ad above it; and over this again were two further
screens from the weather (14), and finally, inside all, are "the boards
of the tabernacle"--of which boards the two actual apartments were
constructed (15-30)--and the veil which divided the Holy from the Most
Holy Place (31-3).

"The curtains of the tabernacle" were ten, made of linen, of which every
thread consisted of fine strands twisted together, "and blue and purple
and scarlet," with cherubim not embroidered but woven into the fabric
(1).

These curtains were sewn together, five and five, so as to make two
great curtains, each slightly larger than forty-two feet by thirty,
being twenty-eight cubits long by five times four cubits broad (2, 3).
Finally these two were linked together, each having fifty loops for that
purpose at corresponding places at the edge, which loops were bound
together by fifty golden clasps (4-6). Thus, when the nation was about
to march, they could easily be divided in the middle and then folded in
the seams.

This costly fabric was regarded as part of the true tabernacle: why,
then, do we find the outer curtains mentioned before the rest of the
tabernacle proper is described?

Certainly because these rich curtains lie immediately underneath the
coarser ones, and are to be considered along with "the tent" which
covered all (7). This consisted of curtains of goats' hair, of the same
size, and arranged in all respects like the others, except that their
clasps were only bronze, and that the curtains were eleven in number,
instead of ten, so that half a curtain was available to hang down over
the back, and half was to be doubled back upon itself at the front of
"the tabernacle," that is to say, the richer curtains underneath. The
object of this is obvious: it was to bring the centre of the goatskin
curtains over the edge of the linen ones, as tiles overlap each other,
to shut out the rain at the joints. But this implies, what has been said
already, that the curtains of the tabernacle should lie close to the
curtains of the tent.

Over these again was an outer covering of rams' skins dyed red, and a
covering of sealskins above all (14). This last, it is generally agreed,
ran only along the top, like a ridge tile, to protect the vulnerable
part of the roof. And now it has to be remembered that we are speaking
of a real tent with sloping sides, not a flat cover laid upon the flat
inner structure of boards, and certain to admit the rain. By ca