Sunday, November 5, 2017

"Veil" vs. "Vail"

 ...and which entereth into that within the veil;...And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;
Hebrews 6:19/9:3

"The sanctuary had two vails.
But in the Old Testament, only the second one is called a “vail.” The first one, by contrast, is called a “door.” And both of them are called “hangings” or “curtains.”

So in Old Testament passages, the first “curtain” was the “door” and the second “curtain” was the “vail.”

Looking at those two facts, if you find the phrase “within the curtain” it would be more-or-less ambiguous. But if you saw the phrase “within the vail” it would be certain that you intended the Most Holy Place.

In the book of Hebrews the equivalent of the Old Testament “curtain” (“hanging” in the KJV) is “veil.” The spelling with an “e” shows that a curtain is intended. The spelling “vail” denotes, by contrast, the fabric covering that guarded the Most Holy Place.

So when Hebrews 6 says that Jesus “entered” the sanctuary, and says He did so through the curtain (“veil”) we should know very well which curtain it was. Jesus went it by the door.
And when Hebrews 9 talks about the “second” curtain (“veil”) it should be obvious that the previous reference must have been to the first curtain." AdVindicate

1st Veil

2nd Veil (a.k.a. the "Vail")