Exodus 25:4-14

4 and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and byssus, and goats' [hair],

5 and rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins; and acacia-wood;

6 oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil, and for the incense of fragrant drugs;

7 onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in the breastplate.

8 And they shall make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.

9 According to all that I shall shew thee, the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the utensils thereof, even so shall ye make [it].

10 And they shall make an ark of acacia-wood; two cubits and a half the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.

11 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold: inside and outside shalt thou overlay it; and shalt make upon it a border of gold round about.

12 And cast four rings of gold for it, and put [them] at the four corners thereof, that two rings may be upon the one side thereof and two rings upon the other side thereof.

13 And make staves of acacia-wood and overlay them with gold.

14 And put the staves into the rings upon the sides of the ark, that the ark may be borne with them.

Exodus 25:4-14 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. A white material, see Note, Gen. 41.42.
• [b]. Or 'seals' skins:' so chs. 26.14; 35.7,23.
• [c]. Lit. 'light-bearer,' as Gen. 1.14.
• [d]. Mikdash, holy as to place -- hallowed. Kodesh refers to the quality of holiness, ch. 28.29.
• [e]. Mishkan, 'habitation.'
• [f]. 'Chest.'
• [g]. Some read 'feet.' so also Ch. 37.3.