Worthy.Bible » STRONG » Exodus » Chapter 38 » Verse 1-31

Exodus 38:1-31 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

1 And he made H6213 the altar H4196 of burnt offering H5930 of shittim H7848 wood: H6086 five H2568 cubits H520 was the length H753 thereof, and five H2568 cubits H520 the breadth H7341 thereof; it was foursquare; H7251 and three H7969 cubits H520 the height H6967 thereof.

2 And he made H6213 the horns H7161 thereof on the four H702 corners H6438 of it; the horns H7161 thereof were of the same: and he overlaid H6823 it with brass. H5178

3 And he made H6213 all the vessels H3627 of the altar, H4196 the pots, H5518 and the shovels, H3257 and the basons, H4219 and the fleshhooks, H4207 and the firepans: H4289 all the vessels H3627 thereof made H6213 he of brass. H5178

4 And he made H6213 for the altar H4196 a brasen H5178 grate H4345 of network H7568 H4639 under the compass H3749 thereof beneath H4295 unto the midst H2677 of it.

5 And he cast H3332 four H702 rings H2885 for the four H702 ends H7099 of the grate H4345 of brass, H5178 to be places H1004 for the staves. H905

6 And he made H6213 the staves H905 of shittim H7848 wood, H6086 and overlaid H6823 them with brass. H5178

7 And he put H935 the staves H905 into the rings H2885 on the sides H6763 of the altar, H4196 to bear H5375 it withal; he made H6213 the altar hollow H5014 with boards. H3871

8 And he made H6213 the laver H3595 of brass, H5178 and the foot H3653 of it of brass, H5178 of the lookingglasses H4759 of the women assembling, H6633 which assembled H6633 at the door H6607 of the tabernacle H168 of the congregation. H4150

9 And he made H6213 the court: H2691 on the south H5045 side H6285 southward H8486 the hangings H7050 of the court H2691 were of fine twined H7806 linen, H8336 an hundred H3967 cubits: H520

10 Their pillars H5982 were twenty, H6242 and their brasen H5178 sockets H134 twenty; H6242 the hooks H2053 of the pillars H5982 and their fillets H2838 were of silver. H3701

11 And for the north H6828 side H6285 the hangings were an hundred H3967 cubits, H520 their pillars H5982 were twenty, H6242 and their sockets H134 of brass H5178 twenty; H6242 the hooks H2053 of the pillars H5982 and their fillets H2838 of silver. H3701

12 And for the west H3220 side H6285 were hangings H7050 of fifty H2572 cubits, H520 their pillars H5982 ten, H6235 and their sockets H134 ten; H6235 the hooks H2053 of the pillars H5982 and their fillets H2838 of silver. H3701

13 And for the east H6924 side H6285 eastward H4217 fifty H2572 cubits. H520

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

15 And for the other H8145 side H3802 of the court H2691 gate, H8179 on this hand and that hand, were hangings H7050 of fifteen H2568 H6240 cubits; H520 their pillars H5982 three, H7969 and their sockets H134 three. H7969

16 All the hangings H7050 of the court H2691 round about H5439 were of fine twined H7806 linen. H8336

17 And the sockets H134 for the pillars H5982 were of brass; H5178 the hooks H2053 of the pillars H5982 and their fillets H2838 of silver; H3701 and the overlaying H6826 of their chapiters H7218 of silver; H3701 and all the pillars H5982 of the court H2691 were filleted H2836 with silver. H3701

18 And the hanging H4539 for the gate H8179 of the court H2691 was needlework, H7551 H4639 of blue, H8504 and purple, H713 and scarlet, H8144 H8438 and fine twined H7806 linen: H8336 and twenty H6242 cubits H520 was the length, H753 and the height H6967 in the breadth H7341 was five H2568 cubits, H520 answerable H5980 to the hangings H7050 of the court. H2691

19 And their pillars H5982 were four, H702 and their sockets H134 of brass H5178 four; H702 their hooks H2053 of silver, H3701 and the overlaying H6826 of their chapiters H7218 and their fillets H2838 of silver. H3701

20 And all the pins H3489 of the tabernacle, H4908 and of the court H2691 round about, H5439 were of brass. H5178

21 This H428 is the sum H6485 of the tabernacle, H4908 even of the tabernacle H4908 of testimony, H5715 as it was counted, H6485 according to the commandment H6310 of Moses, H4872 for the service H5656 of the Levites, H3881 by the hand H3027 of Ithamar, H385 son H1121 to Aaron H175 the priest. H3548

