Exodus 27:1-8

Instructions for Making the Bronze Altar

1 "And you will make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits wide; the altar will be square, and its height [will be] three cubits.

2 And you will make its horns on its four corners; its horns will be {of one piece with it}, and you will overlay it [with] bronze.

3 And you will make its pots for removing its fat-soaked ashes and its shovels and its sprinkling bowls and its forks and its fire pans; you will make all its equipment [with] bronze.

4 And you will make for it a grating, a work of bronze network, and you will make on the network four bronze rings on its four ends.

5 And you will put it under the ledge of the altar, below, and the network will be up to the middle of the altar.

6 And you will make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and you will overlay them [with] bronze.

7 And the poles will be put into the rings, and the poles will be on the two sides of the altar when carrying it.

8 You will make it hollow with boards. As it was shown you on the mountain, so they will do.

Exodus 27:1-8 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 27

This chapter treats of the altar of burnt offering, and of all things relative to it, Ex 27:1-8, of the court of the tabernacle, its hangings on each side, with pillars, sockets, and hooks for them, Ex 27:9-19 and it is concluded with an order to the Israelites to bring oil olive for the lamp of the sanctuary, Ex 27:20,21.

Footnotes

• [a] Literally "from it"
• [b] 1 Samuel 2:13 mentions a fork with "three teeth" used by priests