Exodus 38ASV
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Exodus38

American Standard Version · Public Domain

1And he made the altar of burnt-offering of acacia wood: five cubits was the length thereof, and five cubits the breadth thereof, foursquare; and three cubits the height thereof.

2And he made the horns thereof upon the four corners of it; the horns thereof were of one piece with it: and he overlaid it with brass.

3And he made all the vessels of the altar, the pots, and the shovels, and the basins, the flesh-hooks, and the firepans: all the vessels thereof made he of brass.

4And he made for the altar a grating of network of brass, under the ledge round it beneath, reaching halfway up.

5And he cast four rings for the four ends of the grating of brass, to be places for the staves.

6And he made the staves of acacia wood, and overlaid them with brass.

7And he put the staves into the rings on the sides of the altar, wherewith to bear it; he made it hollow with planks.

8And he made the laver of brass, and the base thereof of brass, of the mirrors of the ministering women that ministered at the door of the tent of meeting.

9And he made the court: for the south side southward the hangings of the court were of fine twined linen, a hundred cubits;

10their pillars were twenty, and their sockets twenty, of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver.

11And for the north side a hundred cubits, their pillars twenty, and their sockets twenty, of brass; the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets, of silver.

12And for the west side were hangings of fifty cubits, their pillars ten, and their sockets ten; the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets, of silver.

13And for the east side eastward fifty cubits.

14The hangings for the one side of the gate were fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three;

15and so for the other side: on this hand and that hand by the gate of the court were hangings of fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.

16All the hangings of the court round about were of fine twined linen.

17And the sockets for the pillars were of brass; the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets, of silver; and the overlaying of their capitals, of silver; and all the pillars of the court were filleted with silver.

18And the screen for the gate of the court was the work of the embroiderer, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: and twenty cubits was the length, and the height in the breadth was five cubits, answerable to the hangings of the court.

19And their pillars were four, and their sockets four, of brass; their hooks of silver, and the overlaying of their capitals, and their fillets, of silver.

20And all the pins of the tabernacle, and of the court round about, were of brass.

21This is the sum of the things for the tabernacle, even the tabernacle of the testimony, as they were counted, according to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest.

22And Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that Jehovah commanded Moses.

23And with him was Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver, and a skilful workman, and an embroiderer in blue, and in purple, and in scarlet, and in fine linen.

24All the gold that was used for the work in all the work of the sanctuary, even the gold of the offering, was twenty and nine talents, and seven hundred and thirty shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary.

25And the silver of them that were numbered of the congregation was a hundred talents, and a thousand seven hundred and threescore and fifteen shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:

26a beka a head, that is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for every one that passed over to them that were numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty men.

27And the hundred talents of silver were for casting the sockets of the sanctuary, and the sockets of the veil; a hundred sockets for the hundred talents, a talent for a socket.

28And of the thousand seven hundred seventy and five shekels he made hooks for the pillars, and overlaid their capitals, and made fillets for them.

29And the brass of the offering was seventy talents, and two thousand and four hundred shekels.

30And therewith he made the sockets to the door of the tent of meeting, and the brazen altar, and the brazen grating for it, and all the vessels of the altar,

31and the sockets of the court round about, and the sockets of the gate of the court, and all the pins of the tabernacle, and all the pins of the court round about.

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Exodus 38.

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Chapter Summary

In this chapter: The brazen altar and laver. (1–8). The court. (9–20). The offerings of the people. (21–31).

vv1-8

In all ages of the church there have been some persons more devoted to God, more constant in their attendance upon his ordinances, and more willing to part even with lawful things, for his sake, than others. Some women, devoted to God and zealous for the tabernacle worship, expressed zeal by parting with their mirrors, which were polished plates of brass. Before the invention of looking-glasses, these served the same purposes. (Ex 38:9-20)

vv9-20

The walls of the court being of curtains only, intimated that the state of the Jewish church itself was movable and changeable; and in due time to be taken down and folded up, when the place of the tent should be enlarged, and its cords lengthened, to make room for the Gentile world.

vv21-31

The foundation of massy pieces of silver showed the solidity and purity of the truth upon which the church is founded. Let us regard the Lord Jesus Christ while reading of the furniture of the tabernacle. While looking at the altar of burnt-offering, let us see Jesus. In him, his righteousness, and salvation, is a full and sufficient offering for sin. In the laver of regeneration, by his Holy Spirit, let our souls be washed, and they shall be clean; and as the people offered willingly, so may our souls be made willing. Let us be ready to part with any thing, and count all but loss to win Christ.

Cross References

Exodus 38
v1Exodus 27:1-8thematic

The exact instructions for constructing the altar of burnt offering which are here executed.

Supported by John Calvin, JFB

v8Exodus 30:18-21thematic

The divine command for making the brass laver and its specific ritual purpose.

Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin

v81 Samuel 2:22thematic

Historical record of the dedicated women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v9Exodus 27:9-19thematic

The original architectural pattern and dimensions for constructing the outer court.

Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin

v25Exodus 30:12thematic

The commandment for the census and the half-shekel ransom money used for building.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v8Job 37:18thematic

Poetic description of the sky being strong like a molten looking glass (polished brass mirror).

Supported by Matthew Poole

v8Luke 2:37thematic

New Testament parallel of a devoted woman serving God continually at the temple.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v22Exodus 35:30-35thematic

The calling and divine endowment of Bezaleel and Aholiab for the work.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v4Exodus 27:4thematic

The specific pattern for the bronze grate of network under the altar's compass.

Supported by John Calvin

v20Exodus 27:19thematic

The command that all the pins of the tabernacle and court must be made of brass.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v24Exodus 30:13thematic

The standard definition of the shekel of the sanctuary used for valuation.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v2Exodus 27:2thematic

The instruction to make the horns on the four corners of the altar.

Supported by John Calvin

v3Exodus 27:3thematic

The command to make all the altar's vessels of brass.

Supported by John Calvin

v17Numbers 4:32thematic

The specific inventory and assignment of the pillars, sockets, and pins to the Levites.

Supported by Matthew Poole