HANGING, HANGINGS. This word is used in KJV to tr. two different terms in the OT: קְלָעִ֨ים, drapes and מָסָכְ, H5009, covering (ASV, RSV SCREEN). The קְלָעִ֨ים were long, heavy drapes intended to serve as walls for the court of the Tabernacle, that measured 100 cubits (c. 150 ft.) by 50 cubits (c. 75 ft.). It was hung from a rod supported by twenty pillars on the longer sides, ten pillars on the W side, and six pillars on the E side (in which was the gateway, 20 cubits in width). The hangings were to be 5 cubits (7 1/2 ft.) in height, and woven of a finely twisted linen, unspecified as to color (cf. Exod 27:9-22; 38:9-18). The etymology, or derivation, of קְלָעִ֨ים is unknown; it may have been borrowed from the Egyp. q-r-'-w meaning “shield” or “sail.” The מָסָכְ, H5009, or screen, was a heavy drape used as the door of the outer court (where it measured 20 cubits in width), and another מָסָכְ, H5009, screened off the entrance into the Holy Place of the Tabernacle itself. Both of these were gorgeously embroidered with threads of “blue” (bluish purple, a dye obtained from the murex shell), of “purple” (a deeper purple tinged with dark red, also derived from murex dye but of much higher quality and cost), and of “scarlet” (lit. “crimson worm,” which was a dye obtained from the coccus ilicis, a worm taken from the bark of the ilex tree; its dried body yielded a powder producing a brilliant and indelible scarlet hue). These were embroidered on the finely twisted linen fabric mentioned above in connection with the קְלָעִ֨ים. It was suspended from a rod supported by four pillars filleted with silver and based on sockets of bronze (Exod 27:16, 17).

The מָסָכְ, H5009, at the entrance to the holy place was supported by five pillars of acacia overlaid with gold (26:37), and attached with golden hooks. Possibly it was somewhat wider than the screen to the court. The responsibility for caring for these various hangings and drapes of the Tabernacle and its court was entrusted to the Levitical family of Gershon (Num 3:25, 26).

Besides these is one other Heb. word tr. “hangings” in KJV of OT (2 Kings 23:7) בָּתִּ֖ים. Normally this meant “houses” or “tentshrines,” but here it prob. referred to “woven garments,” although there can be no certainty about a unique usage of this sort.