Bezaleel makes the A. M. 2514. B. C. 1490. Tisri to Adar. m CHAP. XXXIX. 26 A bekah for every man, An. Exod. Isr. 1. that is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for every one that went to be numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for a six hundred thousand, and three thousand, and five hundred and fifty men. 27 And of the hundred talents of silver were cast the sockets of the sanctuary, and the sockets of the veil; a hundred sockets of the hundred talents, a talent for a socket. 28 And of the thousand seven hundred seventy and five shekels he made hooks for 1 Chap. xxx. 13, 15.- Heb. a poll.Num. i. 46.- - Chap. may be found by an easy arithmetical calculation to amount to 45,2667. 5s. וי. The value of the brass at 1s. per pound will amount to 5131. 17s. The GOLD of the holy place weighed 4245 pounds. The total value of all the gold, silver, and brass of the tabernacle will consequently amount to 244,1277. 14s. 6d. And the total weight of all these three metals amounts to 29,124 pounds troy, which, reduced to avoirdupois weight, is nearly ten tons and a half. When all this is considered, besides the quantity of gold which was employed in the golden calf, and which was all destroyed, it is no wonder that the sacred text should say the Hebrews spoiled the Egyptians, particularly as in those early times the precious metals were probably not very plentiful in Egypt. Verse 26. A bekah for every man] The Hebrew word ypa beka, from ypa baka, to divide, separate into two, seems to signify, not a particular coin, but a shekel broken or cut in two; so, anciently, our farthing was a penny divided in the midst and then subdivided, so that each division contained the fourth part of the clothes of service, &c. the pillars, and overlaid their chapiters, and filleted them. A. M. 2514. B. C. 1490. An. Exod. Isr. 1. Tisri to Adar. 29 And the brass of the offering was seventy talents, and two thousand and four hundred shekels. 30 And therewith he made the sockets to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the brazen altar, and the brazen grate for it, and all the vessels of the altar. 31 And the sockets of the court round about, and the sockets of the court gate, and all the pins of the tabernacle, and all the pins of the court round about. xxvi. 19, 21, 25, 32.- Chap. xxvi. 37; chap. xxvii. 10, 17. penny; hence its name fourthing or fourthling, since corrupted into farthing. THERE appear to be three particular reasons why much riches should be employed in the construction of the tabernacle, &c. 1. To impress the people's minds with the glory and dignity of the Divine Majesty, and the importance of his service. 2. To take out of their hands the occasion of covetousness; for as they brought much spoils out of Egypt, and could have little if any use for gold and silver in the wilderness, where it does not appear that they had much intercourse with any other people, and were miraculously supported, so that they did not need their riches, it was right to employ that in the worship of God which otherwise might have engendered that love which is the root of all evil. 3. To prevent pride and vain-glory, by leading them to give up to the Divine service even the ornaments of their persons, which would have had too direct a tendency to divert their minds from better things. Thus God's worship was rendered august and respectable, incitements to sin and low desires removed, and the people instructed to consider nothing valuable, but as far as it might be employed to the glory and in the service of God. CHAPTER XXXIX. Bezaleel makes the clothes of service for the holy place, and the holy garments, 1. The ephod, 2. Gold is beaten into plates, and cut into wires for embroidery, 3. He makes the shoulder-pieces of the ephod, 4. The curious girdle, 5. Cuts the onyx stones for the shoulder-pieces, 6. Makes the breastplate, its chains, ouches, rings, &c., 7-21. The robe of the ephod, 22-26. Coats of fine linen, 27. The mitre, 28. The girdle, 29. The plate of the holy crown, 30, 31. The completion of the work of the tabernacle, 32. All the work is brought unto Moses, 33-41. Moses, having examined the whole, finds every thing done as the Lord had commanded, in consequence of which he blesses the people, 42, 43. NOTES ON CHAP. XXXIX. Verse 1. Blue, and purple, and scarlet] See this subject largely explained in the notes on chap. xxv. 4. Verse 2. Ephod] See this described, chap. xxv. 7. Verse 3. They did beat the gold into thin plates] For the purpose, as it is supposed, of cutting it into 3 And they did beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into wires, to work it in the blue, and in the purple, and in the scarlet, and in the fine linen, with cunning work. 4 They made shoulder-pieces for it, to couple it together; by the two edges was it coupled together, 5 And the curious girdle of his ephod, that was upon it, was of the same, according to the work thereof; of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen; as the LORD commanded Moses, 6 And they wrought onyx stones inclosed in ouches of gold, graven, as signets are graven, with the names of the children of Israel. 7 And he put them on the shoulders of the ephod, that they should be stones for a memorial to the children of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses, 8 And he made the breastplate of cunning work, like the work of the ephod; of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen. 9 It was four-square; they made the breastplate double; a span was the length thereof, and a span the breadth thereof, being doubled. 