Exodus 26:31 kjv
And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubim shall it be made:
Exodus 26:31 nkjv
"You shall make a veil woven of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen. It shall be woven with an artistic design of cherubim.
Exodus 26:31 niv
"Make a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with cherubim woven into it by a skilled worker.
Exodus 26:31 esv
"And you shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. It shall be made with cherubim skillfully worked into it.
Exodus 26:31 nlt
"For the inside of the Tabernacle, make a special curtain of finely woven linen. Decorate it with blue, purple, and scarlet thread and with skillfully embroidered cherubim.
Exodus 26 31 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ex 26:33-35 | "You shall hang the veil from the clasps... veil shall separate for you the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place." | Placement and function of the veil. | ||
| Ex 36:35 | "He made the veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twisted linen... he made it with cherubim skillfully worked into it." | Confirmation of its construction as instructed. | ||
| Lev 16:2 | "Tell Aaron your brother not to come at all times into the Holy Place inside the veil..." | Limited access to the Holy of Holies. | ||
| Lev 16:15 | "...he shall bring the blood inside the veil..." | High Priest performing atonement rites behind the veil. | ||
| Num 3:10 | "You shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall guard their priesthood... any outsider who comes near shall be put to death." | Emphasizes restricted access to holy things. | ||
| Num 18:7 | "...within the veil..." | Further confirms the veil's role in demarcating holy areas. | ||
| Matt 27:51 | "And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom..." | The tearing of the Temple veil at Christ's death. | ||
| Mark 15:38 | "And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom." | Corroborates the tearing of the veil. | ||
| Luke 23:45 | "...the curtain of the temple was torn in two." | Another account of the veil being torn. | ||
| Heb 6:19-20 | "We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul... entered for us as a forerunner, Jesus, having become a high priest forever..." | Jesus as the forerunner entering beyond the veil (heavenly sanctuary). | ||
| Heb 9:3 | "Behind the second curtain was a second section called the Most Holy Place..." | Refers to this veil as the "second curtain" or inner veil. | ||
| Heb 9:8 | "...the Holy Spirit made clear that the way into the Holy Places was not yet opened as long as the first tent was still standing..." | The veil signified restricted access under the Old Covenant. | ||
| Heb 9:11-12 | "But when Christ appeared as a high priest... entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood..." | Christ's blood opens direct access to God, replacing animal sacrifices. | ||
| Heb 9:24 | "For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands... but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf." | Heavenly counterpart to earthly tabernacle/temple. | ||
| Heb 10:19-20 | "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body..." | Direct connection: Christ's body is the torn veil, providing access. | ||
| Heb 10:21-22 | "...and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith..." | Encourages drawing near to God post-veil tearing. | ||
| Isa 25:7 | "And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations." | Prophetic imagery of removing spiritual separation/blindness. | ||
| 2 Cor 3:14-16 | "...for to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted... only through Christ is it taken away." | A spiritual veil remains over hearts apart from Christ. | Ex 25:8"And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst." | Overall purpose of the Tabernacle and its divisions. |
| Rev 4:6-8 | "and around the throne were four living creatures, full of eyes... and day and night they never cease to say, 'Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty...'" | Illustrates cherubim (living creatures) in heavenly worship. | ||
| Eph 2:13-18 | "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near... For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility..." | Breaking down of spiritual barriers, echoing the torn veil's implications. | ||
| John 14:6 | "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" | Jesus as the sole means of access to God, parallel to the torn veil. |
Exodus 26 verses
Exodus 26 31 Meaning
Exodus 26:31 describes the intricate design and materials of the veil, known as the parokhet, which served as a crucial barrier within the Tabernacle. This veil separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, also known as the Holy of Holies, where the Ark of the Covenant resided. Its construction from blue, purple, and scarlet yarns, alongside fine twisted linen, highlights its beauty, divine significance, and purity. The imagery of skillfully worked cherubim woven into the fabric signifies divine presence, angelic guardians, and God's holiness, establishing a sacred boundary for human access.
Exodus 26 31 Context
Exodus 26:31 is part of a detailed architectural blueprint given by God to Moses for the construction of the Tabernacle, the portable sanctuary where God would dwell among His people. This chapter outlines the specifics for the Tabernacle's dwelling proper, including the curtains, frames, and various veils. The immediate context of this verse is the instruction for the parokhet, the inner veil that stood between the two most sacred chambers of the Tabernacle: the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. This separation underscored the absolute holiness of God and the necessary mediation required for humans to approach Him, reflecting the profound spiritual barrier between sinful humanity and a perfectly holy God. Historically, this highly specified design, contrasting with contemporary pagan worship, established the unique purity and ordered approach required for YHWH's worship.
Exodus 26 31 Word analysis
- And you shall make (וְעָשִׂיתָ): This is a divine command from God to Moses, indicating precise instructions that are not to be deviated from. It emphasizes intentionality and meticulous craftsmanship under divine guidance.
- a veil (פָּרֹכֶת / parokhet): This specific term refers to the thick, ornate curtain that divided the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. It symbolizes a barrier, separating the ordinary from the supremely sacred, and underscoring restricted access due to God's holiness and man's sinfulness. It is distinct from the `masach` (Ex 26:36), the screen for the Tabernacle entrance.
- of blue (תְּכֵלֶת / tekhelet): This color, typically associated with the heavens and the sea, often signifies divinity, royalty, and God's glory. The dye likely came from murex snails.
- and purple (אַרְגָּמָן / argaman): Purple was an extremely costly dye, symbolizing kingship, wealth, majesty, and high status. It reflects the kingly nature of God.
- and scarlet yarns (תּוֹלַעַת שָׁנִי / tola'at shani): Scarlet, or crimson, often represents life, blood, and atonement, dyed from a particular type of worm (coccus ilicis). This color foreshadows the blood sacrifices, especially that of Christ, needed for cleansing and propitiation.
- and fine twisted linen (שֵׁשׁ מָשְׁזָר / shesh mashzar): Fine linen was used extensively in priestly garments and Tabernacle furnishings, symbolizing purity, righteousness, and holiness. "Twisted" (mashzar) implies strength and durability, often involving multiple strands woven together, emphasizing its quality and sacred purpose.
- it shall be made (יַעֲשֶׂה): Reinforces the commanded nature of the work.
- with cherubim (כְּרֻבִים / k'ruvim): These are celestial beings, often depicted with wings, associated with guarding sacred spaces and God's throne (Gen 3:24, Ezek 10:1-22). Their presence on the veil further emphasizes the guarded nature of God's presence and His inapproachable holiness without proper mediation.
- skillfully worked (מַעֲשֵׂה חֹשֵׁב / ma'aseh choshev*): Literally "the work of a skilled craftsman" or "cunning work." This signifies artistic and intelligent design, implying the involvement of specially gifted artisans like Bezalel and Oholiab (Ex 31:1-6), whose skills were divinely inspired.
- Words-Group Analysis:
- "a veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twisted linen": This collection of materials speaks to the extraordinary expense, beauty, and symbolic richness of the `parokhet`. Each color holds profound theological meaning that, together with the pure linen, points to various aspects of God's nature and the means by which humanity would eventually access Him. It portrays an object of divine beauty and ultimate sanctity, requiring the finest materials available.
- "it shall be made with cherubim skillfully worked into it": The integration of cherubim and the phrase "skillfully worked" elevate the veil beyond mere fabric. The cherubim reinforce the idea that the holy of holies is God's dwelling, a place guarded by heavenly beings. The skillful artistry emphasizes that God's presence demands excellence and beauty in its depiction, achieved through divinely endowed human talent. This "cunning work" goes beyond simple weaving, suggesting intricate embroidery that brings the figures to life on the cloth.
Exodus 26 31 Bonus section
The parokhet served not only as a barrier protecting God's holiness but also, implicitly, as a protection for the people from being consumed by God's holiness. Before the atonement wrought by Jesus, direct unmediated exposure to the pure holiness of God would have been fatal to sinful humans. There were two "veils" in the Tabernacle (and later, the Temple): the masach at the entrance of the tent of meeting (Ex 26:36) and the parokhet (this verse) separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. This inner veil is often distinguished as "the veil" or "the curtain" in subsequent biblical texts, indicating its unique and pivotal function. The highly specific dimensions and material prescriptions for this veil, alongside all Tabernacle elements, underscored that this dwelling place was a unique, divinely ordained structure for the worship of YHWH, implicitly critiquing the human-devised, often chaotic and idolatrous, structures of surrounding pagan religions.
Exodus 26 31 Commentary
Exodus 26:31 reveals the physical manifestation of the theological barrier between a holy God and sinful humanity within the Tabernacle. The parokhet, exquisitely made of rich, symbolically significant materials—heavenly blue, royal purple, atoning scarlet, and pure linen—was no mere curtain but a visible statement of God's inapproachable holiness. The embedded cherubim, guardians of divine presence since Eden, emphasized this barrier, signifying that direct, unauthorized access to God was forbidden. This veil perfectly illustrated the state of humanity under the Old Covenant: God was present, but distinct and separate from His people, accessible only by a single high priest, once a year, and only through prescribed sacrificial rites. It eloquently set the stage for the dramatic event centuries later, when, at the death of Jesus, this very veil (in the Temple) was supernaturally torn from top to bottom, signifying that the way to God was now fully opened through Christ's atoning sacrifice.