Exodus38
New International Version
1They built the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood, three cubits high; it was square, five cubits long and five cubits wide.
2They made a horn at each of the four corners, so that the horns and the altar were of one piece, and they overlaid the altar with bronze.
3They made all its utensils of bronze—its pots, shovels, sprinkling bowls, meat forks and firepans.
4They made a grating for the altar, a bronze network, to be under its ledge, halfway up the altar.
5They cast bronze rings to hold the poles for the four corners of the bronze grating.
6They made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with bronze.
7They inserted the poles into the rings so they would be on the sides of the altar for carrying it. They made it hollow, out of boards.
8They made the bronze basin and its bronze stand from the mirrors of the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
9Next they made the courtyard. The south side was a hundred cubits long and had curtains of finely twisted linen,
10with twenty posts and twenty bronze bases, and with silver hooks and bands on the posts.
11The north side was also a hundred cubits long and had twenty posts and twenty bronze bases, with silver hooks and bands on the posts.
12The west end was fifty cubits wide and had curtains, with ten posts and ten bases, with silver hooks and bands on the posts.
13The east end, toward the sunrise, was also fifty cubits wide.
14Curtains fifteen cubits long were on one side of the entrance, with three posts and three bases,
15and curtains fifteen cubits long were on the other side of the entrance to the courtyard, with three posts and three bases.
16All the curtains around the courtyard were of finely twisted linen.
17The bases for the posts were bronze. The hooks and bands on the posts were silver, and their tops were overlaid with silver; so all the posts of the courtyard had silver bands.
18The curtain for the entrance to the courtyard was made of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen—the work of an embroiderer. It was twenty cubits long and, like the curtains of the courtyard, five cubits high,
19with four posts and four bronze bases. Their hooks and bands were silver, and their tops were overlaid with silver.
20All the tent pegs of the tabernacle and of the surrounding courtyard were bronze.
21These are the amounts of the materials used for the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the covenant law, which were recorded at Moses’ command by the Levites under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest.
22(Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made everything the Lord commanded Moses;
23with him was Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan—an engraver and designer, and an embroiderer in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen.)
24The total amount of the gold from the wave offering used for all the work on the sanctuary was 29 talents and 730 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel.
25The silver obtained from those of the community who were counted in the census was 100 talents and 1,775 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel—
26one beka per person, that is, half a shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, from everyone who had crossed over to those counted, twenty years old or more, a total of 603,550 men.
27The 100 talents of silver were used to cast the bases for the sanctuary and for the curtain—100 bases from the 100 talents, one talent for each base.
28They used the 1,775 shekels to make the hooks for the posts, to overlay the tops of the posts, and to make their bands.
29The bronze from the wave offering was 70 talents and 2,400 shekels.
30They used it to make the bases for the entrance to the tent of meeting, the bronze altar with its bronze grating and all its utensils,
31the bases for the surrounding courtyard and those for its entrance and all the tent pegs for the tabernacle and those for the surrounding courtyard.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Exodus 38.
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.
Key Words
עָשָׂה: to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
מִזְבֵּחַ: an altar
עֹלָה: a step or (collectively, stairs, as ascending); usually a holocaust (as going up in smoke)
שִׁטָּה: the acacia (from its scourging thorns)
עֵץ: a tree (from its firmness); hence, wood (plural sticks)
חָמֵשׁ: five
אַמָּה: properly, a mother (i.e. unit of measure, or the fore-arm (below the elbow), i.e. a cubit; also a door-base (as a bond of the entrance)
אֹרֶךְ: length
רֹחַב: width (literally or figuratively)
רָבַע: to be quadrate
Cross References
Exodus 38The exact instructions for constructing the altar of burnt offering which are here executed.
Supported by John Calvin, JFB
The divine command for making the brass laver and its specific ritual purpose.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Historical record of the dedicated women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The original architectural pattern and dimensions for constructing the outer court.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
The commandment for the census and the half-shekel ransom money used for building.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Poetic description of the sky being strong like a molten looking glass (polished brass mirror).
Supported by Matthew Poole
New Testament parallel of a devoted woman serving God continually at the temple.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The calling and divine endowment of Bezaleel and Aholiab for the work.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The specific pattern for the bronze grate of network under the altar's compass.
Supported by John Calvin
The command that all the pins of the tabernacle and court must be made of brass.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The standard definition of the shekel of the sanctuary used for valuation.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The instruction to make the horns on the four corners of the altar.
Supported by John Calvin
The command to make all the altar's vessels of brass.
Supported by John Calvin
The specific inventory and assignment of the pillars, sockets, and pins to the Levites.
Supported by Matthew Poole