Exodus 36:9 kjv
The length of one curtain was twenty and eight cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: the curtains were all of one size.
Exodus 36:9 nkjv
The length of each curtain was twenty-eight cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits; the curtains were all the same size.
Exodus 36:9 niv
All the curtains were the same size?twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide.
Exodus 36:9 esv
The length of each curtain was twenty-eight cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits. All the curtains were the same size.
Exodus 36:9 nlt
All ten curtains were exactly the same size ? 42 feet long and 6 feet wide.
Exodus 36 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 26:1-2 | Moreover, you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen... The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits; all the curtains shall have the same measure. | Original divine command for inner curtains (Exodus 36:9 for outer linen curtains) |
| Exod 26:7-8 | You shall also make curtains of goats’ hair for a tent over the tabernacle; eleven curtains shall you make... 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. | Divine command for outer goat hair covering (matches dimensions of 36:9) |
| Exod 35:30-35 | Then Moses said to the people of Israel, “See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel...and he has filled him with the Spirit of God...to work in all craftsmanship.” | God provides wisdom and skill for building |
| Exod 39:1 | From the blue and purple and scarlet yarns they made woven garments for ministering in the Holy Place... | Illustrates attention to detail in priestly garments too |
| Num 7:1-89 | On the day when Moses had finished setting up the tabernacle, and had anointed it...the chiefs of Israel, the heads of their fathers' houses, who were the chiefs of the tribes and over those who were numbered, offered. | Tabernacle dedication after precise construction |
| 1 Kgs 6:2 | The house that King Solomon built for the Lord was sixty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high. | Temple's exact dimensions continue pattern of precision |
| 1 Kgs 6:7 | When the house was built, it was with stone prepared at the quarry, so that neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron was heard in the house while it was being built. | Illustrates careful preparation and precise work |
| 1 Chr 28:11-19 | Then David gave Solomon his son the plan of the vestibule of the temple...all this he made clear by the writing from the hand of the Lord, all the works of the plan. | God provides the exact plan for Solomon's Temple |
| Isa 54:2 | Enlarge the place of your tent; stretch out the curtains of your dwellings, spare not; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes. | Metaphorical extension, echoing the Tabernacle concept |
| Eze 40:1-5 | In the twenty-fifth year of our exile...the hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me...He brought me there, and behold, there was a man whose appearance was like bronze, with a linen cord and a measuring reed in his hand. | Vision of new temple with precise measurements, divine blueprint |
| Hag 2:7 | I will shake all nations, and the desirable things of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts. | Refers to the later Temple, a dwelling place for God's glory |
| Zech 1:16 | Therefore thus says the Lord, ‘I have returned to Jerusalem with compassion; my house shall be built in it, declares the Lord of hosts, and a measuring line shall be stretched over Jerusalem.’ | Indicates divine plan and precision for restoration |
| Mal 3:1 | "Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming," says the Lord of hosts. | Foreshadowing Christ's coming to the spiritual "Temple" |
| Jn 2:19-21 | Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” ... But he was speaking about the temple of his body. | Christ as the ultimate dwelling place, a precise spiritual reality |
| Acts 7:44 | “Our fathers had the tent of witness in the wilderness, just as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it according to the pattern that he had seen." | Direct confirmation of the Tabernacle's divine origin and precise pattern |
| Acts 17:24 | The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man’s hands. | Contrast between man-made temples and God's true nature (He doesn't need them, but commands them as teaching tools). |
| 1 Cor 3:16 | Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? | Believers as the new spiritual temple, reflecting God's order |
| Eph 2:19-22 | So then you are no longer strangers and aliens...built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone...In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. | The church as a divinely designed spiritual temple |
| Heb 8:5 | They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was warned when he was about to erect the tent; for, “See that you make everything according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain.” | Explicitly states the Tabernacle as a shadow of heavenly realities and God's specific command for its construction. |
| Heb 9:1-10 | Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly sanctuary...For a tent was prepared, the first section...which is called the Holy Place...Behind the second curtain was a second section, called the Most Holy Place... | Details the precise arrangement of the tabernacle, leading to Christ's superior ministry. |
| Rev 21:16 | The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his reed, 12,000 stadia. Its length and width and height are equal. | The New Jerusalem's perfect, precise dimensions. |
Exodus 36 verses
Exodus 36 9 Meaning
Exodus 36:9 details the precise, uniform measurements of the outer linen curtains made for the Tabernacle. Each panel was exactly thirty cubits in length and four cubits in breadth, signifying the divine instruction and the meticulous craftsmanship required for God's dwelling place. This precision ensured all parts fit together perfectly according to God’s holy design.
Exodus 36 9 Context
Exodus 36 begins the execution of the detailed instructions for building the Tabernacle, as given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai (Exod 25-31). This chapter focuses on the materials generously contributed by the people and the craftsmanship of Bezalel, Oholiab, and other skilled artisans whom God had specifically gifted for this sacred task. Verse 9 is part of the description of making the first and innermost layer of covering for the Tabernacle: the ten fine twined linen curtains with cherubim (though the specific verse dimensions mentioned refer to the goat hair curtains in the original instruction, this passage states the curtains which scholars understand as those described in 26:7, i.e., the second set, of goats' hair, which formed the 'tent over the tabernacle'). The meticulous rendering of these dimensions highlights the adherence to God's precise blueprint for His dwelling place among His people.
