Exodus 25

1 And the Lord spake to Moses, and said,

2 Speak thou to the sons of Israel, that they take to me the first fruits; of each man that offereth willfully, ye shall take those [things]. (Tell thou the Israelites, that they should bring me the first fruits; and from everyone who willingly offereth them, ye shall receive those things.)

3 Forsooth these things it be, which ye shall take, gold, and silver, and brass, (And these be the things which ye shall receive from them, gold, and silver, and bronze,)

4 and jacinth, and purple, and red silk twice-dyed, and bis, that is, white silk, [and] hairs of goats, (and jacinth, and purple, and red silk twice-dyed, and fine linen, and goats? hair,)

5 and skins of wethers made red, and skins of jacinth, and wood of shittim, (and red rams? skins, and blue skins, and shittim wood, that is, acacia wood,)

6 and oil to lights to be ordained, sweet smelling spiceries into ointment, and incense of good odour, (and oil to nourish the light/and oil to fuel the lanterns, and sweet smelling spices for the ointment, and for the incense of the sweetest aroma,)

7 onyx stones, and gems to adorn (the) ephod, that is, a chasuble, and the rational, that is, an ouch hanging on the priest's breast, in which was written doom and truth. (and onyx stones, and gems to adorn the ephod, that is, a chasuble, or an apron-like garment, and the breast-piece, that is, a pouch, or a pocket, hanging upon the priest's breast, in which were carried the Urim and the Thummim.)

8 And they shall make a saintuary to me, and I shall dwell in the midst of them, (And they shall make a sanctuary for me, and I shall live there in their midst,)

9 by all the likeness of the tabernacle that I shall show to thee, and of all the vessels of [the] adorning thereof.

10 And thus ye shall make it; join together an ark, or a coffer, of the wood of shittim, whose length shall have two cubits and an half, the breadth shall have one cubit and an half, the height in like manner one cubit and an half. (And ye shall make it thus; construct the Ark, that is, the Box for the tablets of the Law, out of shittim wood, or acacia wood, and it shall be two and a half cubits in length, one and a half cubits in breadth, and one and a half cubits in height.)

11 And thou shalt overgild it with cleanest gold within and without; and thou shalt make a golden crown above by compass, (And thou shalt gild it with pure gold within and without; and thou shalt put a gold band all around it,)

12 and four golden rings, which thou shalt set by [the] four corners of the ark; two rings be in [the] one side, and two rings in the other side. (and thou shalt make four gold rings, which thou shalt fasten to the four corners of the Ark; two rings shall be on one side of it, and two rings shall be on the other side.)

13 Also thou shalt make bars of the wood of shittim (And thou shalt make bars out of shittim wood), and thou shalt cover them with gold,

14 and thou shalt bring (them) in by the rings that be in the sides of the ark, that it be borne in them, (and thou shalt bring them in through the rings that be on the sides of the Ark, so that the Ark can be carried with them,)

15 the which bars shall ever[more] be in the rings, neither they shall any time be drawn out of them. (which bars shall remain in the rings forevermore, and they shall never be drawn out of them at any time.)

16 And thou shalt put into the ark the witnessing, that is, (the) law, which I shall give to thee. (And thou shalt put into the Ark the Witnessing, that is, the tablets of the Law, which I shall give to thee.)

17 And thou shalt make a propitiatory of cleanest gold; that is, a table covering the ark [that is, a place of purchasing mercy]; the length thereof shall hold two cubits and an half, [and] the breadth shall hold one cubit and an half. (And thou shalt make the mercy seat, that is, a lid to cover the Ark, out of pure gold; its length shall be two and a half cubits, and its breadth shall be one and a half cubits.)

