Exodus 27

1 Also thou shalt make an altar of the wood of shittim, which shall have five cubits in length, and so many in breadth, that is, square, and three cubits in height. (And thou shalt make an altar out of shittim wood, or acacia wood, which shall be five cubits in length, and as many in breadth, that is, square, and three cubits in height.)

2 Forsooth horns shall be by [the] four corners thereof; and thou shalt cover it with brass. (It shall have horns at its four corners, and thou shalt cover it with bronze.)

3 And thou shalt make into the uses of the altar, pans to receive [the] ashes, and tongs, and fleshhooks, and firepans; thou shalt make all these vessels of brass. (And thou shalt make for use with the altar, pans to receive the ashes, and tongs, and fleshhooks, and firepans; thou shalt make all these vessels out of bronze.)

4 And thou shalt make a brazen griddle in the manner of a net, and by the four corners thereof shall be four brazen rings, (And thou shalt make a bronze griddle, fashioned like a net, and at its four corners shall be four bronze rings,)

5 which griddle thou shalt put under the firepan of the altar; and the griddle shall be till to the midst of the altar. (and thou shalt put the griddle under the rim of the altar, set-in half-way up the altar.)

6 And thou shalt make the two bars of the altar, of the wood of shittim, the which bars thou shalt cover with plates of brass; (And thou shalt make two bars out of shittim wood for the altar, which bars thou shalt cover with bronze plates;)

7 and thou shalt lead in the bars by the rings, and they shall be on ever either side of the altar, to bear (it). (and thou shalt lead in the bars through the rings, and they shall be on both sides of the altar, to carry it.)

8 Thou shalt make that altar not massive, but void, and hollow within, as it was showed to thee in the hill. (Thou shalt not make that altar solid, but empty, or hollow within, as it was shown to thee on the mountain.)

9 Also thou shalt make a large porch of the tabernacle, in the manner of a churchyard, in whose midday coast against the south shall be curtains of bis folded again; one side shall hold an hundred cubits in length, (And thou shalt make the courtyard of the Tabernacle in the manner of a churchyard, on whose south side facing south shall be curtains made out of finely woven linen; this side shall be a hundred cubits long,)

10 and twenty pillars, with so many brazen bases , which pillars shall have silver hooks, and the holdings of those . (with twenty bronze pillars, and as many bronze bases, and the pillars shall have silver hooks and bands.)

11 In like manner in the north side, by the length, shall be curtains of an hundred cubits, twenty pillars, and brazen bases of the same number; and the hooks of the pillars, and the holdings of those, shall be of silver. (Likewise on the north side shall be curtains a hundred cubits long, with twenty bronze pillars, and as many bronze bases, and the pillars shall have silver hooks and bands.)

12 Forsooth in the breadth of the large porch, that beholdeth to the west, shall be curtains by fifty cubits, and ten pillars shall be, and as many bases. (And on the breadth of the courtyard, facing west, shall be curtains fifty cubits long, with ten pillars, and as many bases.)

13 In that breadth of the large porch, that beholdeth to the east, shall be fifty cubits, (And the breadth of the courtyard, facing east, shall be fifty cubits,)

14 in which the curtains of fifteen cubits shall be assigned to one side, and three pillars, and so many bases; (and on one side of the entrance there shall be curtains fifteen cubits long, with three pillars, and as many bases;)

15 and in the other side shall be curtains holding fifteen cubits, and three pillars, and so many bases. (and on the other side of the entrance, there shall also be curtains fifteen cubits long, with three pillars, and as many bases.)

16 Forsooth in the large entry of the porch shall be made a curtain of twenty cubits, of jacinth, and purple, and of red silk twice-dyed, and of bis folded again, by embroidery work; it shall have four pillars, with so many bases. (And at the entrance to the courtyard shall be a curtain twenty cubits long, made out of jacinth, and purple, and red silk twice-dyed, and finely woven linen, and embroidered; it shall be hung on four pillars, with as many bases.)

17 All the pillars of the great porch by compass shall be clothed with plates of silver, with hooks of silver, and with bases of brass. (All the pillars around the courtyard shall have silver bands, silver hooks, and bronze bases.)

18 The great porch shall occupy an hundred cubits in length, fifty in breadth; the height of the curtains shall be of five cubits; and it shall be made of bis folded again; and it shall have brazen bases. (The courtyard shall be a hundred cubits in length, fifty cubits in breadth, and five cubits in height; the curtains shall be made out of finely woven linen, and the bases made out of bronze.)

19 Thou shalt make of brass all the vessels of the tabernacle, into all uses and ceremonies, as well (as) the stakes thereof, as (also those) of the great entry. (Thou shalt make out of bronze all the vessels for use in all the ceremonies in the Tabernacle, as well as its pegs, and the pegs for the courtyard.)

20 Command thou also to the sons of Israel, that they bring to thee the cleanest oil of olive trees, and pounded with a pestle, that a lantern burn ever[more] (And command to the Israelites, that they bring thee the purest olive oil, yea, pounded with a pestle, so that the lantern shall burn forevermore)

21 in the tabernacle of witnessing without the veil, which is hanged in the tabernacle of witnessing; and Aaron and his sons shall set it, that it shine before the Lord (from eventide) till (to) the morrowtide; it shall be everlasting worshipping by their successions, or after-comings, of the sons of Israel. (in the Tabernacle of the Witnessing, outside the Veil which is hung in front of the Witnessing; and Aaron and his sons shall set it, so that it will shine before the Lord from the evening until the morning; this is an everlasting command for their successors, or after-comers, among the Israelites.)

Exodus 27 Commentary

Chapter 27

The altar of burnt offerings. (1-8) The court of the tabernacle. (9-19) The oil for the lamps. (20,21)

Verses 1-8 In the court before the tabernacle, where the people attended, was an altar, to which they must bring their sacrifices, and on which their priests must offer them to God. It was of wood overlaid with brass. A grate of brass was let into the hollow of the altar, about the middle of which the fire was kept, and the sacrifice burnt. It was made of net-work like a sieve, and hung hollow, that the ashes might fall through. This brazen altar was a type of Christ dying to make atonement for our sins. The wood had been consumed by the fire from heaven, if it had not been secured by the brass: nor could the human nature of Christ have borne the wrath of God, if it had not been supported by Divine power.

Verses 9-19 The tabernacle was enclosed in a court, about sixty yards long and thirty broad, formed by curtains hung upon brazen pillars, fixed in brazen sockets. Within this enclosure the priests and Levites offered the sacrifices, and thither the Jewish people were admitted. These distinctions represented the difference between the visible nominal church, and the true spiritual church, which alone has access to God, and communion with him.

Verses 20-21 The pure oil signified the gifts and graces of the Spirit, which all believers receive from Christ, the good Olive, and without which our light cannot shine before men. The priests were to light the lamps, and tend them. It is the work of ministers, by preaching and expounding the Scriptures, which are as a lamp, to enlighten the church, God's tabernacle upon earth. Blessed be God, this light is not now confined to the Jewish tabernacle, but is a light to lighten the gentiles, and for salvation unto the ends of the earth.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 27

This chapter treats of the altar of burnt offering, and of all things relative to it, Ex 27:1-8, of the court of the tabernacle, its hangings on each side, with pillars, sockets, and hooks for them, Ex 27:9-19 and it is concluded with an order to the Israelites to bring oil olive for the lamp of the sanctuary, Ex 27:20,21.