The Tabernacle’s Artistry: Text and Textile

At first glance, the long architectural descriptions of how to build and assemble the tabernacle seem to have more in common with a set of Ikea assemblage instructions than any form of belles-lettres.^[1] The literary character of the material is not obvious.

For example, the instructions for the construction of the tabernacle and its courtyard enclosure describe the materials and their design in great detail (Exod 26–27). In his oft-cited book, Temples and Temple-Service in Ancient Israel, Menahem Haran (1924–2015) notes that the holiness of the tabernacle is marked by three concentric circles:

1. the holy of holies, wherein resides the ark of the covenant;
2. the holy place, which contains the furniture of slightly lesser sanctity; and
3. the surrounding courtyard.

He maintains that the sanctity of each of these circles is marked both by the quality of the materials used (e.g., gold, silver, or bronze) and by the intricacy of the way the fabrics have been woven and designed:

The inside is made of gold, overlaid or solid; if a fabric is involved, it is a wool-linen mixture, of the elaborate ḥôšēb workmanship, adorned with cherubim. The outside is made, for the most part, of copper (or bronze), overlaid or solid; if a fabric is involved, it is woven of one kind of material (undyed wool or linen), or indeed of wool-linen mixture, but of simple rôqēm workmanship without cherubim. These two circles are not merely a matter of externals. They demarcate two gradated spheres, each of which contains its own set of ritual acts and symbols.^[2]

From a literary perspective, however, we should add one more means of delineating the sanctity of the respective spheres of holiness: the holier the area, the higher the register of compositional artistry in the instructions for its construction.^[3]

The Fabrics for the Tabernacle Structure

The tabernacle proper is made up of four layers of fabrics draped over a frame. The inner two layers comprise a number of יריעת (yeriʿot; sg. yeriʿah), “curtains,” whose construction is described in considerable detail. The verb עשה, “to make” (underlined red below) appears twelve times (units of twelve being an important symbolic number) in the instructions for making these curtains.^[4] In the first sentence, introducing the innermost layer of fine linen curtains, the double use of עשה creates a poetic effect:

‏^{שׁמות כו:א} וְאֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן תַּעֲשֶׂה עֶשֶׂר יְרִיעֹת שֵׁשׁ מָשְׁזָר וּתְכֵלֶת וְאַרְגָּמָן וְתֹלַעַת שָׁנִי כְּרֻבִים מַעֲשֵׂה חֹשֵׁב תַּעֲשֶׂה אֹתָם. ^כו:ב אֹרֶךְ הַיְרִיעָה הָאַחַת שְׁמֹנֶה וְעֶשְׂרִים בָּאַמָּה וְרֹחַב אַרְבַּע בָּאַמָּה הַיְרִיעָה הָאֶחָת מִדָּה אַחַת לְכָל הַיְרִיעֹת.

^{Exod 26:1} Moreover you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet stuff; with cherubim skillfully worked shall you make them. ^26:2 The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits; all the curtains shall have one measure.

^{שׁמות כו:ג} חֲמֵשׁ הַיְרִיעֹת תִּהְיֶיןָ חֹבְרֹת אִשָּׁה אֶל אֲחֹתָהּ וְחָמֵשׁ יְרִיעֹת חֹבְרֹת אִשָּׁה אֶל אֲחֹתָהּ. ^כו:ד וְעָשִׂיתָ לֻלְאֹת תְּכֵלֶת עַל שְׂפַת הַיְרִיעָה הָאֶחָת מִקָּצָה בַּחֹבָרֶת וְכֵן תַּעֲשֶׂה בִּשְׂפַת הַיְרִיעָה הַקִּיצוֹנָה בַּמַּחְבֶּרֶת הַשֵּׁנִית. ^כו:ה חֲמִשִּׁים לֻלָאֹת תַּעֲשֶׂה בַּיְרִיעָה הָאֶחָת וַחֲמִשִּׁים לֻלָאֹת תַּעֲשֶׂה בִּקְצֵה הַיְרִיעָה אֲשֶׁר בַּמַּחְבֶּרֶת הַשֵּׁנִית מַקְבִּילֹת הַלֻּלָאֹת אִשָּׁה אֶל אֲחֹתָהּ. ^כו:ו וְעָשִׂיתָ חֲמִשִּׁים קַרְסֵי זָהָב וְחִבַּרְתָּ אֶת הַיְרִיעֹת אִשָּׁה אֶל אֲחֹתָהּ בַּקְּרָסִים וְהָיָה הַמִּשְׁכָּן אֶחָד.

