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Exodus 27:9-19 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

9 And thou shalt make H6213 the court H2691 of the tabernacle: H4908 for the south H5045 side H6285 southward H8486 there shall be hangings H7050 for the court H2691 of fine twined H7806 linen H8336 of an hundred H3967 cubits H520 long H753 for one H259 side: H6285

10 And the twenty H6242 pillars H5982 thereof and their twenty H6242 sockets H134 shall be of brass; H5178 the hooks H2053 of the pillars H5982 and their fillets H2838 shall be of silver. H3701

11 And likewise for the north H6828 side H6285 in length H753 there shall be hangings H7050 of an hundred H3967 cubits long, H753 and his twenty H6242 pillars H5982 and their twenty H6242 sockets H134 of brass; H5178 the hooks H2053 of the pillars H5982 and their fillets H2838 of silver. H3701

12 And for the breadth H7341 of the court H2691 on the west H3220 side H6285 shall be hangings H7050 of fifty H2572 cubits: H520 their pillars H5982 ten, H6235 and their sockets H134 ten. H6235

13 And the breadth H7341 of the court H2691 on the east H6924 side H6285 eastward H4217 shall be fifty H2572 cubits. H520

14 The hangings H7050 of one side H3802 of the gate shall be fifteen H2568 H6240 cubits: H520 their pillars H5982 three, H7969 and their sockets H134 three. H7969

15 And on the other H8145 side H3802 shall be hangings H7050 fifteen H2568 H6240 cubits: their pillars H5982 three, H7969 and their sockets H134 three. H7969

16 And for the gate H8179 of the court H2691 shall be an hanging H4539 of twenty H6242 cubits, H520 of blue, H8504 and purple, H713 and scarlet, H8144 H8438 and fine twined H7806 linen, H8336 wrought with needlework: H7551 H4639 and their pillars H5982 shall be four, H702 and their sockets H134 four. H702

17 All the pillars H5982 round about H5439 the court H2691 shall be filleted H2836 with silver; H3701 their hooks H2053 shall be of silver, H3701 and their sockets H134 of brass. H5178

18 The length H753 of the court H2691 shall be an hundred H3967 cubits, H520 and the breadth H7341 fifty H2572 every where, H2572 and the height H6967 five H2568 cubits H520 of fine twined H7806 linen, H8336 and their sockets H134 of brass. H5178

19 All the vessels H3627 of the tabernacle H4908 in all the service H5656 thereof, and all the pins H3489 thereof, and all the pins H3489 of the court, H2691 shall be of brass. H5178

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Exodus 27

Commentary on Exodus 27 Matthew Henry Commentary


Chapter 27

In this chapter directions are given,

  • I. Concerning the brazen altar for burnt-offerings (v. 1-8).
  • II. Concerning the court of the tabernacle, with the hangings of it (v. 9-19).
  • III. Concerning oil for the lamp (v. 20, 21).

Exd 27:1-8

As God intended in the tabernacle to manifest his presence among his people, so there they were to pay their devotions to him, not in the tabernacle itself (into that only the priests entered as God's domestic servants), but in the court before the tabernacle, where, as common subjects, they attended. There an altar was ordered to be set up, to which they must bring their sacrifices, and on which their priests must offer them to God: and this altar was to sanctify their gifts. Here they were to present their services to God, as from the mercy-seat he gave his oracles to them; and thus a communion was settled between God and Israel. Moses is here directed about,

  • 1. The dimensions of it; it was square, v. 1.
  • 2. The horns of it (v. 2), which were for ornament and for use; the sacrifices were bound with cords to the horns of the altar, and to them malefactors fled for refuge.
  • 3. The materials; it was of wood overlaid with brass, v. 1, 2.
  • 4. The appurtenances of it (v. 3), which were all of brass.
  • 5. The grate, which was let into the hollow of the altar, about the middle of it, in which the fire was kept, and the sacrifice burnt; it was made of network like a sieve, and hung hollow, that the fire might burn the better, and that the ashes might fall through into the hollow of the altar, v. 4, 5.
  • 6. The staves with which it must be carried, v. 6, 7.

And, lastly, he is referred to the pattern shown him, v. 8.

Now this brazen altar was a type of Christ dying to make atonement for our sins: the wood would have been consumed by the fire from heaven if it had not been secured by the brass; nor could the human nature of Christ have borne the wrath of God if it had not been supported by a divine power. Christ sanctified himself for his church, as their altar (Jn. 17:19), and by his mediation sanctifies the daily services of his people, who have also a right to eat of this altar (Heb. 13:10), for they serve at it as spiritual priests. To the horns of this altar poor sinners fly for refuge when justice pursues them, and they are safe in virtue of the sacrifice there offered.

Exd 27:9-19

Before the tabernacle there was to be a court or yard, enclosed with hangings of the finest linen that was used for tents. This court, according to the common computation of cubits, was fifty yards long, and twenty-five broad. Pillars were set up at convenient distances, in sockets of brass, the pillars filleted with silver, and silver tenter-hooks in them, on which the linen hangings were fastened: the hanging which served for the gate was finer than the rest, v. 16. This court was a type of the church, enclosed and distinguished from the rest of the world, the enclosure supported by pillars, denoting the stability of the church, hung with the clean linen, which is said to be the righteousness of saints, Rev. 19:8. These were the courts David longed for and coveted to reside in (Ps. 84:2, 10), and into which the people of God entered with praise and thanksgiving (Ps. 100:4); yet this court would contain but a few worshippers. Thanks be to God, now, under the gospel, the enclosure is taken down. God's will is that men pray every where; and there is room for all that in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ.

Exd 27:20-21

We read of the candlestick in the twenty-fifth chapter; here is an order given for the keeping of the lamps constantly burning in it, else it was useless; in every candlestick there should be a burning and shining light; candlesticks without candles are as wells without water or as clouds without rain. Now,

  • 1. The people were to provide the oil; from them the Lord's ministers must have their maintenance. Or, rather, the pure oil signified the gifts and graces of the Spirit, which are communicated to all believers from Christ the good olive, of whose fulness we receive (Zec. 4:11, 12), and without which our light cannot shine before men.
  • 2. The priests were to light the lamps, and to tend them; it was part of their daily service to cause the lamp to burn always, night and day; thus it is the work of ministers, by the preaching and expounding of the scriptures (which are as a lamp), to enlighten the church, God's tabernacle upon the earth, and to direct the spiritual priests in his service. This is to be a statute for ever, that the lamps of the word be lighted as duly as the incense of prayer and praise is offered.