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Exodus 38

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The Tabernacle Completed

1 1Then he made the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood, five cubits long, and five cubits wide, square, and three cubits high.
2 He made its horns on its four corners, its horns being of one piece with it, and he overlaid it with bronze.
3 He made all the utensils of the altar, the pails and the shovels and the basins, the flesh hooks and the firepans; he made all its utensils of bronze.
4 He made for the altar a grating of bronze network beneath, under its ledge, reaching halfway up.
5 He cast four rings on the four ends of the bronze grating as holders for the poles.
6 He made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with bronze.
7 He inserted the poles into the rings on the sides of the altar, with which to carry it. He made it hollow with planks.
8 2Moreover, he made the laver of bronze with its base of bronze, from the mirrors of the serving women who served at the doorway of the tent of meeting.
9 3Then he made the court: for the south * side the hangings of the court were of fine twisted linen, one hundred cubits;
10 their twenty pillars, and their twenty sockets, made of bronze; the hooks of the pillars and their bands were of silver.
11 For the north side there were one hundred cubits; their twenty pillars and their twenty sockets were of bronze, the hooks of the pillars and their bands were of silver.
12 For the west side there were hangings of fifty cubits with their ten pillars and their ten sockets; the hooks of the pillars and their bands were of silver.
13 For the east side fifty cubits.
14 The hangings for the one side of the gate were fifteen * cubits, with their three pillars and their three sockets,
15 and so for the other side. On both * sides of the gate of the court were hangings of fifteen * cubits, with their three pillars and their three sockets.
16 All the hangings of the court all around were of fine twisted linen.
17 The sockets for the pillars were of bronze, the hooks of the pillars and their bands, of silver; and the overlaying of their tops, of silver, and all the pillars of the court were furnished with silver bands.
18 The screen of the gate of the court was the work of the weaver, of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen. And the length was twenty cubits and the height was five cubits, corresponding to the hangings of the court.
19 Their four pillars and their four sockets were of bronze; their hooks were of silver, and the overlaying of their tops and their bands were of silver.
20 All the pegs of the tabernacle and of the court all around were of bronze.

The Cost of the Tabernacle

21 This is the number of the things for the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the testimony, as they were numbered according to the command of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
22 Now 4Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the LORD had commanded Moses.
23 With him was 5Oholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver and a skillful workman and a weaver in blue and in purple and in scarlet material, and fine linen.
24 All the gold that was used for the work, in all the work of the sanctuary, even the gold of the wave offering, was 29 * talents and 730 * * shekels, according to 6the shekel of the sanctuary.
25 7The silver of those of the congregation who were numbered was 100 talents and 1,775 * * * * shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary;
26 8a beka a head (that is, half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary ), for each one who passed over to those who were numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for 603,550 * * * * * * * men.
27 The hundred talents of silver were for casting the sockets of the sanctuary and the sockets of the veil; one hundred sockets for the hundred talents, a talent for a socket.
28 Of the 1,775 * * * * shekels, he made hooks for the pillars and overlaid their tops and made bands for them.
29 The bronze of the wave offering was 70 talents and 2,400 * * shekels.
30 With it he made the sockets to the doorway of the tent of meeting, and the bronze altar and its bronze grating, and all the utensils of the altar,
31 and the sockets of the court all around and the sockets of the gate of the court, and all the pegs of the tabernacle and all the pegs of the court all around.
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Exodus 38 Commentary

Chapter 38

The brazen altar and laver. (1-8) The court. (9-20) The offerings of the people. (21-31)

Verses 1-8 In all ages of the church there have been some persons more devoted to God, more constant in their attendance upon his ordinances, and more willing to part even with lawful things, for his sake, than others. Some women, devoted to God and zealous for the tabernacle worship, expressed zeal by parting with their mirrors, which were polished plates of brass. Before the invention of looking-glasses, these served the same purposes.

Verses 9-20 The walls of the court being of curtains only, intimated that the state of the Jewish church itself was movable and changeable; 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.

Verses 21-31 The foundation of massy pieces of silver showed the solidity and purity of the truth upon which the church is founded. Let us regard the Lord Jesus Christ while reading of the furniture of the tabernacle. While looking at the altar of burnt-offering, let us see Jesus. In him, his righteousness, and salvation, is a full and sufficient offering for sin. In the laver of regeneration, by his Holy Spirit, let our souls be washed, and they shall be clean; and as the people offered willingly, so may our souls be made willing. Let us be ready to part with any thing, and count all but loss to win Christ.

Taken from Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise)

Cross References 9

  • 1. Exodus 27:1-8
  • 2. Exodus 30:18
  • 3. Exodus 27:9-19
  • 4. Exodus 31:2
  • 5. Exodus 31:6
  • 6. Exodus 30:13; Leviticus 27:25; Numbers 3:47; Numbers 18:16
  • 7. Exodus 30:11-16
  • 8. Exodus 30:13, 15
  • 9. Exodus 12:37; Numbers 1:46; Numbers 26:51

Footnotes 49

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 38

This chapter is a continuation of the account of the making of the things belonging to the tabernacle, particularly the altar of burnt offering, Ex 38:1-7 the laver of brass, and the things it was made of, Ex 38:8 the court and its hangings, pillars, sockets, hooks and pins, Ex 38:9-20 then follows an account of the quantities of gold, silver, and brass, expended in the making of the several things appertaining to the sanctuary, Ex 38:21-31.

Bezaleel made it, or it was made by his direction, he having the care and oversight of it, wherefore the making of it is ascribed to him, 2Ch 1:5 the account of this, its horns, vessels, rings, and staves, is carried on to Ex 38:2-7 of which \\see Gill on "Ex 27:1"\\ \\see Gill on "Ex 27:2"\\ \\see Gill on "Ex 27:3"\\ \\see Gill on "Ex 27:4"\\ \\see Gill on "Ex 27:5"\\ \\see Gill on "Ex 27:6"\\ \\see Gill on "Ex 27:7"\\ \\see Gill on "Ex 27:8"\\. 10593-941108-1338-Ex38.2

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Exodus 38 Commentaries

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