1 And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses, H4872 saying, H559
2 Speak H1696 unto the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 that they bring H3947 me an offering: H8641 of every man H376 that giveth it willingly H5068 with his heart H3820 ye shall take H3947 my offering. H8641
3 And this is the offering H8641 which ye shall take H3947 of them; gold, H2091 and silver, H3701 and brass, H5178
4 And blue, H8504 and purple, H713 and scarlet, H8438 H8144 and fine linen, H8336 and goats' H5795 hair,
5 And rams' H352 skins H5785 dyed red, H119 and badgers' H8476 skins, H5785 and shittim H7848 wood, H6086
6 Oil H8081 for the light, H3974 spices H1314 for anointing H4888 oil, H8081 and for sweet H5561 incense, H7004
7 Onyx H7718 stones, H68 and stones H68 to be set H4394 in the ephod, H646 and in the breastplate. H2833
8 And let them make H6213 me a sanctuary; H4720 that I may dwell H7931 among H8432 them.
9 According to all that I shew H7200 thee, after the pattern H8403 of the tabernacle, H4908 and the pattern H8403 of all the instruments H3627 thereof, even so shall ye make H6213 it.
10 And they shall make H6213 an ark H727 of shittim H7848 wood: H6086 two cubits H520 and a half H2677 shall be the length H753 thereof, and a cubit H520 and a half H2677 the breadth H7341 thereof, and a cubit H520 and a half H2677 the height H6967 thereof.
11 And thou shalt overlay H6823 it with pure H2889 gold, H2091 within H1004 and without H2351 shalt thou overlay H6823 it, and shalt make H6213 upon it a crown H2213 of gold H2091 round about. H5439
12 And thou shalt cast H3332 four H702 rings H2885 of gold H2091 for it, and put H5414 them in the four H702 corners H6471 thereof; and two H8147 rings H2885 shall be in the one H259 side H6763 of it, and two H8147 rings H2885 in the other H8145 side of it.
13 And thou shalt make H6213 staves H905 of shittim H7848 wood, H6086 and overlay H6823 them with gold. H2091
14 And thou shalt put H935 the staves H905 into the rings H2885 by the sides H6763 of the ark, H727 that the ark H727 may be borne H5375 with them.
15 The staves H905 shall be H1961 in the rings H2885 of the ark: H727 they shall not be taken H5493 from it.
16 And thou shalt put H5414 into the ark H727 the testimony H5715 which I shall give H5414 thee.
17 And thou shalt make H6213 a mercy seat H3727 of pure H2889 gold: H2091 two cubits H520 and a half H2677 shall be the length H753 thereof, and a cubit H520 and a half H2677 the breadth H7341 thereof.
18 And thou shalt make H6213 two H8147 cherubims H3742 of gold, H2091 of beaten work H4749 shalt thou make H6213 them, in the two H8147 ends H7098 of the mercy seat. H3727
19 And make H6213 one H259 cherub H3742 on the one end, H7098 and the other H259 cherub H3742 on the other H2088 end: H7098 even of the mercy seat H3727 shall ye make H6213 the cherubims H3742 on the two H8147 ends H7098 thereof.
20 And the cherubims H3742 shall stretch H6566 forth their wings H3671 on high, H4605 covering H5526 the mercy seat H3727 with their wings, H3671 and their faces H6440 shall look one H376 to another; H251 toward the mercy seat H3727 shall the faces H6440 of the cherubims H3742 be.
21 And thou shalt put H5414 the mercy seat H3727 above H4605 upon the ark; H727 and in the ark H727 thou shalt put H5414 the testimony H5715 that I shall give H5414 thee.
22 And there I will meet H3259 with thee, and I will commune H1696 with thee from above the mercy seat, H3727 from between H996 the two H8147 cherubims H3742 which are upon H5921 the ark H727 of the testimony, H5715 of all things which I will give thee in commandment H6680 unto the children H1121 of Israel. H3478
23 Thou shalt also make H6213 a table H7979 of shittim H7848 wood: H6086 two cubits H520 shall be the length H753 thereof, and a cubit H520 the breadth H7341 thereof, and a cubit H520 and a half H2677 the height H6967 thereof.
24 And thou shalt overlay H6823 it with pure H2889 gold, H2091 and make H6213 thereto a crown H2213 of gold H2091 round about. H5439
25 And thou shalt make H6213 unto it a border H4526 of an hand breadth H2948 round about, H5439 and thou shalt make H6213 a golden H2091 crown H2213 to the border H4526 thereof round about. H5439
26 And thou shalt make H6213 for it four H702 rings H2885 of gold, H2091 and put H5414 the rings H2885 in the four H702 corners H6285 that are on the four H702 feet H7272 thereof.