18 Also thou shalt make on ever either side of God's answering place, two cherubims of gold, and beaten out with an hammer; (And thou shalt make for each end of the propitiatory, or the mercy seat, two gold cherubim, beaten out with a hammer;)

19 one cherub be on one side of God's answering place, and the tother in the tother side; cover they ever either side of the propitiatory, (one cherub shall be at one end of the lid, and the other cherub shall be at the other end of the lid; and the cherubim shall be made so that they form one piece with the propitiatory,)

20 and hold they forth the(ir) wings, and cover they God's answering place; and behold they themselves together, while their faces be turned in to the propitiatory, (and their wings shall be spread out, and they shall cover the lid; and they shall face each other, but their faces shall be turned down toward the propitiatory,)

21 with which the ark of the Lord shall be covered, in which ark thou shalt put the witnessing, that is, the (tablets of the) law, that I shall give to thee.

22 From thence I shall command, and I shall speak to thee above the propitiatory, that is, from the midst of [the] two cherubims, that shall be on the ark of witnessing, all things which I shall command by thee to the sons of Israel. (From there I shall command, and I shall speak to thee from above the propitiatory, that is, from the midst of the two cherubim, who shall be over the Ark of the Witnessing, all the things which I shall command by thee to the Israelites.)

23 Also thou shalt make a board of the wood of shittim, having two cubits of length, and one cubit of broadness, and one cubit and an half in height. (And thou shalt make a table out of shittim wood, two cubits in length, one cubit in breadth, and one and a half cubits in height.)

24 And thou shalt overgild the board with most pure gold, and thou shalt make to it a golden brink about; (And thou shalt gild the table with pure gold, and thou shalt put a gold band all around it;)

25 and thou shalt make to that brink a crown raised betwixt four fingers high, and thou shalt make on that another little golden crown. (and thou shalt make a gold rim four fingers high around that band, and thou shalt put another gold band around the rim.)

26 And thou shalt make ready four golden rings, and thou shalt put them in [the] four corners of the same board, by all the feet thereof. (And thou shalt make four gold rings, and thou shalt fasten them to the four corners of the table, by its legs.)

27 Under the crown shall be (the) golden rings, that the bars be put through them, and so the table may be borne. (And the gold rings shall be fastened near the rim, for the bars to be put through, so that the table can be carried.)

28 Thou shalt make the bars of the wood of shittim, and thou shalt compass them with gold to bear the board. (Thou shalt make the bars out of shittim wood, and cover them with gold, and thou shalt use them to carry the table.)

29 And thou shalt make ready vessels of vinegar, and vials, and censers, and cups of purest gold, in which flowing sacrifices shall be offered. (And thou shalt make out of pure gold the vessels for the vinegar, and the censers, and the cups, and the basins, in which the wine offerings shall be made.)

30 And thou shalt set on the board (the) loaves of proposition, or (the loaves) of setting forth, (to be) in my sight ever[more]. (And thou shalt put the showbread on the table, to be there before me forevermore.)

31 And thou shalt make a candlestick beaten out with an hammer, of cleanest gold, [and] thou shalt make the shaft thereof, and [the] rods, and cups, and little roundels, and lilies coming forth thereof. (And thou shalt make a lamp-stand out of pure gold, beaten out with a hammer, yea, thou shalt make its shaft, and the rods, and cups, and little balls, and lilies, that shall all come forth from it.)

32 Six rods shall go out of the sides (of it), three (out) of the one side, and three (out) of the other.

33 Three cups as in the manner of a nut by each rod, and [the] little roundels together, and a lily, and in like manner three cups at the likeness of a nut in the tother rod, and (the) little roundels together, and a lily; this shall be the work of (the) six rods, that shall be brought forth [out] of the candlestick shaft. (And there shall be three cups shaped like almonds, and little balls, and a lily together on the first rod, and likewise three cups shaped like almonds, and little balls, and a lily together on the next rod; such shall be the metalwork for all six rods that shall come forth from the shaft of the lamp-stand.)

34 Forsooth in that candlestick shall be four cups in the manner of a nut, and little roundels and lilies by each cup; (And on the shaft of the lamp-stand shall be four cups shaped like almonds, and little balls, and lilies, by all the cups;)

35 and the little roundels shall be under (each of) two rods by three places, the which rods altogether be made six, coming forth of (the) one shaft; (and a little ball shall be under each pair of rods, that is, in three places, which rods altogether be six, coming forth from the one shaft of the lamp-stand;)

36 and therefore the little roundels and the rods thereof shall be all beaten out with an hammer, of cleanest gold. (and so all the little balls and its rods shall be made out of pure gold, beaten out with a hammer.)

