Exodus 26. ishah,,אישה means each curtain, and her sister, ahotah,,אחותה means its matching part, i.e. another curtain in the same set.

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Alexia Thomas
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1 Exodus 26 v.1: Then make the Tabernacle out of 10 curtains of twisted linen, with sky blue and purple, and threads of deep red with guardian beings; a skilled craftsman must make them. v.1: Sky blue is the word tekelet,,תכלת which is referred to in Numbers 15:37. Guardian beings is the word cheruv, כרוב (it is translated cherub quite often in English). v.2: The length of each curtain is to be 28 cubits and the width is to be four cubits for each curtain. All the curtains are to be the same size. v.2: The word cubit is amah,,אמה and it refers to a measurement of approximately inches. v.3: There must be five curtains together, each woman joined to her sister; and five (other) curtains together, each woman joined to her sister. v.3: This verse is written in feminine form, with an uncharacteristic and highly idiomatic usage of the words woman and sister. Woman, ishah,,אישה means each curtain, and her sister, ahotah,,אחותה means its matching part, i.e. another curtain in the same set. v.4: Then you will make loops of sky blue tekelet,,תכלת on the edge of one set of curtains, and do the same on the outer edge of the second set. v.5: You will make fifty loops on one set of curtains, and you will make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is in the second set, parallel to the loops, each women to her sister. v.5: Each woman to her sister means each curtain to the next curtain. The concept being shown is one curtain is joined to the next as a woman is to her sister. The verse is written in the feminine form expressing that the way that the curtains are joined together is as a woman is joined to her sister. Literally it says, woman to her sister. v.6: Then you will make fifty gold clasps and connect the curtains, each woman to her sister, by the clasps. Then the Tabernacle will be one unit. v.6: Each woman to her sister again is each one to the other. v.7: Then make goatskin curtains for the tent that is on the Tabernacle; you will make eleven curtains, total. v.8: The length of each curtain is to be 30 cubits, and the width of each curtain is to be four cubits. All eleven curtains are to be the same size.

2 v.9: And you will connect the five curtains, separately; with six of the other curtains, separately. Then you must fold the sixth curtain over double, right in front of the tent entrance. v.9: In front of the tent entrance is literally, in the face of the tent. v.10: Then make 50 loops on the outer edge of one curtain set, and 50 loops on the edge of the second curtain set. v.11: And make 50 bronze clasps, then bring the clasps through the loops, and connect the tent, so it will be one unit. v.12: The remainder of the curtains of the tent should have the half curtain overlap and hang outside of the Mishkan. v.13: The curtains on both sides of the Tent have to overlap by one cubit in length; they will be stretched out on both sides of the Mishkan in order to cover it. v.13: This verse is in very poetic and rhythmic Hebrew, especially the phrase on both sides, which appears twice, emphasizing the poetic sound; mizeh ve mizeh mizeh oo mizeh. v.14: Then make a covering from above, for the tent, of ram s skin that is dyed red; and a covering of tachash skin. v.14: We have no idea what the animal referred to as a tachash is that is mentioned in this verse. The following represent the guesses throughout history: a kosher unicorn (Rashi and the Talmud); a giraffe (Talmud); a badger; a sea cow (JPS); based on a similar Arabic word, a porpoise so, porpoise skins; and finally, others have translated this as a sheep skin or goat skin. v.15: Then make beams that stand upright for the Mishkan, out of acacia wood. v.15: Literally, the text instructs us to make the beams standing. We understand this to be standing upright. v.16: The length of each board will be ten cubits, and the width of each board will be a cubit and and half of a cubit. v.16: The wording is in poetic form in this verse, in that the text literally says, the width of each beam will be a cubit and half of a cubit. This sounds poetic and rhythmic in Hebrew: ve amah va hetsi ha amah v.17: Each board will have two pegs that are joined, a woman to her sister. Thus you will make each board of the Mishkan. 2

