BIBLE CHAPTER STUDY

Exodus 36 — Building the Tabernacle

Bezalel, Oholiab, and the skilled workers receive the people's offerings until more than enough is given, then construct the tabernacle's coverings, frame, veil, and screen.

Scripture

1And Bezalel and Oholiab shall work, and every wise-hearted man, in whom Jehovah hath put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all the work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that Jehovah hath commanded.

2And Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab, and every wise-hearted man, in whose heart Jehovah had put wisdom, even every one whose heart stirred him up to come unto the work to do it:

3and they received of Moses all the offering which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of the sanctuary, wherewith to make it. And they brought yet unto him freewill-offerings every morning.

4And all the wise men, that wrought all the work of the sanctuary, came every man from his work which they wrought;

5and they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work which Jehovah commanded to make.

6And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing.

7For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much.

8And all the wise-hearted men among them that wrought the work made the tabernacle with ten curtains; of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, with cherubim, the work of the skilful workman, Bezalel made them.

9The length of each curtain was eight and twenty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits: all the curtains had one measure.

10And he coupled five curtains one to another: and the other five curtains he coupled one to another.

11And he made loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling: likewise he made in the edge of the curtain that was outmost in the second coupling.

12Fifty loops made he in the one curtain, and fifty loops made he in the edge of the curtain that was in the second coupling: the loops were opposite one to another.

13And he made fifty clasps of gold, and coupled the curtains one to another with the clasps: so the tabernacle was one.

14And he made curtains of goats' hair for a tent over the tabernacle: eleven curtains he made them.

15The length of each curtain was thirty cubits, and four cubits the breadth of each curtain: the eleven curtains had one measure.

16And he coupled five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves.

17And he made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that was outmost in the coupling, and fifty loops made he upon the edge of the curtain which was outmost in the second coupling.

18And he made fifty clasps of brass to couple the tent together, that it might be one.

19And he made a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering of sealskins above.

20And he made the boards for the tabernacle, of acacia wood, standing up.

21Ten cubits was the length of a board, and a cubit and a half the breadth of each board.

22Each board had two tenons, joined one to another: thus did he make for all the boards of the tabernacle.

23And he made the boards for the tabernacle: twenty boards for the south side southward;

24and he made forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for its two tenons, and two sockets under another board for its two tenons.

25And for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, he made twenty boards,

26and their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.

27And for the hinder part of the tabernacle westward he made six boards.

28And two boards made he for the corners of the tabernacle in the hinder part.

29And they were double beneath; and in like manner they were entire unto the top thereof unto one ring: thus he did to both of them in the two corners.

30And there were eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; under every board two sockets.

31And he made bars of acacia wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle,

32and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the tabernacle for the hinder part westward.

33And he made the middle bar to pass through in the midst of the boards from the one end to the other.

34And he overlaid the boards with gold, and made their rings of gold for places for the bars, and overlaid the bars with gold.

35And he made the veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: with cherubim, the work of the skilful workman, made he it.

36And he made thereunto four pillars of acacia, and overlaid them with gold: their hooks were of gold: and he cast for them four sockets of silver.

37And he made a screen for the door of the Tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of the embroiderer;

38and the five pillars of it with their hooks: and he overlaid their capitals and their fillets with gold; and their five sockets were of brass.

What this passage means

Verses 1–7 frame the entire construction project around divine enablement and human generosity. The repeated phrase 'whom Jehovah hath put wisdom and understanding' ties the craftsmen's skill back to God's prior commission in chapters 31 and 35. The people's eager, voluntary giving produces a surplus so notable that Moses must publicly restrain further contributions — a rare narrative detail that highlights both the generosity of the community and the ordered stewardship of sacred resources.

Verses 8–19 focus on the tabernacle's coverings: ten inner curtains of finely twisted linen with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and cherubim designs, joined into a single fabric by fifty gold clasps; eleven outer curtains of goat hair joined by fifty bronze clasps; and two protective layers of ram and sealskin. The numerical symmetry (28×4 cubits, 30×4 cubits, fifty loops, fifty clasps) shows a deliberate pattern, and the layering of materials signals that the sanctuary is both beautiful and shielded.