37 And thou shalt make seven lanterns, and thou shalt set them on the candlestick, that they shine even against each other. (And thou shalt make seven lanterns, and thou shalt put them on the lamp-stand, so that they shine toward the front.)

38 Also tongs to snuff the candles, and (the vessels) where those snuffs, that be snuffed out, be quenched, be made of cleanest gold. (And the tongs to snuff out the candles, and the firepans, where those tongs shall be quenched, shall be made out of pure gold.)

39 All the weight of the candlestick with all his vessels shall have, or weigh, a talent of cleanest gold. (And the lamp-stand and all its vessels shall be made out of one talent of pure gold.)

40 Behold thou, and make all thing(s) by the exemplar, which is showed to thee in the hill. (See that thou make all these things by the example that was shown to thee on the mountain.)

Exodus 25 Commentary

Chapter 25

What the Israelites were to offer for making the tabernacle. (1-9) The ark. (10-22) The table, with its furniture. (23-30) The candlestick. (31-40)

Verses 1-9 God chose the people of Israel to be a peculiar people to himself, above all people, and he himself would be their King. He ordered a royal palace to be set up among them for himself, called a sanctuary, or holy place, or habitation. There he showed his presence among them. And because in the wilderness they dwelt in tents, this royal palace was ordered to be a tabernacle, that it might move with them. The people were to furnish Moses with the materials, by their own free will. The best use we can make of our worldly wealth, is to honour God with it in works of piety and charity. We should ask, not only, What must we do? but, What may we do for God? Whatever they gave, they must give it cheerfully, not grudgingly, for God ( 2 Corinthians. 9:7 ) service of God, we must reckon well bestowed; and whatsoever is done in God's service, must be done by his direction.

Verses 10-22 The ark was a chest, overlaid with gold, in which the two tables of the law were to be kept. These tables are called the testimony; God in them testified his will. This law was a testimony to the Israelites, to direct them in their duty, and would be a testimony against them, if they transgressed. This ark was placed in the holy of holies; the blood of the sacrifices was sprinkled, and the incense burned, before it, by the high priest; and above it appeared the visible glory, which was the symbol of the Divine presence. This was a type of Christ in his sinless nature, which saw no corruption, in personal union with his Divine nature, atoning for our sins against it, by his death. The cherubim of gold looked one towards another, and both looked downward toward the ark. It denotes the angels' attendance on the Redeemer, their readiness to do his will, their presence in the assemblies of saints, and their desire to look into the mysteries of the gospel. It was covered with a covering of gold, called the mercy-seat. God is said to dwell, or sit between the cherubim, on the mercy-seat. There he would give his law, and hear supplicants, as a prince on his throne.

Verses 23-30 A table was to be made of wood, overlaid with gold, to stand in the outer tabernacle, to be always furnished with the shew-bread. This table, with the articles on it, and its use, seems to typify the communion which the Lord holds with his redeemed people in his ordinances, the provisions of his house, the feasts they are favoured with. Also the food for their souls, which they always find when they hunger after it; and the delight he takes in their persons and services, as presented before him in Christ.

Verses 31-40 The candlestick represents the light of God's word and Spirit, in and through Christ Jesus, afforded in this dark world to his believing people, to direct their worship and obedience, and to afford them consolations. The church is still dark, as the tabernacle was, in comparison with what it will be in heaven; but the word of God is a light shining in a dark place, ( 2 Peter. 1:19 ) it. In ver. ( 40 ) is an express caution to Moses. Nothing was left to his own fancy, or to that of the workmen, or the people; but the will of God must be observed in every particular. Christ's instruction to his disciples, ( Matthew 28:20 ) , is like this, Observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. Let us remember that we are the temples of the Holy Ghost, that we have the law of God in our hearts, that we are to live a life of communion with God, feast on his ordinances, and are the light of the world, if indeed we are followers of Christ. May the Lord help us to try ourselves by this view of religion, and to walk according thereto.

Chapter Summary

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.