John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 8. And they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet , etc.] Upon the dishes and other vessels belonging to the shewbread table, and on the shewbread itself: and cover the same with a covering of badgers’ skins ; this was clearly the outward covering, and seems to confirm the observation made in ( Numbers 4:6); that the same sort of covering was the outermost covering of the ark: and shall put in the staves thereof ; which belonged to the table, and were made to carry it with on occasion, from place to place; (see Exodus 25:27,28); and the same phrase being used as here of the staves of the ark in ( Numbers 4:6); seems to confirm the sense of them there, that they were taken out and put in upon this occasion, though otherwise fixed.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 4-20 - The Kohathites were to carry the holy things of the tabernacle. All the holy things were to be covered; not only for security and respect, but to keep them from being seen. This not only marked the reverence due to holy things, but the mystery of the things signified by those types and the darkness of the dispensation. But now, through Christ, the cas is altered, and we are encouraged to come boldly to the throne of grace.
Original Hebrew ופרשׂו6566 עליהם5921 בגד899 תולעת8438 שׁני8144 וכסו3680 אתו853 במכסה4372 עור5785 תחשׁ8476 ושׂמו7760 את853 בדיו׃905
