1 "Bezalel and Oholiab shall work with every wise-hearted man, in whom Yahweh has put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all the work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that Yahweh has commanded."
2 Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab, and every wise-hearted man, in whose heart Yahweh had put wisdom, even everyone whose heart stirred him up to come to the work to do it:
3 and they received from Moses all the offering which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of the sanctuary, with which to make it. They brought yet to him freewill-offerings every morning.
4 All the wise men, who performed all the work of the sanctuary, each came from his work which they did.
5 They spoke to Moses, saying, "The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work which Yahweh commanded to make."
6 Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, "Let neither man nor woman make anything else for the offering for the sanctuary." So the people were restrained from bringing.
7 For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much.
8 All the wise-hearted men among those who did the work made the tent with ten curtains; of fine twined linen, blue, purple, and scarlet, with cherubim, the work of the skillful workman, they made them.
9 The length of each curtain was twenty-eight cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits. All the curtains had one measure.
10 He coupled five curtains to one another, and the other five curtains he coupled one to another.
11 He made loops of blue on the edge of the one curtain from the edge in the coupling. Likewise he made in the edge of the curtain that was outmost in the second coupling.
12 He made fifty loops in the one curtain, and he made fifty loops in the edge of the curtain that was in the second coupling. The loops were opposite one to another.
13 He made fifty clasps of gold, and coupled the curtains one to another with the clasps: so the tent was a unit.
14 He made curtains of goats' hair for a covering over the tent. He made them eleven curtains.
15 The length of each curtain was thirty cubits, and four cubits the breadth of each curtain. The eleven curtains had one measure.
16 He coupled five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves.
17 He made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that was outmost in the coupling, and he made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain which was outmost in the second coupling.
18 He made fifty clasps of brass to couple the tent together, that it might be a unit.
19 He made a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering of sea cow hides above.
20 He made the boards for the tent of acacia wood, standing up.
21 Ten cubits was the length of a board, and a cubit and a half the breadth of each board.
22 Each board had two tenons, joined one to another. He made all the boards of the tent this way.
23 He made the boards for the tent: twenty boards for the south side southward.
24 He made forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for its two tenons, and two sockets under another board for its two tenons.
25 For the second side of the tent, on the north side, he made twenty boards,
26 and their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.
27 For the far part of the tent westward he made six boards.
28 He made two boards for the corners of the tent in the far part.
29 They were double beneath, and in like manner they were all the way to the top of it to one ring. He did thus to both of them in the two corners.
30 There were eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; under every board two sockets.
31 He made bars of acacia wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tent,
32 and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tent, and five bars for the boards of the tent for the hinder part westward.
33 He made the middle bar to pass through in the midst of the boards from the one end to the other.
34 He overlaid the boards with gold, and made their rings of gold for places for the bars, and overlaid the bars with gold.
35 He made the veil of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen: with cherubim. He made it the work of a skillful workman.
36 He made four pillars of acacia for it, and overlaid them with gold. Their hooks were of gold. He cast four sockets of silver for them.
37 He made a screen for the door of the tent, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of an embroiderer;
38 and the five pillars of it with their hooks. He overlaid their capitals and their fillets with gold, and their five sockets were of brass.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Exodus 36
Commentary on Exodus 36 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 36
Ex 36:1-38. Offerings Delivered to the Workmen.
1. Then wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise-hearted man, &c.—Here is an illustrious example of zeal and activity in the work of the Lord. No unnecessary delay was allowed to take place; and from the moment the first pole was stuck in the ground till the final completion of the sacred edifice, he and his associates labored with all the energies both of mind and body engaged in the work. And what was the mainspring of their arduous and untiring diligence? They could be actuated by none of the ordinary motives that give impulse to human industry, by no desire for the acquisition of gain; no ambition for honor; no view of gratifying a mere love of power in directing the labors of a large body of men. They felt the stimulus—the strong irresistible impulse of higher and holier motives—obedience to the authority, zeal for the glory, and love to the service of God.
3. they (the workmen)
received of Moses all the offering, which the children of Israel had brought, &c.—It appears that the building was begun after the first few contributions were made; it was progressively carried on, and no necessity occurred to suspend operations even for the shortest interval, from want of the requisite materials.
they brought yet unto him free offerings every morning, &c.—Moses, in common with other Oriental magistrates, had his morning levees for receiving the people (see on Ex 18:13); and it was while he was performing his magisterial duties that the people brought unto him freewill offerings every morning. Some who had nothing but their manual labor to give would spend a great part of the night in hastening to complete their self-imposed task before the early dawn; others might find their hearts constrained by silent meditations on their beds to open their coffers and give a part of their hoarded treasure to the pious object. All whose hearts were touched by piety, penitence, or gratitude, repaired with eager haste into the presence of Moses, not as heretofore, to have their controversies settled, but to lay on his tribunal their contributions to the sanctuary of God (2Co 9:7).
5. they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough, &c.—By the calculations which the practised eyes of the workmen enabled them to make, they were unanimously of the opinion that the supply already far exceeded the demand and that no more contributions were required. Such a report reflects the highest honor on their character as men of the strictest honor and integrity, who, notwithstanding they had command of an untold amount of the most precious things and might, without any risk of human discovery, have appropriated much to their own use, were too high principled for such acts of peculation. Forthwith, a proclamation was issued to stop further contributions [Ex 36:6].
35. he made a veil of blue—the second or inner veil, which separated the holy from the most holy place, embroidered with cherubim and of great size and thickness.
37. made an hanging for the … door—Curtains of elaborately wrought needlework are often suspended over the entrance to tents of the great nomad sheiks, and throughout Persia, at the entrance of summer tents, mosques, and palaces. They are preferred as cooler and more elegant than wooden doors. This chapter contains an instructive narrative: it is the first instance of donations made for the worship of God, given from the wages of the people's sufferings and toils. They were acceptable to God (Php 4:18), and if the Israelites showed such liberality, how much more should those whose privilege it is to live under the Christian dispensation (1Co 6:20; 16:2).