Verses 20–38 detail the wooden frame and the internal dividers. Acacia boards with silver bases, joined by bars and overlaid with gold, form a free-standing structure. The veil separating the Most Holy Place, woven in the same colors as the inner curtains and worked with cherubim, and the embroidered screen at the tent entrance complete the chapter. The repeated emphasis on 'cherubim, the work of the skilful workman' links the imagery of the dwelling to the heavenly throne pattern established earlier in Exodus 25.

Context

The chapter note supplied with the passage identifies it as backfilled content covering Exodus chapters outside the primary selection. The cross references cluster around two themes: God's bestowal of wisdom on the craftsmen (Exodus 28:3; 31:1; 31:6; 35:30; 35:35) and the people's willing offerings (Exodus 35:29). Additional links to 2 Chronicles 31:6,10 and 2 Corinthians 8:2–3 connect the pattern of abundant, voluntary giving for sacred purposes across Israel's later temple worship and the New Testament church.

Within the chapter itself, the narrative flow moves from commissioning (1–2), to receiving materials (3–7), to executing the components in a sequence that mirrors the divine instructions already given: inner curtains first (8–13), then the outer tent of goat hair (14–18), the protective skins (19), the wooden frame (20–34), the veil (35–36), and the entrance screen (37–38). The internal logic is that construction follows the order of revelation, with the skilled workers carrying out exactly what Jehovah had commanded.

Key words in the original

  • H2451 The Hebrew term חׇכְמָה (H2451) names the skill that God places in Bezalel, Oholiab, and the wise-hearted workers. In verse 1 it is paired with תְּבוּנָה (understanding), suggesting both practical craftsmanship and the discernment to apply it according to divine command.
  • H6213 The verb עָשָׂה (H6213), 'to do/make,' appears repeatedly in the chapter for both the worker's labor and God's 'commanded' instructions. Its broad semantic range covers the entire tabernacle enterprise as obedient execution of revealed design.
  • H4399 The noun מְלֶאכֶת (H4399) is rendered 'work' in verse 1 and refers here to the labor of the sanctuary. It distinguishes the consecrated task from ordinary labor and sets the craftsmen's activity within a sacred sphere.

Related verses

  • Exodus 31:6 Both passages share the formula of God appointing Bezalel with Oholiab and placing wisdom in every wise-hearted worker. Chapter 36 is the narrative fulfillment of the divine commission spoken in 31:6.
  • Exodus 35:29 The freewill-offering of 35:29 continues into 36:3, where the people bring morning by morning until the workers announce there is 'much more than enough.' The earlier verse establishes the willing heart; chapter 36 records its material outcome.
  • 2 Corinthians 8:3 The Macedonian churches 'beyond their power' gave of their own accord. Exodus 36:5–7 presents an analogous dynamic: the people's freewill giving exceeds the need and is publicly restrained, marking generosity that overflows the sacred project.

Common questions

Why does Moses stop the people from bringing more offerings?

According to verses 4–7, the skilled workers report to Moses that the material already gathered is 'sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much.' Moses therefore commands a halt throughout the camp so that further production is stopped, preserving order over the sacred project.

How do the curtains, veil, and screen differ in chapter 36?

The ten inner curtains (8–13) form the ceiling and walls of the tabernacle proper, joined by gold clasps. The veil (35–36) hangs on four pillars of acacia and divides the Most Holy Place. The screen (37–38) is an embroidered hanging on five pillars covering the tent's entrance. Each uses the same color set but has distinct dimensions and structural roles.

What is the function of the fifty loops and clasps?

The fifty loops are sewn along the selvedge of each set of curtains, and fifty matching clasps (gold for the inner curtains, bronze for the goat-hair curtains) fasten the two sets into a single continuous covering. The matching numbers ensure the loops align 'opposite one to another,' producing one unified tent.

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