And he made a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: with cherubims made he it of cunning work.

EXODUS 36:35KJV
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Exodus 36:35 (KJV)

What does Exodus 36:35 mean?

Exodus 36:35 describes how skilled craftsmen made a special curtain, called a veil, using blue, purple, and scarlet yarns along with finely twisted linen, and decorated it with images of cherubim using expert workmanship. This verse explains part of the process for constructing the tabernacle, the portable sanctuary for Israel’s worship during their journey in the wilderness.

In the context of Exodus, Moses is overseeing the building of the tabernacle as God instructed. The craftsmen are following detailed directions to create the veil, which would separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place inside the tabernacle. The mention of cherubim and the specific colors and materials highlights the sacredness and artistry involved in making this central part of Israel’s worship space.

The Hebrew behind Exodus 36:35

  • "vail" (פָּרֹכֶת, parokhet): This word refers to a dividing curtain, not just any cloth, but one that marks a boundary between spaces considered more or less holy. Its use here emphasizes the separation between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place.
  • "cherubims" (כְּרוּבִים, keruvim): These are angelic figures, often associated with guarding sacred spaces. Their images woven into the veil signal the presence and protection of the divine.
  • "cunning" (חָשַׁב, khashav): This word means skillful or artistic work, indicating that the veil was not only functional but also beautifully and thoughtfully crafted, requiring expert hands.
  • "blue" (תְּכֵלֶת, tekhelet), "purple" (אַרְגָּמָן, argaman), "scarlet" (שָׁנִי, shani): These colors were expensive and symbolically significant, often associated with royalty, wealth, and holiness in the ancient world.

Why Exodus 36:35 matters

  • This verse clarifies that the tabernacle was constructed with great care, artistry, and obedience to God’s instructions, not with ordinary or haphazard materials.
  • The description of the veil and its cherubim connects this passage to earlier instructions in Exodus, showing the builders’ faithfulness in following God’s detailed design.
  • Understanding the role of the veil helps explain the structure of Israel’s worship and the idea of separation between God’s holiness and the people, a theme that runs throughout the tabernacle narrative.

Where else these words appear

“twined” Hebrew H7806 · used in 21 verses

  • Exodus 26:1 Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them.
  • Exodus 28:6 And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, and of purple, of scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cunning work.
  • Exodus 38:18 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.

“vail” Hebrew H6532 · used in 23 verses

  • Exodus 26:31 And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made:
  • Exodus 39:34 And the covering of rams' skins dyed red, and the covering of badgers' skins, and the vail of the covering,
  • Leviticus 16:2 And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.

“linen” Hebrew H8336 · used in 37 verses

  • Genesis 41:42 And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;
  • Exodus 28:39 And thou shalt embroider the coat of fine linen, and thou shalt make the mitre of fine linen, and thou shalt make the girdle of needlework.
  • Exodus 39:3 And they did beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into wires, to work it in the blue, and in the purple, and in the scarlet, and in the fine linen, with cunning work.

“purple” Hebrew H713 · used in 38 verses

  • Exodus 25:4 And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair,
  • Exodus 35:25 And all the women that were wise hearted did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, both of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine linen.
  • Exodus 39:29 And a girdle of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, of needlework; as the LORD commanded Moses.