^26:3 Five curtains shall be coupled to one another; and the other five curtains shall be coupled to one another. ^26:4 And you shall make loops of blue on the edge of the outmost curtain in the first set; and likewise you shall make loops on the edge of the outmost curtain in the second set. ^26:5 Fifty loops you shall make on the one curtain, and fifty loops you shall make on the edge of the curtain that is in the second set; the loops shall be opposite one another. ^26:6 And you shall make fifty clasps of gold, and couple the curtains one to the other with the clasps, that the tabernacle may be one whole.^[5]

The instructions also treat the word yeriʿah (in bold) with a high degree of reverence, using it twenty-four times and only rarely replacing it with a personal pronoun. A trained editor (or an AI-bot!) would certainly use their red pen to eliminate such lavish, if not excessive, repetition. The text gives the impression that our author is captivated by the word and will use it whenever he can.

The poetic repetition of עשה occurs again at the beginning of the description of the second layer of curtains, which are made of goats’ hair:^[6]

‏^{שׁמות כו:ז} וְעָשִׂיתָ יְרִיעֹת עִזִּים לְאֹהֶל עַל הַמִּשְׁכָּן עַשְׁתֵּי עֶשְׂרֵה יְרִיעֹת תַּעֲשֶׂה אֹתָם. ^כו:ח אֹרֶךְ הַיְרִיעָה הָאַחַת שְׁלֹשִׁים בָּאַמָּה וְרֹחַב אַרְבַּע בָּאַמָּה הַיְרִיעָה הָאֶחָת מִדָּה אַחַת לְעַשְׁתֵּי עֶשְׂרֵה יְרִיעֹת. ^כו:ט וְחִבַּרְתָּ אֶת חֲמֵשׁ הַיְרִיעֹת לְבָד וְאֶת שֵׁשׁ הַיְרִיעֹת לְבָד וְכָפַלְתָּ אֶת הַיְרִיעָה הַשִּׁשִּׁית אֶל מוּל פְּנֵי הָאֹהֶל. ^כו:י וְעָשִׂיתָ חֲמִשִּׁים לֻלָאֹת עַל שְׂפַת הַיְרִיעָה הָאֶחָת הַקִּיצֹנָה בַּחֹבָרֶת וַחֲמִשִּׁים לֻלָאֹת עַל שְׂפַת הַיְרִיעָה הַחֹבֶרֶת הַשֵּׁנִית. ^כו:יא וְעָשִׂיתָ קַרְסֵי נְחֹשֶׁת חֲמִשִּׁים וְהֵבֵאתָ אֶת הַקְּרָסִים בַּלֻּלָאֹת וְחִבַּרְתָּ אֶת הָאֹהֶל וְהָיָה אֶחָד.

^{Exod 26:7} You shall also make curtains of goats’ hair for a tent over the tabernacle; eleven curtains shall you make them. ^26:8 The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits; the eleven curtains shall have the same measure. ^26:9 And you shall couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and the sixth curtain you shall double over at the front of the tent. ^26:10 And you shall make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outmost in one set, and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain which is outmost in the second set. ^26:11 And you shall make fifty clasps of bronze, and put the clasps into the loops, and couple the tent together that it may be one whole.

^כו:יב וְסֶרַח הָעֹדֵף בִּירִיעֹת הָאֹהֶל חֲצִי הַיְרִיעָה הָעֹדֶפֶת תִּסְרַח עַל אֲחֹרֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן. ^כו:יג וְהָאַמָּה מִזֶּה וְהָאַמָּה מִזֶּה בָּעֹדֵף בְּאֹרֶךְ יְרִיעֹת הָאֹהֶל יִהְיֶה סָרוּחַ עַל צִדֵּי הַמִּשְׁכָּן מִזֶּה וּמִזֶּה לְכַסֹּתוֹ.

^26:12 And the part that remains of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remains, shall hang over the back of the tabernacle. ^26:13 And the cubit on the one side, and the cubit on the other side, of what remains in the length of the curtains of the tent shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle, on this side and that side, to cover it.

Finally, in contrast to the lengthy description of the inner two layers of fabric, which are closest to the sacred furniture, the outer two layers are made of less fine materials and are described in a single verse:

^{שׁמות כו:יד} וְעָשִׂיתָ מִכְסֶה לָאֹהֶל עֹרֹת אֵילִם מְאָדָּמִים וּמִכְסֵה עֹרֹת תְּחָשִׁים מִלְמָעְלָה.

^{Exod 26:14} And you shall make for the tent a covering of tanned rams’ skins and goatskins.

In addition, the term used for them is not curtains but מכסה (mikhseh), “covering,” and the verb עשה appears only once when they are introduced.

The Tabernacle Structure

Following the description of the tabernacle’s coverings, the author turns to the structures that will hold them up. The verb עשה appears twelve more times in this section (vv. 15–37). The instructions begin with the frame, which is constructed of planks and bars of acacia wood overlaid in gold. The קרשים (qerashim; sg. qeresh), “planks,” for the tabernacle add up to twenty-three usages and if we add the עמודים, “[supporting] pillars,” for the inner veil (v. 32), which serve the very same function, we will arrive at twenty-four usages.^[7]

‏^{שׁמות כו:טו} וְעָשִׂיתָ אֶת הַקְּרָשִׁים לַמִּשְׁכָּן עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים עֹמְדִים. ^כו:טז עֶשֶׂר אַמּוֹת אֹרֶךְ הַקָּרֶשׁ וְאַמָּה וַחֲצִי הָאַמָּה רֹחַב הַקֶּרֶשׁ הָאֶחָד. ^כו:יז שְׁתֵּי יָדוֹת לַקֶּרֶשׁ הָאֶחָד מְשֻׁלָּבֹת אִשָּׁה אֶל אֲחֹתָהּ כֵּן תַּעֲשֶׂה לְכֹל קַרְשֵׁי הַמִּשְׁכָּן.

^{Exod 26:15} You shall make the planks for the tabernacle of acacia wood, upright. ^26:16 The length of each plank shall be ten cubits and the width of each plank a cubit and a half. ^26:17 Each plank shall have two tenons, parallel to each other; likewise make all the planks of the tabernacle.

In addition, the word אדן (ʾeden), “socket,” is found twelve times and בריח (beriach), “bar,” six times in these verses. Our author clearly avoids using a pronoun to replace the noun and to disrupt the monotony. The profligate usage of these key words in units of twelve cannot be accidental.

^{שׁמות כו:יח} וְעָשִׂיתָ אֶת הַקְּרָשִׁים לַמִּשְׁכָּן עֶשְׂרִים קֶרֶשׁ לִפְאַת נֶגְבָּה תֵימָנָה. ^כו:יט וְאַרְבָּעִים אַדְנֵי כֶסֶף תַּעֲשֶׂה תַּחַת עֶשְׂרִים הַקָּרֶשׁ שְׁנֵי אֲדָנִים תַּחַת הַקֶּרֶשׁ הָאֶחָד לִשְׁתֵּי יְדֹתָיו וּשְׁנֵי אֲדָנִים תַּחַת הַקֶּרֶשׁ הָאֶחָד לִשְׁתֵּי יְדֹתָיו. ^כו:כ וּלְצֶלַע הַמִּשְׁכָּן הַשֵּׁנִית לִפְאַת צָפוֹן עֶשְׂרִים קָרֶשׁ. ^כו:כא וְאַרְבָּעִים אַדְנֵיהֶם כָּסֶף שְׁנֵי אֲדָנִים תַּחַת הַקֶּרֶשׁ הָאֶחָד וּשְׁנֵי אֲדָנִים תַּחַת הַקֶּרֶשׁ הָאֶחָד.

^26:18 Of the planks of the tabernacle, make twenty planks on the south side: ^26:19 making forty silver sockets under the twenty planks, two sockets under the one plank for its two tenons and two sockets under each following plank for its two tenons; ^26:20 and for the other side wall of the tabernacle, on the north side, twenty planks, ^26:21 with their forty silver sockets, two sockets under the one plank and two sockets under each following plank.

^כו:כב וּלְיַרְכְּתֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן יָמָּה תַּעֲשֶׂה שִׁשָּׁה קְרָשִׁים. ^כו:כג וּשְׁנֵי קְרָשִׁים תַּעֲשֶׂה לִמְקֻצְעֹת הַמִּשְׁכָּן בַּיַּרְכָתָיִם. ^כו:כד וְיִהְיוּ תֹאֲמִים מִלְּמַטָּה וְיַחְדָּו יִהְיוּ תַמִּים עַל רֹאשׁוֹ אֶל הַטַּבַּעַת הָאֶחָת כֵּן יִהְיֶה לִשְׁנֵיהֶם לִשְׁנֵי הַמִּקְצֹעֹת יִהְיוּ. ^כו:כה וְהָיוּ שְׁמֹנָה קְרָשִׁים וְאַדְנֵיהֶם כֶּסֶף שִׁשָּׁה עָשָׂר אֲדָנִים שְׁנֵי אֲדָנִים תַּחַת הַקֶּרֶשׁ הָאֶחָד וּשְׁנֵי אֲדָנִים תַּחַת הַקֶּרֶשׁ הָאֶחָד.

^26:22 And for the rear of the tabernacle, to the west, make six planks; ^26:23 and make two planks for the corners of the tabernacle at the rear. ^26:24 They shall match at the bottom, and terminate alike at the top inside one ring; thus shall it be with both of them: they shall form the two corners. ^26:25 Thus there shall be eight planks with their sockets of silver: sixteen sockets, two sockets under the first plank, and two sockets under each of the other planks.

^כו:כו וְעָשִׂיתָ בְרִיחִם עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים חֲמִשָּׁה לְקַרְשֵׁי צֶלַע הַמִּשְׁכָּן הָאֶחָד. ^כו:כז וַחֲמִשָּׁה בְרִיחִם לְקַרְשֵׁי צֶלַע הַמִּשְׁכָּן הַשֵּׁנִית וַחֲמִשָּׁה בְרִיחִם לְקַרְשֵׁי צֶלַע הַמִּשְׁכָּן לַיַּרְכָתַיִם יָמָּה. ^כו:כח וְהַבְּרִיחַ הַתִּיכֹן בְּתוֹךְ הַקְּרָשִׁים מַבְרִחַ מִן הַקָּצֶה אֶל הַקָּצֶה. ^כו:כט וְאֶת הַקְּרָשִׁים תְּצַפֶּה זָהָב וְאֶת טַבְּעֹתֵיהֶם תַּעֲשֶׂה זָהָב בָּתִּים לַבְּרִיחִם וְצִפִּיתָ אֶת הַבְּרִיחִם זָהָב. ^כו:ל וַהֲקֵמֹתָ אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן כְּמִשְׁפָּטוֹ אֲשֶׁר הָרְאֵיתָ בָּהָר.

^26:26 You shall make bars of acacia wood: five for the planks of the one side wall of the tabernacle, ^26:27 five bars for the planks of the other side wall of the tabernacle, and five bars for the planks of the wall of the tabernacle at the rear to the west. ^26:28 The center bar halfway up the planks shall run from end to end. ^26:29 Overlay the planks with gold, and make their rings of gold, as holders for the bars; and overlay the bars with gold. ^26:30 Then set up the tabernacle according to the manner of it that you were shown on the mountain.

The instructions conclude with the fine linen hangings over the entrances to the tabernacle and the holy-of-holies. The inner screen for the holy of holies is given a unique technical term, פרכת (parokhet), “veil,”^[8] and is described in conjunction with the location of the sacred furniture. The doubled (more poetic) usage of עשה appears again in the opening verse:

‏^{שׁמות כו:לא} וְעָשִׂיתָ פָרֹכֶת תְּכֵלֶת וְאַרְגָּמָן וְתוֹלַעַת שָׁנִי וְשֵׁשׁ מָשְׁזָר מַעֲשֵׂה חֹשֵׁב יַעֲשֶׂה אֹתָהּ כְּרֻבִים. ^כו:לב וְנָתַתָּה אֹתָהּ עַל אַרְבָּעָה עַמּוּדֵי שִׁטִּים מְצֻפִּים זָהָב וָוֵיהֶם זָהָב עַל אַרְבָּעָה אַדְנֵי כָסֶף. ^כו:לג וְנָתַתָּה אֶת הַפָּרֹכֶת תַּחַת הַקְּרָסִים וְהֵבֵאתָ שָׁמָּה מִבֵּית לַפָּרֹכֶת אֵת אֲרוֹן הָעֵדוּת וְהִבְדִּילָה הַפָּרֹכֶת לָכֶם בֵּין הַקֹּדֶשׁ וּבֵין קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים. ^כו:לד וְנָתַתָּ אֶת הַכַּפֹּרֶת עַל אֲרוֹן הָעֵדֻת בְּקֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים. ^כו:לה וְשַׂמְתָּ אֶת הַשֻּׁלְחָן מִחוּץ לַפָּרֹכֶת וְאֶת הַמְּנֹרָה נֹכַח הַשֻּׁלְחָן עַל צֶלַע הַמִּשְׁכָּן תֵּימָנָה וְהַשֻּׁלְחָן תִּתֵּן עַל צֶלַע צָפוֹן.

