Hangings
The Curtains of the Tabernacle Court
The most prominent use of "hangings" in Scripture refers to the linen curtains that enclosed the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle. These curtains are described in detail in Exodus 27:9-15 and 38:9-18, where God gave Moses precise instructions for their construction. Made of "fine twined linen," these white curtains stood five cubits (approximately seven and a half feet) high and created a rectangular enclosure around the entire tabernacle complex.
The courtyard measured one hundred cubits long and fifty cubits wide, with the curtains suspended from bronze pillars using silver hooks. The pillars were set in bronze bases and connected by silver bands, creating a continuous wall of white linen that separated the sacred precinct from the surrounding camp. This fabric boundary defined the space within which Israel could approach God through sacrifice and worship.
The Screens at the Entrances
Distinct from the plain linen curtains were the decorated screens that covered the entrances to the tabernacle complex. These screens, made of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn embroidered into fine linen, marked the transition points between different levels of holiness.
The screen at the entrance to the courtyard (Exodus 27:16; 38:18) was twenty cubits wide and stood five cubits high, matching the surrounding curtains in height but distinguished by its colorful embroidery. This was the point where worshipers entered the sacred precinct, moving from the ordinary space of the camp into the consecrated area where sacrifices were offered.
A second screen hung at the entrance to the tabernacle itself (Exodus 26:36-37; 36:37), marking the boundary between the courtyard where the laity could approach and the enclosed structure where only priests could enter. This screen was also made of embroidered blue, purple, and scarlet yarn on fine linen, suspended from five gold-covered pillars.
The innermost screen was the famous veil separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (Exodus 26:31-33). Unlike the other screens, this veil was adorned with embroidered cherubim, symbolizing the angelic guardians who stood between God's throne and the created world. Only the high priest could pass beyond this veil, and only once a year on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:2).
The Materials and Their Symbolism
The materials used in the hangings carried symbolic significance. The fine white linen represented purity and righteousness. The blue yarn evoked the heavens and the divine realm. Purple, a royal color produced from rare marine dyes, signified kingship and sovereignty. Scarlet pointed to blood and sacrifice.
The progression from the plain white linen of the outer curtains to the richly embroidered screens at the entrances to the elaborately decorated veil with its cherubim corresponded to increasing levels of holiness as one moved closer to God's presence. Each layer of fabric communicated both invitation and restriction — God was present among His people, yet His holiness demanded careful, mediated approach.
Hangings in Other Biblical Contexts
Second Kings 23:7 mentions "hangings" (or "houses") that women wove for the Asherah as part of idolatrous worship in the Jerusalem temple. King Josiah destroyed these during his sweeping religious reforms. Some scholars interpret these as tent shrines for the image of the goddess, while others suggest they were garments placed on the idol. Either way, this passage presents a dark counterpoint to the tabernacle hangings — textile work devoted to a false deity rather than to the true God.
Esther 1:6 describes the lavish hangings in the Persian court of King Ahasuerus: "white cotton curtains and violet hangings fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rods and marble pillars." While not directly related to worship, this description illustrates how textile decorations served to display wealth and royal authority throughout the ancient Near East.
The Veil Torn in Two
The theological significance of the tabernacle hangings reaches its climax in the New Testament. When Jesus died on the cross, "the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom" (Matthew 27:51; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:45). This was the veil corresponding to the innermost hanging of the tabernacle — the barrier between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place.
The tearing of this curtain from top to bottom signified that God Himself had removed the barrier. Hebrews 10:19-20 interprets this event: "We have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh." What the tabernacle hangings had symbolically restricted, Christ's sacrifice permanently opened.
Biblical Context
The tabernacle hangings are described in detail in Exodus 26-27 and 35-40, with their care assigned to the Levites (Numbers 3:26; 4:25-26). The courtyard curtains, entrance screens, and inner veil represented increasing levels of holiness. Second Kings 23:7 mentions hangings made for idolatrous worship. The torn temple veil at Christ's death (Matthew 27:51) represents the theological fulfillment of what the hangings symbolized.
Theological Significance
The tabernacle hangings embodied the tension between God's desire to dwell among His people and the holiness that required mediated access to His presence. Each layer of fabric communicated both welcome and warning. The progression from outer curtain to inner veil taught Israel that approaching God required increasing purity and priestly mediation. The tearing of the temple veil at Christ's death declared that this barrier had been permanently removed through His sacrifice.
Historical Background
Textile production was a major industry in the ancient Near East, and fine linen was particularly valued. The blue dye (tekhelet) was derived from a Mediterranean sea snail and was extremely costly. Purple dye came from the murex snail, primarily harvested by the Phoenicians. Archaeological finds from Egyptian and Mesopotamian sites confirm the importance of decorated textiles in religious contexts. Ancient temples throughout the Near East used fabric hangings to delineate sacred spaces, making the tabernacle's design culturally intelligible while theologically distinctive.