Exodus 26:36

Exo 26:36 [Samaritan Pentateuch]

ועשית מסך לפתח האהל תכלת וארגמן ותולעת שני ושש משזר מעשה רקם

Exo 26:36 [Masoretic Text]

וְעָשִׂ֤יתָ מָסָךְ֙ לְפֶ֣תַח הָאֹ֔הֶל תְּכֵ֧לֶת וְאַרְגָּמָ֛ן וְתֹולַ֥עַת שָׁנִ֖י וְשֵׁ֣שׁ מָשְׁזָ֑ר מַעֲשֵׂ֖ה רֹקֵֽם׃

And you shall make a screen for the entrance of the tent of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and fine twisted linen, the work of an embroiderer.

Morphology

1. וְעָשִׂ֤יתָ (veʿasita) – Root: עשה (ʿ-s-h); Form: Conjunction + Verb, Qal, Perfect, 2ms; Translation: “And you shall make”; Notes: Indicates a directive to construct or fabricate.
2. מָסָךְ֙ (masakh) – Root: סכך (s-k-k); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “A screen”; Notes: Refers to a covering or curtain for the tent entrance.
3. לְפֶ֣תַח (lefetakh) – Root: פתח (p-t-kh); Form: Preposition + Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “For the entrance”; Notes: Specifies the location of the screen.
4. הָאֹ֔הֶל (ha’ohel) – Root: אהל (ʾ-h-l); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “The tent”; Notes: Refers to the Tabernacle structure.
5. תְּכֵ֧לֶת (tekhelet) – Root: תכלת (t-k-l-t); Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “Blue”; Notes: A specific blue dye used in sacred garments and furnishings.
6. וְאַרְגָּמָ֛ן (ve’argaman) – Root: ארגמן (ʾ-r-g-m-n); Form: Conjunction + Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “And purple”; Notes: A prestigious purple dye, often signifying royalty.
7. וְתֹולַ֥עַת (vetolaʿat) – Root: תולע (t-w-l-ʿ); Form: Conjunction + Noun, feminine singular construct; Translation: “And scarlet”; Notes: Refers to scarlet yarn derived from the crimson worm.
8. שָׁנִ֖י (shani) – Root: שני (sh-n-y); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Scarlet”; Notes: Often paired with fine materials in Tabernacle furnishings.
9. וְשֵׁ֣שׁ (veshesh) – Root: שש (sh-sh); Form: Conjunction + Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “And fine linen”; Notes: Refers to finely twisted linen.
10. מָשְׁזָ֑ר (mashzar) – Root: שזר (sh-z-r); Form: Adjective, masculine singular; Translation: “Twisted”; Notes: Describes the preparation of the linen.
11. מַעֲשֵׂ֖ה (maʿaseh) – Root: עשה (ʿ-s-h); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct; Translation: “The work of”; Notes: Introduces the craftsmanship.
12. רֹקֵֽם (roqem) – Root: רקם (r-q-m); Form: Participle, masculine singular; Translation: “An embroiderer”; Notes: Denotes skilled workmanship for sacred items.

Textual Commentary of Exodus 26:36

In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), the instructions for the Altar of Incense (Exodus 30:1–10) are inserted right between Exodus 26:35 (which describes setting up the inner sanctuary furniture) and Exodus 26:36 (which describes the screen for the door/entrance of the tent).

The structural logic behind this arrangement and the reasons biblical text critics argue that this order, also backed by pre-Samaritan Dead Sea Scrolls, could represent the original text-type are outlined below.

1. Spatial and Geographical Logic

In the traditional Masoretic Text (MT) (the Jewish/Protestant Hebrew Bible):

• Exodus 25–26 gives commands for all the items inside the tabernacle: the Ark of the Covenant in the Most Holy Place, followed by the Table of Showbread and the Golden Lampstand in the Holy Place.
• Suddenly, the narrative leaves the inner room, shifts to the outer courtyard (the Bronze Altar, Ex. 27), covers priestly garments (Ex. 28), and details the ordination rituals (Ex. 29).
• Only then, in Exodus 30:1–10, does the text circle back to command the Golden Altar of Incense.

In the Samaritan Pentateuch:

• Exodus 26:35 details placing the Table of Showbread and Lampstand inside the Holy Place.
• Exodus 30:1–10 immediately follows, commanding the Altar of Incense, which stands in that exact same room in front of the veil.
• Exodus 26:36 follows next, providing instructions to build the screen/curtain that seals off the entrance to that room.

Why this makes sense: The SP sequence finishes commanding every piece of furniture inside the Holy Place before instructing Moses to put up the door curtain that closes off the room.

2. Consistency with the Rest of Exodus

The Samaritan placement resolves major internal inconsistencies found in the Masoretic Text:

• Symmetry with the Execution Narrative (Exodus 37–40): When Bezalel and Moses actually build and set up the tabernacle later in the book, they build and place the Altar of Incense alongside the Table and Lampstand (Exodus 37:25–29; 40:26). The SP’s command sequence (Exodus 25–26) directly matches its execution sequence, whereas the MT has a disjointed command sequence.
• The Problem of the High Priest’s Ordination (Exodus 29): In Exodus 29:12–18, Aaron and his sons are consecrated, and their rituals involve burning incense and applying blood to the horns of the altar. In the MT order, the priests are instructed on how to perform rituals on an altar that God hasn’t actually commanded Moses to build yet (since the Altar of Incense isn’t introduced until Exodus 30). In the SP, the altar is already fully detailed before the ordination instructions begin.

3. Manuscript Evidence: The Dead Sea Scrolls

For centuries, many scholars assumed the Samaritan Pentateuch simply “edited” the text to make it smoother. However, discoveries at Qumran changed this perspective:

• Manuscripts among the Dead Sea Scrolls (such as 4QpaleoExodᵐ) match the Samaritan sequence, placing Exodus 30:1–10 right after Exodus 26:35.
• This proves that this order was not a late Samaritan invention, but belonged to an ancient, widespread Palestinian text-type used in Second Temple Judaism before the Samaritan/Jewish schism fully solidified.

Why Scholars Think It Might Be Original (Scribal Error in MT)

Text critics who view the Samaritan/Dead Sea Scroll order as the original text suggest that the Masoretic Text suffered an early scribal error called homoioteleuton (accidental omission caused by similar line endings or topics) or a misplaced leaf:

1. An ancient scribe accidentally skipped the 10 verses detailing the Incense Altar while copying Exodus 26.
2. Upon realizing the mistake, the scribe (or a later redactor) inserted the omitted block at the end of the tabernacle instruction unit—which became Exodus 30.
3. The Samaritan Pentateuch and ancient Dead Sea Scroll fragments preserved the uninterrupted, original blueprint layout where all Holy Place furniture is grouped together inside the room before the door is sealed.