Exodus 38NKJV
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Exodus38

New King James Version

1He made the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood; five cubits was its length and five cubits its width—it was square—and its height was three cubits.

2He made its horns on its four corners; the horns were of one piece with it. And he overlaid it with bronze.

3He made all the utensils for the altar: the pans, the shovels, the basins, the forks, and the firepans; all its utensils he made of bronze.

4And he made a grate of bronze network for the altar, under its rim, midway from the bottom.

5He cast four rings for the four corners of the bronze grating, as holders for the poles.

6And he made the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with bronze.

7Then he put the poles into the rings on the sides of the altar, with which to bear it. He made the altar hollow with boards.

8He made the laver of bronze and its base of bronze, from the bronze mirrors of the serving women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.

9Then he made the court on the south side; the hangings of the court were of fine woven linen, one hundred cubits long.

10There were twenty pillars for them, with twenty bronze sockets. The hooks of the pillars and their bands were silver.

11On the north side the hangings were one hundred cubits long, with twenty pillars and their twenty bronze sockets. The hooks of the pillars and their bands were silver.

12And on the west side there were hangings of fifty cubits, with ten pillars and their ten sockets. The hooks of the pillars and their bands were silver.

13For the east side the hangings were fifty cubits.

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

15and the same for the other side of the court gate; on this side and that were hangings of fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and their three sockets.

16All the hangings of the court all around were of fine woven linen.

17The sockets for the pillars were bronze, the hooks of the pillars and their bands were silver, and the overlay of their capitals was silver; and all the pillars of the court had bands of silver.

18The screen for the gate of the court was woven of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and of fine woven linen. The length was twenty cubits, and the height along its width was five cubits, corresponding to the hangings of the court.

19And there were four pillars with their four sockets of bronze; their hooks were silver, and the overlay of their capitals and their bands was silver.

20All the pegs of the tabernacle, and of the court all around, were bronze.

21This is the inventory of the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the Testimony, which was counted according to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, son of Aaron the priest.

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

23And with him was Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver and designer, a weaver of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and of fine linen.

24All the gold that was used in all the work of the holy place, that is, the gold of the offering, was twenty-nine talents and seven hundred and thirty shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary.

25And the silver from those who were numbered of the congregation was one hundred talents and one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary:

26a bekah for each man (that is, half a shekel, according to the shekel of the sanctuary), for everyone included in the numbering from twenty years old and above, for six hundred and three thousand, five hundred and fifty men.

27And from the hundred talents of silver were cast the sockets of the sanctuary and the bases of the veil: one hundred sockets from the hundred talents, one talent for each socket.

28Then from the one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels he made hooks for the pillars, overlaid their capitals, and made bands for them.

29The offering of bronze was seventy talents and two thousand four hundred shekels.

30And with it he made the sockets for the door of the tabernacle of meeting, the bronze altar, the bronze grating for it, and all the utensils for the altar,

31the sockets for the court all around, the bases for the court gate, all the pegs for the tabernacle, and all the pegs for the court all around.

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