Home/Objects/The Veil

Meaning: “Curtain / screen

The barrier to God’s presence, torn open by the cross.

The embroidered curtain that screened the Most Holy Place — torn in two at the death of Christ.

What It Was

The veil was a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet, woven with cherubim, that hung between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place (Exodus 26:31–33). Only the high priest passed through it, once a year, with blood.

Biblical Significance & Symbolism

At the moment Jesus died, “the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom” (Matthew 27:51) — torn by God from above. Hebrews explains the meaning: the veil is Christ’s flesh, and through his torn body we now have “boldness to enter into the holiest” (Hebrews 10:19–20). The way to God is open.

Timeline

1446 BC

The veil is woven to screen the Most Holy Place

Exodus 26:31
33 AD

The temple veil is torn in two at Jesus’ death

Matthew 27:51

Scripture References

25 verses
Exodus16 verses

Exodus 26:31

And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made:

Exodus 26:33

And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy.

Exodus 26:35

And thou shalt set the table without the vail, and the candlestick over against the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south: and thou shalt put the table on the north side.

Exodus 27:21

In the tabernacle of the congregation without the vail, which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before the LORD: it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel.

Exodus 30:6

And thou shalt put it before the vail that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee.

Exodus 34:33

And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail on his face.

Exodus 34:34

But when Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he took the vail off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded.

Exodus 34:35

And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone: and Moses put the vail upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

Exodus 35:12

The ark, and the staves thereof, with the mercy seat, and the vail of the covering,

Exodus 36:35

And he made a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: with cherubims made he it of cunning work.

Exodus 38:27

And of the hundred talents of silver were cast the sockets of the sanctuary, and the sockets of the vail; an hundred sockets of the hundred talents, a talent for a socket.

Exodus 39:34

And the covering of rams' skins dyed red, and the covering of badgers' skins, and the vail of the covering,

Exodus 40:3

And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and cover the ark with the vail.

Exodus 40:21

And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the vail of the covering, and covered the ark of the testimony; as the LORD commanded Moses.

Exodus 40:22

And he put the table in the tent of the congregation, upon the side of the tabernacle northward, without the vail.

Exodus 40:26

And he put the golden altar in the tent of the congregation before the vail:

Leviticus7 verses

Leviticus 4:6

And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the LORD, before the vail of the sanctuary.

Leviticus 4:17

And the priest shall dip his finger in some of the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD, even before the vail.

Leviticus 16:2

And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.

Leviticus 16:12

And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail:

Leviticus 16:15

Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:

Leviticus 21:23

Only he shall not go in unto the vail, nor come nigh unto the altar, because he hath a blemish; that he profane not my sanctuaries: for I the LORD do sanctify them.

Leviticus 24:3

Without the vail of the testimony, in the tabernacle of the congregation, shall Aaron order it from the evening unto the morning before the LORD continually: it shall be a statute for ever in your generations.

Numbers2 verses

Numbers 4:5

And when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering vail, and cover the ark of testimony with it:

Numbers 18:7

Therefore thou and thy sons with thee shall keep your priest's office for every thing of the altar, and within the vail; and ye shall serve: I have given your priest's office unto you as a service of gift: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

Topics & Symbolism

Biblical themes this object points to and helps interpret.

AtonementAccess To GodThe CrossTabernacle11×Priests5×Vail, the Sacred5×Altar4×Mercy Seat4×Offerings4×Veil4×Countenance3×High Priest, the3×Sacrifices3×Tapestry3×Transfiguration3×Types of Christ3×Altar of Incense2×Holy of Holies2×Ignorance2×Lamp2×Sanctuary2×

Related people

Jesus
Aaron
Moses

Related places

Jerusalem

Related objects

Tabernacle
Ark of the Covenant
The Mercy Seat

People associated with this object

Moses5×
Aaron4×

Frequently asked about The Veil

What was The Veil in the Bible?

The embroidered curtain that screened the Most Holy Place — torn in two at the death of Christ.

What does The Veil symbolize?

The barrier to God’s presence, torn open by the cross.

What does the name The Veil mean?

The name The Veil means “Curtain / screen”.

What was The Veil made of?

The Veil was made of blue, purple, scarlet and fine twined linen, with cherubim.

Where was The Veil kept?

The Veil was kept at Between the Holy and Most Holy Places.

Where is The Veil first mentioned in the Bible?

The Veil is first mentioned in Exodus 26:31.

How often is The Veil mentioned in the Bible?

The Veil is mentioned in 25 verses across 3 books: Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers.

Why was the veil torn when Jesus died?

Torn from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51), it signified that Christ’s death opened the way into God’s presence — “a new and living way” through his flesh (Hebrews 10:19–20).

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