And shall cover it again with a cover of violet skins, and shall spread over it a cloth all of violet, and shall put in the bars.
וְנָתְנ֣וּ עָלָ֗יו כְּסוּי֙ ע֣וֹר תַּ֔חַשׁ וּפָרְשׂ֧וּ בֶֽגֶד־כְּלִ֛יל תְּכֵ֖לֶת מִלְמָ֑עְלָה וְשָׂמ֖וּ בַּדָּֽיו׃
3 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Additionally, the sacred ark, the golden censer, the lampstand, and the vessels for service shall be adorned with coverings made of blue skins and fabrics. The color blue represents that which comes from above and from the heavens, symbolizing the vastness of the ether that reaches great heights and profound depths.
Why did the Lord instruct that some sacred vessels be draped in blue while others were covered in scarlet? The cherished vessels were adorned solely with blue coverings, reflecting the color of the heavens. Thus, what lay within the veil was commanded by God to be concealed with blue fabric, while the external elements were enveloped in scarlet and similar hues; for it is not heaven that enacts punishment, but rather the earth that endures the consequences for transgressing divine law. The scarlet cloth symbolizes the earthly kingdom, yet the kingdom of God is both eternal and unchanging. Consequently, the area outside the tabernacle was covered with both scarlet and blue veils.
Acknowledging the tribe of Kohath, God ordained that first the priests, upon entering the sanctuary, should shroud the tabernacle and other vessels with these specified coverings. Only after this should the sons of Kohath advance to carry them, to prevent their destruction from witnessing the sacred and concealed majesty.
Before its transformation into the New Testament Church through the God-Man Jesus Christ, the Old Testament Church received divine instructions from God regarding the carrying of the Tabernacle during the Israelites' journey through the desert. God commanded Moses and Aaron to cover all the holy items of the altar and their decorations with a scarlet veil, entrusting these sacred objects to the Levites for transport. This directive is elaborated in Numbers 4:5-20, which states that Aaron and his sons should remove the veil from the first tabernacle—the assembly—and cover the ark of the testimony with it. They were to drape it with a covering of blue skins and a layer of blue wool, securing the ark on its carrying poles (Numbers 4:5-6).
Further instructions were given regarding the table of showbread and the golden altar with its utensils, commanding them to cleanse the altar from ashes, cover it with a purple robe, and arrange all its sacrificial vessels under a purple robe, also to be veiled in blue skins and placed upon a stretcher (Numbers 4:15-16). This meticulous care was likely intended to prevent the curiosity of bystanders from leading them to gaze upon the most sacred items before they were obscured, as any unauthorized individual who dared to look upon or touch these holy things risked death. Therefore, those responsible for carrying the sacred items only bore the weight on their shoulders while these articles were concealed from their sight by the scarlet veil. In a similar manner, those who fully yield to God's will refrain from probing into the profound mysteries of His Providence and Wisdom. Each of us must willingly accept the burden of this restraint on our curiosity; it suffices for us to trust that the load we carry, enveloped in the blue or scarlet veil—symbolizing the depths of God's incomprehensible will—is ultimately for our salvation.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS