Bible Dictionaries
Curtain

Holman Bible Dictionary

A piece of cloth or other material, sometimes arranged so that it can be drawn up or sideways, hung either for decoration or to cover, conceal, or shut off something. “Curtain” is often used synonymously with “tent” (Song of Song of Solomon 1:5; Isaiah 54:2; Jeremiah 4:20; Jeremiah 10:20; Jeremiah 49:29; Habakkuk 3:7 ). The tabernacle which was constructed to carry the ark of the covenant was made of ten curtains (Exodus 26:2 ). At a later time in Israelite history, two curtain were used to close off the holy place and the holy of holies in the Temple. The curtain separating the holy of holies and the holy place was torn from top to bottom at the time of Jesus' death signifying the access that all people had to God from that time forward (Matthew 27:51 ). The writer of Hebrews speaks of the curtain in the heavenly sanctuary (Hebrews 6:19; Hebrews 9:3 ). Jesus also opened this curtain to his followers by his death (Hebrews 10:20 ).