What does Exodus 36:14 mean?
"¶ And he made curtains of goats' hair for the tent over the tabernacle: eleven curtains he made them." - Exodus 36:14

Exodus 36:14 in the King James Version reads, "He made curtains of goats' hair for the tent over the tabernacle: eleven curtains he made them." This verse occurs in the context of the construction of the tabernacle, which was a portable sanctuary that the Israelites built according to God's specific instructions during their time in the wilderness. The tabernacle was to be a place where God could dwell among His people, and its construction required careful attention to detail and adherence to divine specifications.
In this particular verse, we see the mention of curtains made of goats' hair that were used to cover the tent over the tabernacle. These curtains were essential for providing privacy and shielding the tabernacle from the elements. The use of goats' hair in their construction is significant, as it points to the practicality and resourcefulness of the Israelites in utilizing the materials available to them in the wilderness.
One of the key themes that emerges from this verse is the importance of obedience and attention to detail in carrying out God's instructions. Throughout the book of Exodus, we see a consistent emphasis on the Israelites' meticulous adherence to the specific requirements that God has outlined for the construction of the tabernacle. This reflects the idea that obedience to God's commands is essential for creating a space where His presence can be properly honored and experienced.
Furthermore, the use of goats' hair in the construction of the curtains symbolizes the Israelites' dependence on God as their provider. In the wilderness, they lacked access to many of the resources and materials that would typically be available for such a construction project. However, God supplied them with the necessary materials and also gifted them with the skills and craftsmanship needed to carry out the task.
Another theme that can be gleaned from this verse is the significance of the tabernacle as a place of worship and encounter with God. The careful construction of the tabernacle serves as a reminder that God's presence is to be honored and approached with reverence. The curtains of goats' hair, along with the rest of the tabernacle's furnishings, served as a physical representation of the Israelites' desire to create a sacred space for communing with their Creator.
From a broader theological perspective, the construction of the tabernacle can also be seen as a foreshadowing of the coming of Jesus Christ. The tabernacle, with its specific dimensions and elements, served as a type of visual aid to help the Israelites understand the nature of God's holiness and His desire to dwell among His people. In the New Testament, we see the fulfillment of this concept in the person of Jesus, who came to dwell among humanity as the ultimate manifestation of God's presence.
In conclusion, Exodus 36:14, while seemingly a simple description of the construction of the tabernacle curtains, contains rich layers of meaning and significance. It speaks to the themes of obedience, dependence on God, the sanctity of sacred spaces, and the foreshadowing of Jesus Christ. As with all passages in the Bible, it invites us to reflect on the deeper truths and insights that can be gleaned from God's word.
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Exodus 36:14 - "¶ And he made curtains of goats' hair for the tent over the tabernacle: eleven curtains he made them."
"¶ And he made curtains of goats' hair for the tent over the tabernacle: eleven curtains he made them." - Exodus 36:14
Exodus 39:36 - "The table, and all the vessels thereof, and the shewbread,"
Exodus 16:36 - "Now an omer is the tenth part of an ephah."
Exodus 36:36 - "And he made thereunto four pillars of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold: their hooks were of gold; and he cast for them four sockets of silver."
Exodus 36:27 - "And for the sides of the tabernacle westward he made six boards."
Exodus 36:7 - "For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much."
1 Corinthians 14:36
Exodus 36:28 - "And two boards made he for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides."
Exodus 36:20 - "¶ And he made boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood, standing up."
Exodus 36:16 - "And he coupled five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves."
1 Corinthians 14:36
Exodus 36:23 - "And he made boards for the tabernacle; twenty boards for the south side southward:"
Exodus 36:21 - "The length of a board was ten cubits, and the breadth of a board one cubit and a half."
Job 36:14 - "They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean."
Exodus 36:18 - "And he made fifty taches of brass to couple the tent together, that it might be one."
Exodus 36:31 - "¶ And he made bars of shittim wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle,"
1 Corinthians 14:36-40
1 Corinthians 14:36-37
Exodus 36:33 - "And he made the middle bar to shoot through the boards from the one end to the other."
Exodus 36:25 - "And for the other side of the tabernacle, which is toward the north corner, he made twenty boards,"
Exodus 25:36 - "Their knops and their branches shall be of the same: all it shall be one beaten work of pure gold."
"The table, and all the vessels thereof, and the shewbread," - Exodus 39:36
Exodus 36:34 - "And he overlaid the boards with gold, and made their rings of gold to be places for the bars, and overlaid the bars with gold."
Exodus 36:37 - "¶ And he made an hanging for the tabernacle door of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, of needlework;"
Exodus 36:19 - "And he made a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering of badgers' skins above that."
Exodus 36:32 - "And five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the tabernacle for the sides westward."
Exodus 36:38 - "And the five pillars of it with their hooks: and he overlaid their chapiters and their fillets with gold: but their five sockets were of brass."
"Now an omer is the tenth part of an ephah." - Exodus 16:36
Exodus 40:36 - "And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys:"