Historically, this era marks God establishing His presence amongst a nomadic people. The Tabernacle was central to their worship and served as a portable sanctuary, representing God's accessibility and holiness. The exacting standards stood in stark contrast to the often arbitrary and crude construction of pagan altars or idols, reinforcing the distinctness and divine order of Israel’s God and His worship. This precision implicitly rebukes any notion that God's worship could be haphazard or designed solely by human ingenuity without divine guidance.
Exodus 36 9 Word analysis
- The length: Hebrew: אֹרֶךְ (orek). Refers to the dimension from one end to the other. In biblical measurements, clarity was essential for construction.
- of each curtain: Hebrew: יְרִיעָה (yerîʿâ). This refers to the textile panels that formed the covering of the Tabernacle. These were not mere curtains but meticulously woven and sometimes embroidered cloths integral to the sanctuary’s structure and sacred symbolism. Each was a significant, individual piece, yet part of a larger whole.
- was thirty cubits: Hebrew: שְׁלֹשִׁים אַמָּה (sheloshim ammah). A "cubit" (ammah) was an ancient unit of measurement, roughly the distance from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger, generally accepted as about 18 inches (approximately 45 cm). The number "thirty" often held symbolic weight, representing readiness or an age of maturity for significant service in various contexts. The exactness points to divine instruction, leaving no room for human interpretation of scale.
- and the breadth: Hebrew: רֹחַב (rohav). This signifies the width, the dimension perpendicular to the length.
- of each curtain four cubits: Hebrew: אַרְבַּע אַמָּה (arba ammah). The number "four" can symbolize universality (four points of a compass), but here, like "thirty," its primary significance is as a precise measurement, ensuring uniformity among the panels.
- all the curtains: Hebrew: כָּל־הַיְרִיעֹת (kol-hayeri'ot). "All" emphasizes the absolute uniformity required. Not some, but every single curtain had to meet the exact standard.
- had the same measure: Hebrew: מִדָּה אֶחָת הָיְתָה לְכֻלָּן (middah ehat hayetah lekhullan). Literally, "one measure was to all of them." This phrase highlights the divine mandate for absolute precision and standardization across every component of the Tabernacle's construction. This unity of measurement was critical for the interlocking nature of the panels, ensuring they formed a perfect and stable dwelling.
Words-Group Analysis:
- "The length of each curtain was thirty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits": This pairing of length and breadth for "each curtain" emphasizes the specific, individual perfection required for every single piece. It highlights God's attention to detail, not just for the whole structure but for every constituent component. The repeated mention of "each curtain" reinforces the individual adherence to the standard.
- "all the curtains had the same measure": This collective statement draws attention from the individual pieces to the harmonious assembly. It signifies unity, consistency, and the complete submission of the artisans and materials to the single, divine blueprint. The middah achat (same measure) ensured the seamless integration of all components into a coherent, sacred space, a microcosm of God's perfect order.
Exodus 36 9 Bonus section
The deliberate repetition of dimensions throughout Exodus (e.g., in Chapters 26 and 36) serves to underscore the paramount importance of strict adherence to the divine blueprint. This isn't just about recording measurements; it's a narrative device to demonstrate the complete obedience of Moses and the artisans to God's precise instructions. This focus on adherence stands as a foundational principle for God's people: our service and worship must conform to His revealed will, not our own creative impulses. The Tabernacle, down to its specific dimensions, served as a profound object lesson on divine authority and human responsibility.
Exodus 36 9 Commentary
Exodus 36:9, by specifying the exact dimensions of the Tabernacle curtains, underlines several profound truths. First, it powerfully demonstrates God's demand for divine precision in worship. Every detail of His dwelling place was divinely ordained, leaving no room for human preference or innovation in the fundamental structure. This blueprint emphasizes that worship is not to be a casual or haphazard human endeavor, but a sacred act performed according to God’s explicit commands.
Second, the uniformity indicated by "all the curtains had the same measure" speaks to unity and order. Just as the Tabernacle parts had to fit perfectly to create a unified dwelling for God, so too must His people work in harmony, each fulfilling their divinely appointed role with faithfulness and precision to build up the spiritual house of God (Eph 2:21-22). This structural integrity pointed to the perfect nature of God's plans and ultimately, to the perfect person of Christ, who is the true and complete dwelling of God among humanity (Jn 1:14).
Finally, these precise physical measurements served as a "copy and shadow of the heavenly things" (Heb 8:5). The Tabernacle was not merely a functional tent; it was a physical manifestation designed to instruct Israel about spiritual realities, about God’s presence, holiness, and the path to Him. The very exactitude of its design, even down to the cubit, reinforced the unwavering nature of God’s covenant promises and His methodical plan of redemption. It foreshadowed the perfectly orchestrated, redemptive work of Jesus Christ, the true Temple, in whom every detail of God’s plan of salvation found its perfect fulfillment.