27 Over against H5980 the border H4526 shall the rings H2885 be for places H1004 of the staves H905 to bear H5375 the table. H7979
28 And thou shalt make H6213 the staves H905 of shittim H7848 wood, H6086 and overlay H6823 them with gold, H2091 that the table H7979 may be borne H5375 with them.
29 And thou shalt make H6213 the dishes H7086 thereof, and spoons H3709 thereof, and covers H7184 thereof, and bowls H4518 thereof, to cover H5258 withal: H2004 of pure H2889 gold H2091 shalt thou make H6213 them.
30 And thou shalt set H5414 upon the table H7979 shewbread H3899 before H6440 me alway. H8548
31 And thou shalt make H6213 a candlestick H4501 of pure H2889 gold: H2091 of beaten work H4749 shall the candlestick H4501 be made: H6213 his shaft, H3409 and his branches, H7070 his bowls, H1375 his knops, H3730 and his flowers, H6525 shall be of the same.
32 And six H8337 branches H7070 shall come H3318 out of the sides H6654 of it; three H7969 branches H7070 of the candlestick H4501 out of the one H259 side, H6654 and three H7969 branches H7070 of the candlestick H4501 out of the other H8145 side: H6654
33 Three H7969 bowls H1375 made like unto almonds, H8246 with a knop H3730 and a flower H6525 in one H259 branch; H7070 and three H7969 bowls H1375 made like almonds H8246 in the other H259 branch, H7070 with a knop H3730 and a flower: H6525 so in the six H8337 branches H7070 that come H3318 out of the candlestick. H4501
34 And in the candlestick H4501 shall be four H702 bowls H1375 made like unto almonds, H8246 with their knops H3730 and their flowers. H6525
35 And there shall be a knop H3730 under two H8147 branches H7070 of the same, and a knop H3730 under two H8147 branches H7070 of the same, and a knop H3730 under two H8147 branches H7070 of the same, according to the six H8337 branches H7070 that proceed H3318 out of the candlestick. H4501
36 Their knops H3730 and their branches H7070 shall be of the same: all it shall be one H259 beaten work H4749 of pure H2889 gold. H2091
37 And thou shalt make H6213 the seven H7651 lamps H5216 thereof: and they shall light H5927 the lamps H5216 thereof, that they may give light H215 over against H5676 it. H6440
38 And the tongs H4457 thereof, and the snuffdishes H4289 thereof, shall be of pure H2889 gold. H2091
39 Of a talent H3603 of pure H2889 gold H2091 shall he make H6213 it, with all these vessels. H3627
40 And look H7200 that thou make H6213 them after their pattern, H8403 which was shewed H7200 thee in the mount. H2022
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Exodus 25
Commentary on Exodus 25 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 25
Ex 25:1-40. Concerning an Offering.
1. the Lord spake unto Moses, &c.—The business that chiefly occupied Moses on the mount, whatever other disclosures were made to him there, was in receiving directions about the tabernacle, and they are here recorded as given to him.
2. bring me an offering of every man that giveth it willingly, &c.—Having declared allegiance to God as their sovereign, they were expected to contribute to His state, as other subjects to their kings; and the "offering" required of them was not to be imposed as a tax, but to come from their own loyal and liberal feelings.
3. this is the offering which ye shall take of them—the articles of which the offerings should consist.
brass—rather copper, brass being a composite metal.
4. goats' hair—or leather of goats' skin.
5. badgers' skins—The badger was an unclean animal, and is not a native of the East—rather some kind of fish, of the leather of which sandals are made in the East. [See on Ex 39:34 and Eze 16:10.]
shittim wood—or Shittah (Isa 41:19), the acacia, a shrub which grows plentifully in the deserts of Arabia, yielding a light, strong, and beautiful wood, in long planks.
7. ephod—a square cloak, hanging down from the shoulders, and worn by priests.
8. a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them—In one sense the tabernacle was to be a palace, the royal residence of the King of Israel, in which He was to dwell among His people, receive their petitions, and issue His responses. But it was also to be a place of worship, in which God was to record His name and to enshrine the mystic symbols of His presence.
9. According to all that I show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle—The proposed erection could be, in the circumstances of the Israelites, not of a fixed and stable but of a temporary and movable description, capable of being carried about with them in their various sojournings. It was made after "the pattern" shown to Moses, by which is now generally understood, not that it was an unheard-of novelty, or an entirely original structure, for it is ascertained to have borne resemblance in form and arrangements to the style of an Egyptian temple, but that it was so altered, modified, and purified from all idolatrous associations, as to be appropriated to right objects, and suggestive of ideas connected with the true God and His worship.
