Exodus 40:19

And he spread abroad the tent over the tabernacle, and put the covering of the tent above upon it; as the LORD commanded Moses.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(19) He spread abroad the tent over the tabernacle.—Erected, i.e., the wooden framework, with the covering of goats’-hair, which formed the true tent (’ohel), and so roofed in the Tabernacle (mishkan).

Put the covering . . . above upon it.—“The covering” (miksêh) is the outer protection of rams’ skins and seals’ skins. (See Exodus 26:14.)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

40:16-33 When the tabernacle and the furniture of it were prepared, they did not put off rearing it till they came to Canaan; but, in obedience to the will of God, they set it up in the midst of their camp. Those who are unsettled in the world, must not think that this will excuse want of religion; as if it were enough to begin to serve God when they begin to be settled in the world. No; a tabernacle for God is very needful, even in a wilderness, especially as we may be in another world before we come to fix in this. And we may justly fear lest we should deceive ourselves with a form of godliness. The thought that so few entered Canaan, should warn young persons especially, not to put off the care of their souls.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The tent-cloth was spread over the tabernacle-cloth, and the covering of skins was put over the tent-cloth. See Exodus 26:1 note.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

16. Thus did Moses: according to all that the Lord commanded him—On his part, the same scrupulous fidelity was shown in conforming to the "pattern" in the disposition of the furniture, as had been displayed by the workmen in the erection of the edifice.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

No text from Poole on this verse.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And he spread abroad the tent over the tabernacle,.... Which were curtains of goats' hair:

and put the covering of the tent above upon it; which was of rams' skins died red, and over that another covering of badgers' skins:

as the Lord commanded Moses; Exodus 26:7.

Geneva Study Bible

And he spread abroad the tent over the tabernacle, and put the covering of the tent above upon it; as the LORD commanded Moses.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

19. the tent over the Dwelling, and … the covering] See Exodus 26:7; Exodus 26:14.

‘Covering’ (strictly, ‘coverings’), as Exodus 35:11.

as Jehovah commanded Moses] so vv. 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 32; cf. on Exodus 39:1.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 19. - He spread abroad the tent over the tabernacle. The entire distinctness of the tent (ohel) from the tabernacle (mishkan) is here very strongly marked. The "tent" was the goats' hair covering, with the framework of wood that supported it. The covering. The outer covering of rams' skins and seals' skins. (See Exodus 26:14.) Exodus 40:19

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

On the day mentioned in Exodus 40:2 the dwelling and court were erected. As not quite nine months had elapsed between the arrival of the Israelites at Sinai, in the third month after the Exodus (Exodus 19:1), and the first day of the second year, when the work was finished and handed over to Moses, the building, and all the work connected with it, had not occupied quite half a year; as we have to deduct from the nine months (or somewhat less) not only the eighty days which Moses spent upon Sinai (Exodus 24:18; Exodus 34:28), but the days of preparation for the giving of the law and conclusion of the covenant (Exodus 19:1-24:11), and the interval between the first and second stay that Moses made upon the mountain (ch. 32 and 33). The erection of the dwelling commenced with the fixing of the sockets, into which the boards were placed and fastened with their bolts, and the setting up of the pillars for the curtains (Exodus 40:18). "He (Moses) then spread the tent over the dwelling, and laid the covering of the tent upon the top." By the "covering of the tent" we are to understand the two coverings, made of red rams' skins and the skins of the sea-cow (Exodus 26:14). In analogy with this, את־האלל פּרשׂ denotes not only the roofing with the goats' hair, but the spreading out of the inner cloth of mixed colours upon the wooden frame-work.