Exodus38
World English Bible · Public Domain
1He made the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood. It was square. Its length was five cubits, its width was five cubits, and its height was three cubits.
2He made its horns on its four corners. Its horns were of one piece with it, and he overlaid it with bronze.
3He made all the vessels of the altar: the pots, the shovels, the basins, the forks, and the fire pans. He made all its vessels of bronze.
4He made for the altar a grating of a network of bronze, under the ledge around it beneath, reaching halfway up.
5He cast four rings for the four corners of bronze grating, to be places for the poles.
6He made the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with bronze.
7He put the poles into the rings on the sides of the altar, with which to carry it. He made it hollow with planks.
8He made the basin of bronze, and its base of bronze, out of the mirrors of the ministering women who ministered at the door of the Tent of Meeting.
9He made the court: for the south side southward the hangings of the court were of fine twined linen, one hundred cubits;
10their pillars were twenty, and their sockets twenty, of bronze; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver.
11For the north side one hundred cubits, their pillars twenty, and their sockets twenty, of bronze; the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets, of silver.
12For 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.
13For the east side eastward fifty cubits,
14the hangings for the one side 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 around the court were of fine twined linen.
17The sockets for the pillars were of bronze. The hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver. Their capitals were overlaid with silver. All the pillars of the court had silver bands.
18The screen for the gate of the court was the work of the embroiderer, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen. Twenty cubits was the length, and the height along the width was five cubits, like the hangings of the court.
19Their pillars were four, and their sockets four, of bronze; their hooks of silver, and the overlaying of their capitals, and their fillets, of silver.
20All the pins of the tabernacle, and around the court, were of bronze.
21These are the amounts of materials used 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.
22Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that Yahweh commanded Moses.
23With him was Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver, and a skillful workman, and an embroiderer in blue, in purple, 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-nine talents and seven hundred thirty shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary.
25The silver of those who were counted of the congregation was one hundred talents and one thousand seven hundred seventy-five shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary:
26a beka a head, that is, half a shekel, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, for everyone who passed over to those who were counted, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred three thousand five hundred fifty men.
27The one hundred talents of silver were for casting the sockets of the sanctuary and the sockets of the veil: one hundred sockets for the one hundred talents, one talent per socket.
28From the one thousand seven hundred seventy-five shekels he made hooks for the pillars, overlaid their capitals, and made fillets for them.
29The bronze of the offering was seventy talents and two thousand four hundred shekels.
30With this he made the sockets to the door of the Tent of Meeting, the bronze altar, the bronze grating for it, all the vessels of the altar,
31the sockets around the court, the sockets of the gate of the court, all the pins of the tabernacle, and all the pins around the court.
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