10. an ark—a coffer or chest, overlaid with gold, the dimensions of which, taking the cubit at eighteen inches, are computed to be three feet nine inches in length, two feet three inches in breadth.
11. a crown—a rim or cornice.
12. rings—staples for the poles, with which it was to be carried from place to place.
15. staves shall be in the rings of the ark—that is, always remain in the rings, whether the ark be at rest or in motion.
16. the testimony—that is, the two tables of stone, containing the ten commandments, and called "the testimony," because by it God did testify His sovereign authority over Israel as His people, His selection of them as the guardians of His will and worship, and His displeasure in the event of their transgressing His laws; while on their part, by receiving and depositing this law in its appointed place, they testified their acknowledgment of God's right to rule over them, and their submission to the authority of His law. The superb and elaborate style of the ark that contained "the testimony" was emblematic of the great treasure it held; in other words, the incomparable value and excellence of the Word of God, while its being placed in this chest further showed the great care which God has ever taken for preserving it.
17. thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold—to serve as a lid, covering it exactly. It was "the propitiatory cover," as the term may be rendered, denoting that Christ, our great propitiation [1Jo 2:2; 4:10], has fully answered all the demands of the law, covers our transgressions, and comes between us and the curse of a violated law.
18. two cherubim—The real meaning of these figures, as well as the shape or form of them, is not known with certainty—probably similar to what was afterwards introduced into the temple, and described in Eze 10:8-22. They stretched out their wings, and their faces were turned towards the mercy seat [Ex 25:20], probably in a bowing attitude. The prevailing opinion now is, that those splendid figures were symbolical not of angelic but of earthly and human beings—the members of the Church of God interested in the dispensation of grace, the redeemed in every age—and that these hieroglyphic forms symbolized the qualities of the true people of God—courage, patience, intelligence, and activity.
22. there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat—The Shekinah, or symbol of the Divine Presence, rested on the mercy seat, and was indicated by a cloud, from the midst of which responses were audibly given when God was consulted on behalf of His people. Hence God is described as "dwelling" or "sitting" between the cherubim.
23. table of shittim wood—of the same material and decorations as the ark [see on Ex 25:5], and like it, too, furnished with rings for the poles on which it was carried [Ex 25:26]. The staves, however, were taken out of it when stationary, in order not to encumber the priests while engaged in their services at the table. It was half a cubit less than the ark in length and breadth, but of the same height. [See on Ex 25:10.]
24. crown—the moulding or ornamental rim, which is thought to have been raised above the level of the table, to prevent anything from falling off.
29. dishes—broad platters.
spoons—cups or concave vessels, used for holding incense.
covers—both for bread and incense.
bowls—cups; for though no mention is made of wine, libations were undoubtedly made to God, according to Josephus and the rabbins, once a week, when the bread was changed.
to cover withal—rather, "to pour out withal."
30. showbread—literally, presence bread, so called because it was constantly exhibited before the Lord, or because the bread of His presence, like the angel of His presence, pointed symbolically to Christ. It consisted of twelve unleavened loaves, said traditionally to have been laid in piles of six each. This bread was designed to be a symbol of the full and never-failing provision which is made in the Church for the spiritual sustenance and refreshment of God's people.
31. candlestick—literally, "a lamp bearer." It was so constructed as to be capable of being taken to pieces for facility in removal. The shaft or stock rested on a pedestal. It had seven branches, shaped like reeds or canes—three on each side, with one in the center—and worked out into knobs, flowers, and bowls, placed alternately [Ex 25:32-36]. The figure represented on the arch of Titus gives the best idea of this candlestick.
33. knops—old spelling for "knobs"—bosses.
37. they shall light the lamps … that they may give light—The light was derived from pure olive oil, and probably kept continually burning (compare Ex 30:7; Le 24:2).
38. tongs—snuffers.
39. a talent of pure gold—in weight equivalent to 125 lbs. troy.
40. look that thou make them after their pattern—This caution, which is repeated with no small frequency in other parts of the narrative, is an evidence of the deep interest taken by the Divine King in the erection of His palace or sanctuary; and it is impossible to account for the circumstance of God's condescending to such minute details, except on the assumption that this tabernacle was to be of a typical character, and eminently subservient to the religious instruction and benefit of mankind, by shadowing forth in its leading features the grand truths of the Christian Church.