Commentators clarify that the materials listed were practical and available. "Shittim wood" was from the durable acacia tree, the only suitable wood in the Sinai wilderness. "Badgers' skins" is likely a mistranslation; scholars agree it refers to the tough, weather-resistant skin of a marine animal like a seal or dugong, used as the Tabernacle's protective outer layer. The red-dyed ram skins were a common, high-quality leather product of the region.