Exodus 26:31-32
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This ornate veil wasn't just a decoration; its very name suggested separation, a physical barrier that pointed to an even greater spiritual divide. The intricate cherubim woven into its fabric hinted at the heavenly presence behind it, a constant reminder that God’s holiness was approached only through divine provision.
“And you shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. It shall be made with cherubim skillfully worked into it. And you shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, with hooks of gold, on four bases of silver.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse describes a crucial barrier within the Tabernacle: a beautifully woven veil made of expensive materials and intricately worked with cherubim. This veil's purpose was to separate the "Holy Place" from the "Most Holy Place," the inner sanctum where God's presence was most intensely felt, accessible only to the High Priest once a year. This separation symbolized the profound distance between sinful humanity and a holy God, a barrier that would later be torn at Christ's death.
Why did God specify such luxurious materials and intricate artistry for the Tabernacle's inner veil?
Material Majesty
The veil separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place wasn't just a divider; it was a masterpiece. Made of blue, purple, and scarlet yarns, along with fine twined linen, it spoke of incredible value and divine craftsmanship. Blue represented the heavenly realm, purple royalty, scarlet sacrifice, and fine linen purity.
Heavenly Artistry
But the true marvel was the skillfully worked cherubim. These celestial beings, often depicted as guardians of God's presence, were intricately woven into the fabric. This wasn't mere decoration; it was a theological statement, highlighting that this veil was the boundary of God's immediate presence, guarded and sacred.
This thick, ornate curtain wasn't just hiding God; it was hiding something about our access to Him.
A Barrier of Separation
The primary function of the veil was to separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, the space where God's special presence dwelled. Only the High Priest could enter, and only once a year, symbolizing the great distance between sinful humanity and a holy God.
A Prophetic Picture
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This separation powerfully foreshadowed the reality before Christ. The 'way into the holiest' was not yet fully revealed. The veil represented the barrier of sin that kept humanity from direct communion with God. Its very thickness and richness served to emphasize this inaccessibility.
Understand the original words
paroketh · Hebrew Noun
A heavy curtain or screen designed to obstruct view or access, in the tabernacle it served to physically demarcate the sacred space and protect sinful humanity from the immediate, unapproachable presence of God.
kerubim · Hebrew Noun
Celestial beings closely associated with the throne and holiness of God, serving as guardians of divine glory and holiness, specifically portrayed here as attendants of the sacred space.
shittim · Hebrew Noun
A dense, durable wood common in the desert, often used for furniture and structural elements of the tabernacle, symbolizing humanity or the earthly nature of the structure prepared for divine habitation.
This passage in Hebrews directly references the veil in the tabernacle, calling it the 'second veil,' and explaining its symbolic meaning related to the way into God's presence.
Hebrews 10:19-20Here, the author of Hebrews explicitly connects the torn veil of the temple to Christ's flesh being torn, which opens a new and living way for us to enter the most holy place, heaven itself.
Matthew 27:51This Gospel account describes the dramatic moment the temple veil was torn in two at the exact time of Jesus' death, demonstrating the theological significance of the veil's symbolic breaking.
2 Chronicles 3:14This passage describes the veil in Solomon's Temple, showing the continuity of this significant symbolic element from the Tabernacle to the Temple and its role in separating the holy from the most holy.
Isaiah 6:2This prophecy describes the seraphim, angelic beings often associated with cherubim, covering their faces and feet in awe before God's holiness, reflecting the sacredness and mystery represented by the cherubim on the veil.
clarkeExodus 26:31: "And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made:"
Thou shalt make a veil - פרכת parocheth, from פרך parach, to break or rend; the inner veil of the tabernacle or temple, ( 2 Chronicles 3:14 ), which broke, interrupted, or divided between the holy place and the most holy; the Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle…
cambridgeExodus 26:31: "And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made:"
31 . a veil ] Heb. pârôketh , only in P, in the same connexion, and 2 Chronicles 3:14 : the primary meaning was probably ‘that which shuts off’ cf. Ass. parâku , to bar or shut off, parakku, apartment , esp. shrine in a Temple; Syr. perakkâ (loan-word), a shrine ). In Hebrews 6:19 f., Exodus 9:7-8 , Exodus 10:19-22 , the veil (with allusion to the…
This ornate veil wasn't just a decoration; its very name suggested separation, a physical barrier that pointed to an even greater spiritual divide. The intricate cherubim woven into its fabric hinted at the heavenly presence behind it, a constant reminder that God’s holiness was approached only through divine provision.
This verse describes a crucial barrier within the Tabernacle: a beautifully woven veil made of expensive materials and intricately worked with cherubim. This veil's purpose was to separate the "Holy Place" from the "Most Holy Place," the inner sanctum where God's presence was most intensely felt, accessible only to the High Priest once a year. This separation symbolized the profound distance between sinful humanity and a holy God, a barrier that would later be torn at Christ's death.
This verse describes a crucial barrier within the Tabernacle: a beautifully woven veil made of expensive materials and intricately worked with cherubim. This veil's purpose was to separate the "Holy Place" from the "Most Holy Place," the inner sanctum where God's presence was most intensely felt, accessible only to the High Priest once a year. This separation symbolized the profound distance between sinful humanity and a holy God, a barrier that would later be torn at Christ's death.
"“And you shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. It shall be made with cherubim skillfully worked into it. And you shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, with hooks of gold, on fou…" — This ornate veil wasn't just a decoration; its very name suggested separation, a physical barrier that pointed to an even greater spiritual divide. The intricate cherubim woven into its fabric hinted…
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Last reviewed October 2026