22 And Bezaleel H1212 the son H1121 of Uri, H221 the son H1121 of Hur, H2354 of the tribe H4294 of Judah, H3063 made H6213 all that the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 Moses. H4872

23 And with him was Aholiab, H171 son H1121 of Ahisamach, H294 of the tribe H4294 of Dan, H1835 an engraver, H2796 and a cunning workman, H2803 and an embroiderer H7551 in blue, H8504 and in purple, H713 and in scarlet, H8144 H8438 and fine linen. H8336

24 All the gold H2091 that was occupied H6213 for the work H4399 in all the work H4399 of the holy H6944 place, even the gold H2091 of the offering, H8573 was twenty H6242 and nine H8672 talents, H3603 and seven H7651 hundred H3967 and thirty H7970 shekels, H8255 after the shekel H8255 of the sanctuary. H6944

25 And the silver H3701 of them that were numbered H6485 of the congregation H5712 was an hundred H3967 talents, H3603 and a thousand H505 seven H7651 hundred H3967 and threescore and fifteen H7657 H2568 shekels, H8255 after the shekel H8255 of the sanctuary: H6944

26 A bekah H1235 for every man, H1538 that is, half H4276 a shekel, H8255 after the shekel H8255 of the sanctuary, H6944 for every one that went H5674 to be numbered, H6485 from twenty H6242 years H8141 old H1121 and upward, H4605 for six H8337 hundred H3967 thousand H505 and three H7969 thousand H505 and five H2568 hundred H3967 and fifty H2572 men.

27 And of the hundred H3967 talents H3603 of silver H3701 were cast H3332 the sockets H134 of the sanctuary, H6944 and the sockets H134 of the vail; H6532 an hundred H3967 sockets H134 of the hundred H3967 talents, H3603 a talent H3603 for a socket. H134

28 And of the thousand H505 seven H7651 hundred H3967 seventy H7657 and five H2568 shekels he made H6213 hooks H2053 for the pillars, H5982 and overlaid H6823 their chapiters, H7218 and filleted H2836 them.

29 And the brass H5178 of the offering H8573 was seventy H7657 talents, H3603 and two thousand H505 and four H702 hundred H3967 shekels. H8255

30 And therewith he made H6213 the sockets H134 to the door H6607 of the tabernacle H168 of the congregation, H4150 and the brasen H5178 altar, H4196 and the brasen H5178 grate H4345 for it, and all the vessels H3627 of the altar, H4196

31 And the sockets H134 of the court H2691 round about, H5439 and the sockets H134 of the court H2691 gate, H8179 and all the pins H3489 of the tabernacle, H4908 and all the pins H3489 of the court H2691 round about. H5439

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Exodus 38

Commentary on Exodus 38 Matthew Henry Commentary


Chapter 38

Here is an account,

  • I. Of the making of the brazen altar (v. 1-7), and the laver (v. 8).
  • II. The preparing of the hangings for the enclosing of the court in which the tabernacle was to stand (v. 9-20).
  • III. A summary of the gold, silver, and brass, that was contributed to, and used in, the preparing of the tabernacle (v. 21, etc.).

Exd 38:1-8

Bezaleel having finished the gold-work, which, though the richest, yet was ordered to lie most out of sight, in the tabernacle itself, here goes on to prepare the court, which lay open to the view of all. Two things the court was furnished with, and both made of brass:-

  • I. An altar of burnt-offering, v. 1-7. On this all their sacrifices were offered, and it was this which, being sanctified itself for this purpose by the divine appointment, sanctified the gift that was in faith offered on it. Christ was himself the altar to his own sacrifice of atonement, and so he is to all our sacrifices of acknowledgment. We must have an eye to him in offering them, as God has in accepting them.
  • II. A laver, to hold water for the priests to wash in when they went in to minister, v. 8. This signified the provision that is made in the gospel of Christ for the cleansing of our souls from the moral pollution of sin by the merit and grace of Christ, that we may be fit to serve the holy God in holy duties. This is here said to be made of the looking-glasses (or mirrors) of the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle.
    • 1. It should seem these women were eminent and exemplary for devotion, attending more frequently and seriously at the place of public worship than others did; and notice is here taken of it to their honour. Anna was such a one long afterwards, who departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day, Lu. 2:37. It seems in every age of the church there have been some who have thus distinguished themselves by their serious zealous piety, and they have thereby distinguished themselves; for devout women are really honourable women (Acts 13:50), and not the less so for their being called, by the scoffers of the latter days, silly women. Probably these women were such as showed their zeal upon this occasion, by assisting in the work that was now going on for the service of the tabernacle. They assembled by troops, so the word is; a blessed sight, to see so many, and those so zealous and so unanimous, in this good work.
    • 2. These women parted with their mirrors (which were of the finest brass, burnished for that purpose) for the use of the tabernacle. Those women that admire their own beauty, are in love with their own shadow, and make the putting on of apparel their chief adorning by which they value and recommend themselves, can but ill spare their looking-glasses; yet these women offered them to God, either,
      • (1.) In token of their repentance for the former abuse of them, to the support of their pride and vanity; now that they were convinced of their folly, and had devoted themselves to the service of God at the door of the tabernacle, they thus threw away that which, though lawful and useful in itself, yet had been an occasion of sin to them. Thus Mary Magdalene, who had been a sinner, when she became a penitent wiped Christ's feet with her hair. Or,
      • (2.) In token of their great zeal for the work of the tabernacle; rather than the workmen should want brass, or not have of the best, they would part with their mirrors, though they could not do well without them. God's service and glory must always be preferred by us before any satisfactions or accommodations of our own. Let us never complain of the want of that which we may honour God by parting with.
    • 3. These mirrors were used for the making of the laver. Either they were artfully joined together, or else molten down and cast anew; but it is probable that the laver was so brightly burnished that the sides of it still served for mirrors, that the priests, when they came to wash, might there see their faces, and so discover the spots, to wash them clean. Note, In the washing of repentance, there is need of the looking-glass of self-examination. The word of God is a glass, in which we may see our own faces (see Jam. 1:23); and with it we must compare our own hearts and lives, that, finding out our blemishes, we may wash with particular sorrow, and application of the blood of Christ to our souls. Usually the more particular we are in the confession of sin the more comfort we have in the sense of the pardon.

Exd 38:9-20

The walls of the court, or church-yard, were like the rest curtains or hangings, made according to the appointment, ch. 27:9, etc. This represented the state of the Old-Testament church: it was a garden enclosed; the worshippers were then confined to a little compass. But the enclosure being of curtains only intimated that the confinement of the church in one particular nation was not to be perpetual. The dispensation itself was a tabernacle-dispensation, movable and mutable, and in due time to be taken down and folded up, when the place of the tent should be enlarged and its cords lengthened, to make room for the Gentile world, as is foretold, Isa. 54:2, 3. The church here on earth is but the court of God's house, and happy they that tread these courts and flourish in them; but through these courts we are passing to the holy place above. Blessed are those that dwell in that house of God: they well be still praising him. The enclosing of a court before the tabernacle teaches us a gradual approach to God. The priests that ministered must pass through the holy court, before they entered the holy house. Thus before solemn ordinances there ought to be the separated and enclosed court of a solemn preparation, in which we must wash our hands, and so draw near with a true heart.

Exd 38:21-31

Here we have a breviat of the account which, by Moses's appointment, the Levites took and kept of the gold, silver, and brass, that was brought in for the tabernacle's use, and how it was employed. Ithamar the son of Aaron was appointed to draw up this account, and was thus by less services trained up and fitted for greater, v. 21. Bezaleel and Aholiab must bring in the account (v. 22, 23), and Ithamar must audit it, and give it in to Moses. And it was thus:-

  • 1. All the gold was a free-will offering; every man brought as he could and would, and it amounted to twenty-nine talents, and 730 shekels over, which some compute to be about 150,000l. worth of gold, according to the present value of it. Of this were made all the golden furniture and vessels.
  • 2. The silver was levied by way of tax; every man was assessed half a shekel, a kind of poll-money, which amounted in the whole to 100 talents, and 1775 shekels over, v. 25, 26. Of this they made the sockets into which the boards of the tabernacle were let, and on which they rested; so that they were as the foundation of the tabernacle, v. 27. The silver amounted to about 34,000l. of our money. The raising of the gold by voluntary contribution, and of the silver by way of tribute, shows that either way may be taken for the defraying of public expenses, provided that nothing be done with partiality.
  • 3. The brass, though less valuable, was of use not only for the brazen altar, but for the sockets of the court, which probably in other tents were of wood: but it is promised (Isa. 60:17), For wood I will bring brass. See how liberal the people were and how faithful the workmen were, in both which respects their good example ought to be followed.