Numbers 4:6

Numbers 4:6

 

And shall put thereon the covering of badgers' skins, and shall spread over it a cloth wholly of blue, and shall put in the staves thereof.

 

a.    The priests would then place over the cover of the veil the covering of badgers skins. and over that was placed a blue cloth.

 

1. “…and shall spread over it a cloth wholly of blue…”

 

a. These cloths were the ones made by Uri and Aholiab.

 

1). Exodus 38:22, 23 And Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the LORD commanded Moses.

And with him [was] Aholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver, and a cunning workman, and an embroiderer in blue, and in purple, and in scarlet, and fine linen.

 

2). Exodus 39:1 And of the blue, and purple, and scarlet, they made cloths of service, to do service in the holy place, and made the holy garments for Aaron; as the LORD commanded Moses.

 

b. The Chumash, Stone Edition. Numbers 4, Note 6: “In the case of the other Tabernacle components, they were first covered with wool and that, in turn, was covered with a tachash-hide (KJV badgers’ skin). Only the Ark had the turquoise wool (which the Sages describe as “the color of the sea, similar to the color of the sky, on top of the tachash, to sympolize its holiness, for sky-blue wool represents the purity of heaven (Ramban).”

 

1). The Chumash, Stone Edition. Exodus 25:5 Note: “Tachash skins. The tachash was a beautiful, multi-colored animal that existed only at that time and then became extinct.” 

 

2. “…and shall put in the staves thereof.”

 

a. The Chumash, Stone Edition, Numbers 4, Under Note 6: “Adjust its staves. This verb is usually rendered ‘and they shall emplace, implying that the staves would not be inserted in their rings. This translation is not tenable, however, because, unlike the staves of the Table and Altar, which were inserted only for transport, it is forbidden ever to remove the staves of the Ark from their rings (Exodus 25:15). Consequently, the term must mean that the staves were place on the shoulders of the Levites, or that they were adjusted within their rings to facilitate the Levites’ task of carrying the Ark.”