3 v.18: So you will make the beams of the Mishkan; twenty beams for the south side; v.18: The wording for south is atypical in that the text uses two words for south that are inserted right next to each other. One word is negbah, negbah, Our text reads:.תימנה temanah, and the other is נגבה temanah. Negbah can mean towards the Negev Region in Israel, or towards the dry ground. Temanah means towards Teman, possibly the country of Yemen, which is indeed geographically south (and east) of Israel. v.19: and make 40 silver stands underneath the 20 beams; two stands under each beam, with two pegs; and two stands under the other beam, along with its two pegs. v.19: To help the student: v.19 reads as above in its literal sense; if we know that there were two sets of 20 upright beams, equaling 40 beams total, then we know that v.19 is addressing each set of 20 beams separately. Please see the following two sites for visual images of the beams on each side of the Mishkan: rg/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/mishkan.jpg&imgrefurl=htt v.20: Then on the second side of the Mishkan, the north edge: (there will be) 20 beams, v.21: with 40 silver stands; two stands under one beam, and two stands under another beam. v.21: A stand can also be translated as a a base. It is something that supported and held the beams up from underneath. v.22: Then make six beams for the very western edge of the Mishkan. v.22: The word used for western is yamah,,ימה which literally means towards the sea. The Mediterranean Sea was always west (with possible variations from the southwest or northwest) from any place in Israel. v.23: And make two beams for the corners at the far edge. v.24: From the bottom to the top, they must be doubled, and complete; they both will pass through a single ring. It will be like this for both corners. 3

4 v.25: There must be eight beams with their silver stands sixteen stands; two stands under each of the beams. v.26: Then make bars of acacia wood; five for the beams on one side of the Mishkan; v.27: and five bars for the other side of the Mishkan; then five bars for the side of the Mishkan that is on the western edge. v.28: And the center bar will be in the middle of the beams, extending from one end to the other end. v.29: Then you must plate the beam with gold, and its rings must be made from gold. Make clasps for the bars, and plate the bars with gold. v.30: So set up the Mishkan according to its instruction that I showed you on the mountain. v.30: The word for instruction is mishpat,,משפט which can mean a judgment (often from God). In modern Hebrew it refers to a court decision. v.31: Then make a sky blue and purple curtain, with threads of deep red and twisted linen, and guardian beings must be made by a skilled craftsman..תכלת techelet, v.31: As in v.1, sky blue is the word v.32: And hang it upon four acacia pillars, plated with gold, with their hooks made of gold, standing upon their four silver stands. v.33: Hang the curtain under the hooks, then put the chest of the testimony in back of the curtain. The curtain will separate between the Holy Place and the Holiest Place. v.33: The curtain in Hebrew is the parochet,,פרוכת one of the most wellknown parts of the Mishkan. The chest is commonly referred to as the aron ha-brit, הברית,ארון the chest of the covenant; but here in this verse it is called the aron ha edut, העדות,ארון the chest of the testimony. v.34: Then attach the cover onto the chest of the testimony, in the Holiest Place. v.34: The Holiest Place, also termed the Holy of Holies, in Hebrew kodesh hakodeshim, הקודשים,קודש is also referred to as the Dvir (possibly meaning a place of speaking, see Numbers 7.89). v.35: Then place the table outside of the curtain; and the menorah on the southern side of the Mishkan; with the table placed on the northern side. 4

5 v.36: And make an entry portal for the Tent, with a covering made of sky blue and purple, with threads of deep red, and finely twisted linen, done by an embroiderer. v.36: Covering is the word masak,,מסך a screen in modern Hebrew. This was perhaps a large tent flap, or a separate cloth piece, which served as an entryway. It could be translated curtain, but we did not want this confused with the curtain, the previously mentioned parochet. v.37: Then make five pillars of acacia wood, plated in gold, with gold hooks, for the entry portal curtain, and make five cast bronze rails for them. 5

v.8: So all the wise persons who were carrying out the handiwork made the Mishkan out of 10 curtains from twisted linen, sky blue and purple, and

v.8: So all the wise persons who were carrying out the handiwork made the Mishkan out of 10 curtains from twisted linen, sky blue and purple, and Exodus 36 v.1: Then Betzalel and Oholiav will carry out everything that Adonai had instructed, along with every wise person whom Adonai had bestowed with wisdom and insight to know how to carry out all