, and the same piece, as the ephod, but perhaps a different pattern (S. R. Driver, Exodus, 301). It is this sash that attaches the ephod to the priest’s body, that is, at the upper border of the ephod and clasped together at the back.
9 tn Heb “from it” but meaning “of one [the same] piece”; the phrase “the ephod” has been supplied.
10 sn This chapter also will be almost identical to the instructions given earlier, with a few changes along the way.
11 tn The verb is the infinitive that means “to do, to work.” It could be given a literal rendering: “to work [them into] the blue….” Weaving or embroidering is probably what is intended.
12 tn Heb “from it” or the same.
