Bible Strands

Exodus 38:18

The curtain for the entrance to the courtyard was embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen. It was twenty cubits long and, like the curtains of the courtyard, five cubits high,

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Moses records the tabernacle courtyard's construction specifications for the Israelites during their wilderness encampment. The passage details the physical dimensions and textile composition of the entrance screen.

The words — The Hebrew מָסַךְ (ma.Sakh) identifies the curtain itself, while רֹקֵם (ro.Kem) defines the embroidered technique used to create it. These terms establish the screen as a deliberately crafted textile rather than a simple woven mat.

The thread — The identical blue, purple, scarlet, and linen combination appears in the temple veil of 2 Chronicles 3:14. Both passages apply the same dyed materials to mark distinct sacred thresholds.

Why it lands — The text requires exact attention to the specified measurements and dye types without abstracting them. A reader must accept that the construction of holy space demands precise material execution and skilled craftsmanship.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וּמָסַ֞ךְu./ma.Sakhand/ [the] screen ofשַׁ֤עַרSha.'ar[the] gate ofהֶחָצֵר֙he./cha.Tzerthe/ courtyardמַעֲשֵׂ֣הma.'a.Seh[was] [the] work ofרֹקֵ֔םro.Kema worker in colorsתְּכֵ֧לֶתte.Khe.letviolet stuffוְאַרְגָּמָ֛ןve./'ar.ga.Manand/ purpleוְתוֹלַ֥עַתve./to.La.'atand/ scarlet stuff ofשָׁנִ֖יsha.Niscarletוְשֵׁ֣שׁve./Sheshand/ fine linenמָשְׁזָ֑רma.she.Zartwistedוְעֶשְׂרִ֤יםve./'es.Rimand/ [was] twentyאַמָּה֙'a.Mahcubit[s]אֹ֔רֶךְ'O.rekh[the] lengthוְקוֹמָ֤הve./ko.Mahand/ [the] heightבְרֹ֙חַב֙ve./Ro.chavin/ breadthחָמֵ֣שׁcha.Mesh[was] fiveאַמּ֔וֹת'a.Motcubitsלְעֻמַּ֖תle./'u.Mat<to>/ corresponding toקַלְעֵ֥יkal.'Ei[the] curtains ofהֶחָצֵֽר׃he./cha.Tzerthe/ courtyard

King James Version

And the hanging for the gate of the court was needlework, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: and twenty cubits was the length, and the height in the breadth was five cubits, answerable to the hangings of the court.

Cross-references