Exodus 25:3-13

3 These are the offerings you are to receive from them: gold, silver and bronze;

4 blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair;

5 ram skins dyed red and another type of durable leather^[a] ; acacia wood;

6 olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense;

7 and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece.

8 “Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them.

9 Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.

The Ark

10 “Have them make an ark^[b] of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.^[c]

11 Overlay it with pure gold, both inside and out, and make a gold molding around it.

12 Cast four gold rings for it and fasten them to its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other.

13 Then make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.

Exodus 25:3-13 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 25

In this chapter an order is given for a freewill offering towards various things for the worship and service of God, and the materials to be offered, which would be useful and acceptable, are mentioned particularly, Ex 25:1-7, as also another order to build a sanctuary for God, after a model that he would give, Ex 25:8,9, and, an ark to put in the law on tables of stone, the fashion of which, and the various things belonging to it, are described, Ex 25:10-16, and a mercy seat with cherubim on it to be set over the ark, where the Lord promises to meet Moses and commune with him, Ex 25:17-22 and a table with various appurtenances to it to place the shewbread on, Ex 25:23-30 and a candlestick of gold, whose parts are described, and all the instruments relative to it, Ex 25:31-40.

Cross References

• 1. Exodus 28:4-8
• 2. Numbers 4:6,10
• 3. Deuteronomy 10:3
• 4. Exodus 27:20; Exodus 30:22-32; Exodus 35:28; Exodus 39:37; Numbers 4:16
• 5. Ex 30:1,7,35; Exodus 31:11; Exodus 35:28; Leviticus 16:12; Numbers 4:16; Numbers 7:14; 2 Chronicles 13:11
• 6. Ex 28:4,6-14; Exodus 29:5; Judges 8:27; Hosea 3:4
• 7. Leviticus 8:8; Exodus 28:15-30
• 8. Exodus 36:1-5; Leviticus 4:6; Leviticus 10:4,7; Leviticus 21:12,23; Numbers 3:28; Hebrews 9:1-2
• 9. Exodus 29:45; Leviticus 26:11-12; Numbers 5:3; Deuteronomy 12:11; 1 Kings 6:13; Zechariah 2:10; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Revelation 21:3
• 10. ver 40; Exodus 26:30; Exodus 27:8; Exodus 31:11; Exodus 39:32,42,43; Numbers 8:4; 1 Chronicles 28:11,19; Acts 7:44; Hebrews 8:5
• 11. Deuteronomy 10:1-5; 1 Kings 6:19; Hebrews 9:4
• 12. ver 24; Exodus 30:3
• 13. ver 26; Exodus 30:4
• 14. ver 28; Exodus 27:6; Exodus 30:5; Exodus 37:28

Footnotes

• [a]. Possibly the hides of large aquatic mammals
• [b]. That is, a chest
• [c]. That is, about 3 3/4 feet long and 2 1/4 feet wide and high or about 1.1 meters long and 68 centimeters wide and high; similarly in verse 17