Exodus 38

1 And Beseleel made the ark,

2 and overlaid it with pure gold within and without;

3 and he cast for it four golden rings, two on the one side, and two on the other,

4 wide for the staves, so that men should bear the ark with them.

5 And he made the propitiatory over the ark of pure gold,

6 and the two cherubs of gold;

7 one cherub on the one end of the propitiatory, and another cherub on the other end of the propitiatory,

8 overshadowing the propitiatory with their wings.

9 And he made the set table of pure gold,

10 and cast for it four rings: two on the one side and two on the other side, broad, so that should lift it with the staves in them.

11 And he made the staves of the ark and of the table, and gilded them with gold.

12 And he made the furniture of the table, both the dishes, and the censers, and the cups, and the bowls with which he should offer drink-offerings, of gold.

13 And he made the candlestick which gives light, of gold;

14 the stem solid, and the branches from both its sides;

15 and blossoms proceeding from its branches, three on this side, and three on the other, made equal to each other.

16 And their lamps, which are on the ends, knops from them; and sockets proceeding from them, that the lamps might be upon them; and the seventh socket, on the top of the candlestick, on the summit above, entirely of solid gold.

17 And on the candlestick seven golden lamps, and its snuffers gold, and its funnels gold.

18 He overlaid the posts , and cast for each post golden rings, and gilded the bars with gold; and he gilded the posts of the veil with gold, and made the hooks of gold.

19 He made also the rings of the tabernacle of gold; and the rings of the court, and the rings for drawing out the veil above of brass.

20 He cast the silver chapiters of the tabernacle, and the brazen chapiters of the door of the tabernacle, and the gate of the court; and he made silver hooks for the posts, he overlaid them with silver on the posts.

21 He made the pins of the tabernacle and the pins of the court of brass.

22 He made the brazen altar of the brazen censers, which belonged to the men engaged in sedition with the gathering of Core.

23 He made all the vessels of the altar and its grate, and its base, and its bowls, and the brazen flesh-hooks.

24 He made an appendage for the altar of network under the grate, beneath it as far as the middle of it; and he fastened to it four brazen rings on the four parts of the appendage of the altar, wide for the bars, so as to bear the altar with them.

25 He made the holy anointing oil and the composition of the incense, the pure work of the perfumer.

26 He made the brazen laver, and the brazen base of it of the mirrors of the women that fasted, who fasted by the doors of the tabernacle of witness, in the day in which he set it up.

27 And he made the laver, that at it Moses and Aaron and his sons might wash their hands and their feet: when they went into the tabernacle of witness, or whensoever they should advance to the altar to do service, they washed at it, as the Lord commanded Moses.

Exodus 38 Commentary

Chapter 38

The brazen altar and laver. (1-8) The court. (9-20) The offerings of the people. (21-31)

Verses 1-8 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.

Verses 9-20 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.

Verses 21-31 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. it.
• [b]. table of shewbread.
• [c]. the rings.
• [d]. will.
• [e]. knops like walnuts.
• [f]. it.
• [g]. snuff-dishes; but the word seems to mean the instruments with which oil was poured into the lamp.
• [h]. the post.
• [i]. firepan.
• [j]. of it.
• [k]. of it.

Chapter Summary

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