Exodus 26:26

And thou shalt make bars of shittim wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle,

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(26) Bars of shittim wood.—The object of the “bars” was to hold the “boards” together, and prevent there being any aperture between one board and another. They were fifteen in number, five for each of the three sides of the boarded space. The “middle bar” on each side was to extend from end to end of the tabernacle (Exodus 26:28), the four bars above and below being shorter, each coupling together probably one-half of the boards of its side. The bars were passed through “rings” attached to the boards (Exodus 26:29), each board having at least one such ring. It is probable that they were placed outside the tabernacle walls.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

26:15-30 The sockets of silver each weighed about 115 pounds; they were placed in rows on the ground. In every pair of these sockets, a strong board of shittim-wood, covered with plates of gold, was fitted by mortises and tenons. Thus walls were formed for the two sides, and for the west end. The wall was further held together by bars, which passed through rings of gold. Over this the curtains were spread. Though movable, it was strong and firm. The materials were very costly. In all this it was a type of the church of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner-stone, Eph 2:20,21.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The corner boards appear to have been of such width, and so placed, as to add 18 in. to the width of the structure, making up with the six boards of full width Exodus 26:22 about 15 ft. in the clear (see Exodus 26:18). The "ring" was so formed as to receive two bars meeting "beneath" and "above" at a right angle.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

15-30. thou shalt make boards … rear up the tabernacle according to the fashion … which was showed thee—The tabernacle, from its name as well as from its general appearance and arrangements, was a tent; but from the description given in these verses, the boards that formed its walls, the five (cross) bars that strengthened them, and the middle bar that "reached from end to end," and gave it solidity and compactness, it was evidently a more substantial fabric than a light and fragile tent, probably on account of the weight of its various coverings as well as for the protection of its precious furniture.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

By bars you may understand either,

1. Several rows or orders of bars, one bar beginning at the end of the other, and each containing four cubits in length, and altogether twenty cubits, which was the length of the tabernacle; or,

2. Single bars, which seem truer,

1. Because the word signifies bars, not rows of bars; and why should we go from the proper signification of the word without cause?

2. If bars be put for rows of bars, there must be five rows of bars on a side, there being so many bars said to be on a side. But the abettors of that opinion allow only four rows of bars on a side; and it is apparent the middle bar, which is one of the five, is but one single bar, Exodus 26:28, and therefore it may be presumed the rest were so too.

3. The name of the middle bar implies, that of the other four bars, two were above it, and two below it.

Object. But if they were each single bars, reaching the whole length of the building, why is it said peculiarly of the middle bar, that it should reach from end to end, or from extremity to extremity? Exodus 26:28.

Answ. This may be peculiarly said of this, either because the other four might want something of the just length of the building, or because the middle bar might stand out beyond the two ends of it, for conveniency of the carriage of the building.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And thou shalt make bars of shittim wood, Which being put into rings or staples of gold, kept the boards tight, close, and firm together:

five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle: for instance, the south side; four of these were placed, two at the upper end of the boards, and two at the lower end, and the fifth in the middle, particularly taken notice of, Exodus 26:28, how long these bars were it is not said, but it is reasonable to conclude that they reached the length of the tabernacle, which was thirty cubits; and as it was not easy to get bars of such a length, the notion of Josephus (u) perhaps, may be right, that each two consisted of divers parts which joined one another, the head of one entering into the hollow of the other and as he supposes they were five cubits long, a row of them must have six parts, which went along the sides, north and south, and the west end two, which was but ten cubits.

(u) Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 3. c. 6. sect. 3.)

Geneva Study Bible

And thou shalt make bars of shittim wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle,

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

26–29. The bars. Five gilt bars of acacia wood, attached to the frames by gold rings, are to run horizontally along the two sides and the back of the Dwelling, to keep the frames in their places. The middle bar in each case ran from end to end: the other bars, it may be inferred, were shorter, perhaps arranged as is here shewn:

It is not stated whether the bars were to be outside or inside the Dwelling: but the former seems the more natural, and is commonly assumed.

Pulpit Commentary

Verses 26-28. - Bars of shittim wood. To give greater stability to the structure, to keep the boards in their places, and to prevent there being any aperture between them, five bars were to be made for each side, and the same number for the end, of the mishkan, which were to be passed through rings attached to the boards - one at least to each - and thus to hold the boards firmly together. The middle bar in each case was to extend the whole length of the enclosure (ver. 28), and thus in two cases to be thirty cubits, or forty-five feet long. The exact length, and the disposition of the other bars is not indicated; but it is with reason conjectured that two were above and two below the "middle bar" that all were horizontal - and that each coupled together one half of the boards of each side. The length of each was probably fifteen cubits; and the ends which reached the two comer posts at the back ran into the corner rings, which were shaped so as to receive the two bars (see ver. 24). It is not said whether the bars were inside or outside the mishkan; but the best authorities suppose them to have been outside. Exodus 26:26

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Sixteen sockets were to be made for these eight boards, two for each. - Exodus 26:26-29. To fasten the boards, that they might not separate from one another, bars of acacia-wood were to be made and covered with gold, five for each of the three sides of the dwelling; and though it is not expressly stated, yet the reference to rings in Exodus 26:29 as holders of the bars (לבּריחים בּתּים) is a sufficient indication that they were passed through golden rings fastened into the boards.