What materials were offered in Exodus 35:23, and why were they significant?

The verse in focus

“and every man who had blue, purple, or scarlet yarn, fine linen or goat hair, ram skins dyed red or fine leather, presented them.” (Exodus 35:23)

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The materials offered

• Blue yarn

• Purple yarn

• Scarlet yarn

• Fine linen

• Goat hair

• Ram skins dyed red

• Fine leather

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Why each item mattered

• Blue yarn – Frequently linked with heaven and the commandments (Numbers 15:38). Its sky-colored hue reminded Israel that worship connects earth to God’s heavenly throne.

• Purple yarn – A color of royalty and majesty (Judges 8:26; Mark 15:17). It pointed to the Kingly authority of the LORD who would dwell in the Tabernacle and foreshadowed Christ’s royal office.

• Scarlet yarn – The vivid picture of sacrificial blood (Isaiah 1:18). It anticipated the atoning work that would take place at the altar and ultimately the shedding of Christ’s blood.

• Fine linen – Smooth, white fabric symbolizing purity and righteousness (Revelation 19:8). Used for priestly garments and the inner curtains, it underscored the holiness required to approach God.

• Goat hair – Woven into the second layer of Tabernacle curtains (Exodus 26:7). Goats were central to sin offerings (Leviticus 16:15, 21), so this covering spoke of sin borne away from the camp.

• Ram skins dyed red – Formed the third protective layer (Exodus 26:14). Rams were substitutionary sacrifices (Genesis 22:13). Their red-dyed hides visibly testified to blood-bought protection.

• Fine leather – The outermost layer, shielding everything beneath (Exodus 26:14). Durable and weather-resistant, it pictured God’s safeguarding presence and the believer’s security in Him.

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Wider significance

• Costly devotion – These valuable goods came from people who had just left slavery, proving willing hearts matter more than wealth (Exodus 35:21).

• Ordered worship – Each material matched the detailed pattern God showed Moses (Exodus 25:40; Hebrews 8:5). Obedience produced a dwelling where God’s glory could rest (Exodus 40:34).

• Christ revealed – Every thread and hide hinted at Jesus: His heavenly origin (blue), royal dignity (purple), sacrificial blood (scarlet), perfect righteousness (linen), sin-bearing work (goat), substitutionary death (ram), and protecting grace (leather). Hebrews 9:24 affirms that the earthly sanctuary prefigured “the true one in heaven.”