^{Exod 26:31} You shall make a veil (parokhet) of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen; it shall be made with cherubim skillfully worked into it. ^26:32 You shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, which have hooks of gold and rest on four sockets of silver. ^26:33 You shall hang the parokhet under the clasps, and bring the ark of the covenant in there, within the parokhet; and the parokhet shall separate for you the holy place from the most holy. ^26:34 You shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the covenant in the most holy place. ^26:35 You shall set the table outside the parokhet, and the lampstand on the south side of the tabernacle opposite the table; and you shall put the table on the north side.

In contrast to the instructions for the parokhet, the opening verse introducing the hanging before entrance to the tent does not include the doubled עשה, and the key term מסך (masakh), “screen,” appears only twice. If the references to the parokhet are added to those of the screen, the total will be seven.

^{שׁמות כו:לו} וְעָשִׂיתָ מָסָךְ לְפֶתַח הָאֹהֶל תְּכֵלֶת וְאַרְגָּמָן וְתוֹלַעַת שָׁנִי וְשֵׁשׁ מָשְׁזָר מַעֲשֵׂה רֹקֵם. ^כו:לז וְעָשִׂיתָ לַמָּסָךְ חֲמִשָּׁה עַמּוּדֵי שִׁטִּים וְצִפִּיתָ אֹתָם זָהָב וָוֵיהֶם זָהָב וְיָצַקְתָּ לָהֶם חֲמִשָּׁה אַדְנֵי נְחֹשֶׁת.

^{Exod 26:36} You shall make a screen for the entrance of the tent, of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen, embroidered with needlework. ^26:37 You shall make for the screen five pillars of acacia, and overlay them with gold; their hooks shall be of gold, and you shall cast five sockets of bronze for them.

The Courtyard Enclosure

The courtyard enclosure is constructed of far less precious materials—twisted linen, silver, and bronze—than were used for the tabernacle proper, and its instructions also employ a very different literary style. The author uses the word קלעים (qelaʿim), “hangings,” as few times as possible: once for each of three sides and twice when the hangings flank both sides of the entranceway. And as one would expect, it is replaced by the requisite pronoun at every opportunity (e.g., קְלָעִים מֵאָה אֹרֶךְ וְעַמְדּוּ [וְעַמּוּדָיו]...וְאַדְנֵיהֶם..., “...hangings one hundred cubits long, their pillars...and their sockets”; v. 11). Economy of style is the watchword when it comes to describing the courtyard. No need for an editor’s red pen here!

In addition, unlike the tabernacle proper, the supporting structures are described in conjunction with their respective fabrics. The verb עשה is used just once at the very beginning, and that usage governs all the actions recounted over the next ten verses:

‏^{שׁמות כז:ט} וְעָשִׂיתָ אֵת חֲצַר הַמִּשְׁכָּן לִפְאַת נֶגֶב תֵּימָנָה קְלָעִים לֶחָצֵר שֵׁשׁ מָשְׁזָר מֵאָה בָאַמָּה אֹרֶךְ לַפֵּאָה הָאֶחָת. ^כז:י וְעַמֻּדָיו עֶשְׂרִים וְאַדְנֵיהֶם עֶשְׂרִים נְחֹשֶׁת וָוֵי הָעַמֻּדִים וַחֲשֻׁקֵיהֶם כָּסֶף. ^כז:יא וְכֵן לִפְאַת צָפוֹן בָּאֹרֶךְ קְלָעִים מֵאָה אֹרֶךְ וְעַמְדּוּ [וְעַמּוּדָיו] עֶשְׂרִים וְאַדְנֵיהֶם עֶשְׂרִים נְחֹשֶׁת וָוֵי הָעַמֻּדִים וַחֲשֻׁקֵיהֶם כָּסֶף. ^כז:יב וְרֹחַב הֶחָצֵר לִפְאַת יָם קְלָעִים חֲמִשִּׁים אַמָּה עַמֻּדֵיהֶם עֲשָׂרָה וְאַדְנֵיהֶם עֲשָׂרָה. ^כז:יג וְרֹחַב הֶחָצֵר לִפְאַת קֵדְמָה מִזְרָחָה חֲמִשִּׁים אַמָּה. ^כז:יד וַחֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה אַמָּה קְלָעִים לַכָּתֵף עַמֻּדֵיהֶם שְׁלֹשָׁה וְאַדְנֵיהֶם שְׁלֹשָׁה. ^כז:טו וְלַכָּתֵף הַשֵּׁנִית חְמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה קְלָעִים עַמֻּדֵיהֶם שְׁלֹשָׁה וְאַדְנֵיהֶם שְׁלֹשָׁה.

^{Exod 27:9} You shall make the court of the tabernacle. On the south side the court shall have hangings of fine twisted linen one hundred cubits long for that side. ^27:10 Its twenty pillars and their twenty sockets shall be of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their bands shall be of silver. ^27:11 Likewise for its length on the north side there shall be hangings one hundred cubits long, their pillars twenty and their sockets twenty, of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their bands shall be of silver. ^27:12 For the width of the court on the west side there shall be fifty cubits of hangings, with ten pillars and ten sockets. ^27:13 The width of the court on the front to the east shall be fifty cubits. ^27:14 There shall be fifteen cubits of hangings on the one side, with three pillars and three sockets. ^27:15 There shall be fifteen cubits of hangings on the other side, with three pillars and three sockets.

^{שׁמות כז:טז} וּלְשַׁעַר הֶחָצֵר מָסָךְ עֶשְׂרִים אַמָּה תְּכֵלֶת וְאַרְגָּמָן וְתוֹלַעַת שָׁנִי וְשֵׁשׁ מָשְׁזָר מַעֲשֵׂה רֹקֵם עַמֻּדֵיהֶם אַרְבָּעָה וְאַדְנֵיהֶם אַרְבָּעָה. ^כז:יז כָּל עַמּוּדֵי הֶחָצֵר סָבִיב מְחֻשָּׁקִים כֶּסֶף וָוֵיהֶם כָּסֶף וְאַדְנֵיהֶם נְחֹשֶׁת. ^כז:יח אֹרֶךְ הֶחָצֵר מֵאָה בָאַמָּה וְרֹחַב חֲמִשִּׁים בַּחֲמִשִּׁים וְקֹמָה חָמֵשׁ אַמּוֹת שֵׁשׁ מָשְׁזָר וְאַדְנֵיהֶם נְחֹשֶׁת. ^כז:יט לְכֹל כְּלֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן בְּכֹל עֲבֹדָתוֹ וְכָל יְתֵדֹתָיו וְכָל יִתְדֹת הֶחָצֵר נְחֹשֶׁת.

^{Exod 27:16} For the gate of the court there shall be a screen twenty cubits long, of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen, embroidered with needlework; it shall have four pillars and with them four sockets. ^27:17 All the pillars around the court shall be banded with silver; their hooks shall be of silver, and their sockets of bronze. ^27:18 The length of the court shall be one hundred cubits, the width fifty, and the height five cubits, [with hangings] of fine twisted linen and sockets of bronze. ^27:19 All the utensils of the tabernacle for every use, and all its pegs and all the pegs of the court, shall be of bronze.

A description of the screen which will serve as the courtyard’s entrance point is also woven into the instructions (v. 16).

Describing the Holy Tabernacle with Literary Reverence

In sum, the literary contrast between the tabernacle proper (ch. 26) and the courtyard (ch. 27) is striking. The author of the former is infatuated with the character and quality of the curtains in and of themselves. As a result, their description stands independent of how they would actually be installed on their wooden frame. The entrance points to the tabernacle and holy of holies are also described in a separate location to emphasize their unique and holy character. In the presentation of the courtyard instructions, on the other hand, our author intermixes the descriptions of the fabrics, frame, and entrance point, presenting a far more economical and functional literary picture. The number twelve plays no role in structuring the narrative.

The description of the parts of the tabernacle proper, when contrasted with that of the courtyard, is hardly utilitarian in character. The way in which the instructions are told is meant to tell us something about how God’s presence structures the character of the building. Because the curtains of the inner-tabernacle are so close to the God, who dwells therein, they are treated with a literary reverence very different from the fabrics that make-up the walls that surround the tabernacle compound. How something is said is just as important as what is said.