Exodus 25:6-16

6 Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense,

7 Onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in the breast-plate.

8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.

9 According to all that I show thee [after] the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all its instruments, even so shall ye make [it].

10 And they shall make an ark [of] shittim wood: two cubits and a half [shall be] its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its hight.

11 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold around it.

12 And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put [them] in its four corners; and two rings [shall be] in the one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it.

13 And thou shalt make staffs [of] shittim wood, and overlay them with gold.

14 And thou shalt put the staffs into the rings by the sides of the ark, that the ark may be borne with them.

15 The staffs shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it.

16 And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee.

Exodus 25:6-16 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.