Exodus 26:4

Old Testament Law (Torah) ASV (1901)

What does Exodus 26:4 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And thou shalt make loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling; and likewise shalt thou make in the edge of the curtain that is outmost in the second coupling.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And thou shalt make loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling; and likewise shalt thou make in the edge of the curtain that is outmost in the second coupling.
Exodus 26:4 — American Standard Version

Context — Exodus 26

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
4And thou shalt make loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling; and likewise shalt thou make in the edge of the curtain that is outmost in the second coupling.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And thou shall make loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain, etc.] The first large curtain, consisting of five sewed together, at the edge of that: from the selvedge in the coupling; where it was to be coupled with the other great curtain; “loops” or “eyelet holes” f780, were to be made: these were not wove with the curtains, for they were not to be upon all of them, only at the two outermost of the largest ones, and therefore were made afterwards, probably with the needle: and likewise shall thou make in the uppermost edge of [another] curtain, in the coupling of the second; loops also were to be made on the outermost edge of another curtain belonging to the second great curtain,…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“(Compare Exodus 36:8-33.) The tabernacle was to comprise three main parts, the tabernacle Exodus 26:1-6, more strictly so-called, its tent Exodus 26:7-13, and its covering Exodus 26:14 (Compare Exodus 35:11; Exodus 39:33-34; Exodus 40:19, Exodus 40:34; Numbers 3:25, etc.). These parts are very clearly distinguished in the Hebrew, but they are confounded in many places of the English Version (see Exodus 26:7, Exodus 26:9, etc.). The tabernacle itself was to consist of curtains of fine linen woven with colored figures of cherubim, and a structure of boards which was to contain the holy place and the most holy place; the tent was to be a true tent of goats’ hair cloth to contain and shelter the…”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“loops of blue: Exo 26:5, Exo 26:10, Exo 26:11, Exo 36:11, Exo 36:12, Exo 36:17 Exodus 26:6”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · 19th-century historical commentary
“They were also to make 50 hyacinth loops "on the border of the one piece of tapestry, from the end in the join," i.e., on the extreme edge of the five pieces that were sewed together; and the same "on the border of the last piece in the second joined tapestry." Thus there were to be fifty loops in each of the two large pieces, and these loops were to be מקבּילת "taking up the loops one the other;" that is to say, they were to be so made that the loops in the two pieces should exactly meet. Exodus 26:6”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification