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Exodus 36:8-34 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

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8 And every wise H2450 hearted man H3820 among them that wrought H6213 the work H4399 of the tabernacle H4908 made H6213 ten H6235 curtains H3407 of fine twined H7806 linen, H8336 and blue, H8504 and purple, H713 and scarlet: H8144 H8438 with cherubims H3742 of cunning H2803 work H4639 made H6213 he them.

9 The length H753 of one H259 curtain H3407 was twenty H6242 and eight H8083 cubits, H520 and the breadth H7341 of one H259 curtain H3407 four H702 cubits: H520 the curtains H3407 were all of one H259 size. H4060

10 And he coupled H2266 the five H2568 curtains H3407 one H259 unto another: H259 and the other five H2568 curtains H3407 he coupled H2266 one H259 unto another. H259

11 And he made H6213 loops H3924 of blue H8504 on the edge H8193 of one H259 curtain H3407 from the selvedge H7098 in the coupling: H4225 likewise he made H6213 in the uttermost H7020 side H8193 of another curtain, H3407 in the coupling H4225 of the second. H8145

12 Fifty H2572 loops H3924 made H6213 he in one H259 curtain, H3407 and fifty H2572 loops H3924 made H6213 he in the edge H7097 of the curtain H3407 which was in the coupling H4225 of the second: H8145 the loops H3924 held H6901 one H259 curtain to another. H259

13 And he made H6213 fifty H2572 taches H7165 of gold, H2091 and coupled H2266 the curtains H3407 one H259 unto another H259 with the taches: H7165 so it became one H259 tabernacle. H4908

14 And he made H6213 curtains H3407 of goats' H5795 hair for the tent H168 over the tabernacle: H4908 eleven H6249 H6240 curtains H3407 he made H6213 them.

15 The length H753 of one H259 curtain H3407 was thirty H7970 cubits, H520 and four H702 cubits H520 was the breadth H7341 of one H259 curtain: H3407 the eleven H6249 H6240 curtains H3407 were of one H259 size. H4060

16 And he coupled H2266 five H2568 curtains H3407 by themselves, and six H8337 curtains H3407 by themselves.

17 And he made H6213 fifty H2572 loops H3924 upon the uttermost H7020 edge H8193 of the curtain H3407 in the coupling, H4225 and fifty H2572 loops H3924 made H6213 he upon the edge H8193 of the curtain H3407 which coupleth H2279 the second. H8145

18 And he made H6213 fifty H2572 taches H7165 of brass H5178 to couple H2266 the tent H168 together, H2266 that it might be one. H259

19 And he made H6213 a covering H4372 for the tent H168 of rams' H352 skins H5785 dyed red, H119 and a covering H4372 of badgers' H8476 skins H5785 above H4605 that.

20 And he made H6213 boards H7175 for the tabernacle H4908 of shittim H7848 wood, H6086 standing up. H5975

21 The length H753 of a board H7175 was ten H6235 cubits, H520 and the breadth H7341 of a board H7175 one H259 cubit H520 and a half. H2677

22 One H259 board H7175 had two H8147 tenons, H3027 equally distant H7947 one H259 from H413 another: H259 thus did he make H6213 for all the boards H7175 of the tabernacle. H4908

23 And he made H6213 boards H7175 for the tabernacle; H4908 twenty H6242 boards H7175 for the south H5045 side H6285 southward: H8486

24 And forty H705 sockets H134 of silver H3701 he made H6213 under the twenty H6242 boards; H7175 two H8147 sockets H134 under one H259 board H7175 for his two H8147 tenons, H3027 and two H8147 sockets H134 under another H259 board H7175 for his two H8147 tenons. H3027

25 And for the other H8145 side H6763 of the tabernacle, H4908 which is toward the north H6828 corner, H6285 he made H6213 twenty H6242 boards, H7175

26 And their forty H705 sockets H134 of silver; H3701 two H8147 sockets H134 under one H259 board, H7175 and two H8147 sockets H134 under another H259 board. H7175

27 And for the sides H3411 of the tabernacle H4908 westward H3220 he made H6213 six H8337 boards. H7175

28 And two H8147 boards H7175 made H6213 he for the corners H4742 of the tabernacle H4908 in the two sides. H3411

29 And they were coupled H8382 beneath, H4295 and coupled H8382 together H3162 at the head H7218 thereof, to one H259 ring: H2885 thus he did H6213 to both H8147 of them in both H8147 the corners. H4740

30 And there were eight H8083 boards; H7175 and their sockets H134 were sixteen H8337 H6240 sockets H134 of silver, H3701 under every H259 board H7175 two H8147 H8147 sockets. H134 H134

31 And he made H6213 bars H1280 of shittim H7848 wood; H6086 five H2568 for the boards H7175 of the one H259 side H6763 of the tabernacle, H4908

32 And five H2568 bars H1280 for the boards H7175 of the other H8145 side H6763 of the tabernacle, H4908 and five H2568 bars H1280 for the boards H7175 of the tabernacle H4908 for the sides H3411 westward. H3220

33 And he made H6213 the middle H8484 bar H1280 to shoot H1272 through H8432 the boards H7175 from the one end H7097 to the other. H7097

34 And he overlaid H6823 the boards H7175 with gold, H2091 and made H6213 their rings H2885 of gold H2091 to be places H1004 for the bars, H1280 and overlaid H6823 the bars H1280 with gold. H2091

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Exodus 36

Commentary on Exodus 36 Matthew Henry Commentary

John Gill   Keil & Delitzsch   Robert Jamieson: Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible  

Chapter 36

In this chapter,

  • I. The work of the tabernacle is begun (v. 1-4).
  • II. A stop is put to the people's contributions (v. 5-7).
  • III. A particular account is given of the making of the tabernacle itself; the fine curtains of it (v. 8-13). The coarse ones (v. 14-19). The boards (v. 20-30). The bars (v. 31-34). The partition veil (v. 35, 36). And the hanging for the door (v. 37, etc.).

Exd 36:1-7

  • I. The workmen set in without delay. Then they wrought, v. 1. When God had qualified them for the work, then they applied themselves to it. Note, The talents we are entrusted with must not be laid up, but laid out; not hid in a napkin, but traded with. What have we all our gifts for, but to do good with them? They began when Moses called them, v. 2. Even those whom God has qualified for, and inclined to, the service of the tabernacle, yet must wait for a regular call to it, either extraordinary, as that of prophets and apostles, or ordinary, as that of pastors and teachers. And observe who they were that Moses called: Those in whose heart God had put wisdom for this purpose, beyond their natural capacity, and whose heart stirred them up to come to the work in good earnest. Note, Those are to be called to the building of the gospel tabernacle whom God has by his grace made in some measure fit for the work and free to engage in it. Ability and willingness (with resolution) are the two things to be regarded in the call of ministers. Has God given them not only knowledge, but wisdom? (for those that would win souls must be wise, and have their hearts stirred up to come to the work, and not to the honour only; to do it, and not to talk of it only), let them come to it with full purpose of heart to go through with it. The materials which the people had contributed were delivered by Moses to the workmen, v. 3. They could not create a tabernacle, that is, make it out of nothing, nor work, unless they had something to work upon; the people therefore brought the materials and Moses put them into their hands. Precious souls are the materials of the gospel tabernacle; they are built up a spiritual house, 1 Pt. 2:5. To this end they are to offer themselves a free-will offering to the Lord, for his service (Rom. 15:16), and they are then committed to the care of his ministers, as builders, to be framed and wrought upon by their edification and increase in holiness, till they all come, like the curtains of the tabernacle, in the unity of the faith, to be a holy temple, Eph. 2:21, 22; 4:12, 13.
  • II. The contributions restrained. The people continued to bring free offerings every morning, v. 3. Note, We should always make it our morning's work to bring our offerings unto the Lord; even the spiritual offerings of prayer and praise, and a broken heart surrendered entirely to God. This is that which the duty of every day requires. God's compassions are new every morning, and so must our duty to him be. Probably there were some that were backward at first to bring their offering, but their neighbours' forwardness stirred them up and shamed them. The zeal of some provoked many. There are those who will be content to follow who yet do not care for leading in a good work. It is best to be forward, but better late than never. Or perhaps some who had offered at first, having pleasure in reflecting upon it, offered more; so far were they from grudging what they had contributed, that they doubled their contribution. Thus, in charity, give a portion to seven, and also to eight; having given much, give more. Now observe,
    • 1. The honesty of the workmen. When they had cut out their work, and found how their stuff held out, and that the people were still forward to bring in more, they went in a body to Moses to tell him that there needed no more contributions, v. 4, 5. Had they sought their own things, they had now a fair opportunity of enriching themselves by the people's gifts; for they might have made up their work, and converted the overplus to their own use, as perquisites of their place. But they were men of integrity, that scorned to do so mean a thing as to sponge upon the people, and enrich themselves with that which was offered to the Lord. Those are the greatest cheats that cheat the public. If to murder many is worse than to murder one, by the same rule to defraud communities, and to rob the church or state, is a much greater crime than to pick the pocket of a single person. But these workmen were not only ready to account for all they received, but were not willing to receive more than they had occasion for, lest they should come either into the temptation or under the suspicion of taking it to themselves. These were men that knew when they had enough.
    • 2. The liberality of the people. Though they saw what an abundance was contributed, yet they continued to offer, till they were forbidden by proclamation, v. 6, 7. A rare instance! Most need a spur to quicken their charity; few need a bridle to check it, yet these did. Had Moses aimed to enrich himself, he might have suffered them still to bring in their offerings; and when the work was finished might have taken the remainder to himself: but he also preferred the public before his own private interest, and was therein a good example to all in public trusts. It is said (v. 6), The people were restrained from bringing; they looked upon it as a restraint upon them not to be allowed to do more for the tabernacle; such was the zeal of those people, who gave to their power, yea, and beyond their power, praying the collectors with much entreaty to receive the gift, 2 Co. 8:3, 4. These were the fruits of a first love; in these last-days charity has grown too cold for us to expect such things from it.

Exd 36:8-13

The first work they set about was the framing of the house, which must be done before the furniture of it was prepared. This house was not made of timber or stone, but of curtains curiously embroidered and coupled together. This served to typify the state of the church in this world, the palace of God's kingdom among men.

  • 1. Though it is upon the earth, yet its foundation is not in the earth, as that of a house is; no, Christ's kingdom is not of this world, nor founded in it.
  • 2. It is mean and mutable, and in a militant state; shepherds dwelt in tents, and God is the Shepherd of Israel; soldiers dwelt in tents, and the Lord is a man of war, and his church marches through an enemy's country, and must fight its way. The kings of the earth enclose themselves in cedar (Jer. 22:15), but the ark of God was lodged in curtains only.
  • 3. Yet there is a beauty in holiness; the curtains were embroidered, so is the church adorned with the gifts and graces of the Spirit, that raiment of needle-work, Ps. 45:14.
  • 4. The several societies of believers are united in one, and, as here, all become one tabernacle; for there is one Lord, one faith, and one baptism.

Exd 36:14-34

Here,

  • 1. The shelter and special protection that the church is under are signified by the curtains of hair-cloth, which were spread over the tabernacle, and the covering of rams' skins and badgers' skins over them, v. 14-19. God has provided for his people a shadow from the heat, and a covert from storm and rain, Isa. 4:6. They are armed against all weathers; the sun and the moon shall not smite them: and they are protected from the storms of divine wrath, that hail which will sweep away the refuge of lies, Isa. 28:17. Those that dwell in God's house shall find, be the tempest ever so violent, or the dropping ever so continual, it does not rain in.
  • 2. The strength and stability of the church, though it is but a tabernacle, are signified by the boards and bars with which the curtains were borne up, v. 20-34. The boards were coupled together and joined by the bars which shot through them; for the union of the church, and the hearty agreement of those that are its stays and supporters, contribute abundantly to its strength and establishment.

Exd 36:35-38

In the building of a house there is a great deal of work about the doors and partitions. In the tabernacle these were answerable to the rest of the fabric; there were curtains for doors, and veils for partitions.

  • 1. There was a veil made for a partition between the holy place, and the most holy, v. 35, 36. This signified the darkness and distance of that dispensation, compared with the New Testament, which shows us the glory of God more clearly and invites us to draw near to it; and the darkness and distance of our present state, in comparison with heaven, where we shall be ever with the Lord and see him as he is.
  • 2. There was a veil made for the door of the tabernacle, v. 37, 38. At this door the people assembled, though forbidden to enter; for, while we are in this present state, we must get as near to God as we can.