Exodus 38:18-28

18 He made the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard of finely woven linen, and he decorated it with beautiful embroidery in blue, purple, and scarlet thread. It was 30 feet long, and its height was 7 feet, just like the curtains of the courtyard walls.

19 It was supported by four posts, each set securely in its own bronze base. The tops of the posts were overlaid with silver, and the hooks and rings were also made of silver.

20 All the tent pegs used in the Tabernacle and courtyard were made of bronze.

21 This is an inventory of the materials used in building the Tabernacle of the Covenant. The Levites compiled the figures, as Moses directed, and Ithamar son of Aaron the priest served as recorder.

22 Bezalel son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made everything just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

23 He was assisted by Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, a craftsman expert at engraving, designing, and embroidering with blue, purple, and scarlet thread on fine linen cloth.

24 The people brought special offerings of gold totaling 2,193 pounds, as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel. This gold was used throughout the Tabernacle.

25 The whole community of Israel gave 7,545 pounds of silver, as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel.

26 This silver came from the tax collected from each man registered in the census. (The tax is one beka, which is half a shekel, based on the sanctuary shekel.) The tax was collected from 603,550 men who had reached their twentieth birthday.

27 The hundred bases for the frames of the sanctuary walls and for the posts supporting the inner curtain required 7,500 pounds of silver, about 75 pounds for each base.

28 The remaining 45 pounds of silver was used to make the hooks and rings and to overlay the tops of the posts.

Exodus 38:18-28 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 38

This chapter is a continuation of the account of the making of the things belonging to the tabernacle, particularly the altar of burnt offering, Ex 38:1-7 the laver of brass, and the things it was made of, Ex 38:8 the court and its hangings, pillars, sockets, hooks and pins, Ex 38:9-20 then follows an account of the quantities of gold, silver, and brass, expended in the making of the several things appertaining to the sanctuary, Ex 38:21-31.

Bezaleel made it, or it was made by his direction, he having the care and oversight of it, wherefore the making of it is ascribed to him, 2Ch 1:5 the account of this, its horns, vessels, rings, and staves, is carried on to Ex 38:2-7 of which \\see Gill on "Ex 27:1"\\ \\see Gill on "Ex 27:2"\\ \\see Gill on "Ex 27:3"\\ \\see Gill on "Ex 27:4"\\ \\see Gill on "Ex 27:5"\\ \\see Gill on "Ex 27:6"\\ \\see Gill on "Ex 27:7"\\ \\see Gill on "Ex 27:8"\\. 10593-941108-1338-Ex38.2

Footnotes

• [a]. Hebrew 20 cubits [9.2 meters] long and 5 cubits [2.3 meters] high.
• [b]. Hebrew the Tabernacle, the Tabernacle of the Testimony.
• [c]. Hebrew 29 talents and 730 shekels [994 kilograms]. Each shekel weighed about 0.4 ounces or 11 grams.
• [d]. Hebrew 100 talents and 1,775 shekels [3,420 kilograms].
• [e]. Or 0.2 ounces [6 grams].
• [f]. Hebrew 100 talents [3,400 kilograms] of silver, 1 talent [34 kilograms] for each base.
• [g]. Hebrew 1,775 [shekels] [20.2 kilograms].