10 And they set in it four rows of stones; the first row was a i sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle this was the first row. h 11 And the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond. 12 And the third row, a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst. 13 And the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper: they were inclosed in ouches of gold in their inclosings, 14 And the stones were according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, accord the four rows of precious stones. A. M. 2514. B. C. 1490. 1. ing to their names, like the engravings of a signet, every one An. Exod. Isr. L. with his name, according to the twelve tribes. Tisri to Adar. 15 And they made upon the breastplate chains at the ends, of wreathen work of pure gold. 16 And they made two ouches of gold, and two gold rings, and put the two rings in the two ends of the breastplate. 17 And they put the two wreathen chains of gold in the two rings on the ends of the breastplate. 18 And the two ends of the two wreathen chains they fastened in the two ouches, and put them on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod before it. 19 And they made two rings of gold, and put them on the two ends of the breastplate, upon the border of it, which was on the side of the ephod inward. 20 And they made two other golden rings, and put them on the two sides of the ephod underneath, toward the forepart of it, over against the other coupling thereof, above the curious girdle of the ephod. 21 And they did bind the breastplate by his rings unto the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it might be above the curious girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate might not be loosed from the ephod; as the LORD commanded Moses. 22 And he made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue. 23 And there was a hole in the midst of the robe, as the hole of a habergeon, with a band round about the hole, that it should not rend. 24 And they made upon the hems of the robe pomegranates of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen. 25 And they made 1bells of pure gold, and b Chap. xxviii. 17, &c. Or, ruby.— Chap. xxviii. 31. 1 Chap. xxviii. 33. Verse 10. And they set in it four rows of stones] See all these precious stones particularly explained in the notes on chap. xxviii, 17, &c, Verse 23, As the hole of a habergeon] The habergeon or hauberk was a small coat of mail, something in form of a half shirt, made of small iron rings curiously united together. It covered the neck and breast, was very light, and resisted the stroke of a sword. Sometimes it went over the whole head as well as over the breast. This kind of defensive ar mour was used among the Asiatics, particularly the Completion of the work A. M. 2514. B. C. 1490. A. M. 2514. B. C. 1490. put the bells between the pome- | and the covering of badgers' An. Exod. Isr. 1. granates upon the hem of the skins, and the veil of the co- An Exod. Isr. 1. Tisri to Adar. robe, round about between the pomegranates; 26 A bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, round about the hem of the robe to minister in, as the LORD commanded Moses. 27 And they made coats of fine linen of woven work for Aaron, and for his sons, 28" And a mitre of fine linen, and goodly bonnets of fine linen, and linen breeches of fine twined linen, 29 And a girdle of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, of needle-work; as the LORD commanded Moses. 30 And they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote upon it a writing, like to the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD. 31 And they tied unto it a lace of blue, to fasten it on high upon the mitre; as the LORD commanded Moses. 32 Thus was all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation finished: and the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they. 33 And they brought the tabernacle unto Moses, the tent, and all his furniture, his taches, his boards, his bars, and his pillars, and his sockets, 34 And the covering of rams' skins dyed red, B Chap. xxviii. 39, 40.- - Chap. xxviii. 4, 39; Ezek. xliv. 18.- Chapter xxviii. 42.- -P Chap. xxviii. 39.- -9 Chapter xxviii. 36, 37.— Ver. 42, 43; chap. xxv. 40. It ancient Persians, among whom it is still worn. seems to have been borrowed from the Asiatics by the Norman crusaders. Verse 30. The holy crown of pure gold] On Asiatic monuments, particularly those that appear in the ruins of Persepolis and on many Egyptian monuments, the priests are represented as wearing crowns or tiaras, and sometimes their heads are crowned with laurel. Cuper observes, that the priests and priestesses, among the ancient Greeks, were styled orepavopopol, or crown-bearers, because they officiated having sometimes crowns of gold, at others, crowns of laurel, upon their heads. Verse 32, Did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses] This refers to the command given chap. xxv. 40; and Moses has taken care to repeat every thing in the most circumstantial detail, to show that he had conscientiously observed all the directions he had received. Verse 37. The pure candlestick] See the note on chap. xxv. 31. The lamps to be set in order] To be trimmed and vering, Tisri to Adar. 35 The ark of the testimony, and the staves thereof, and the mercy-seat, 36 The table, and all the vessels thereof, and the shew-bread, 37 The pure candlestick, with the lamps thereof, even with the lamps to be set in order, and all the vessels thereof, and the oil for light, 38 And the golden altar, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the hanging for the tabernacle door, 8 39 The brazen altar, and his grate of brass, his staves, and all his vessels, the laver and his foot, 40 The hangings of the court, his pillars, and his sockets, and the hanging for the court gate, his cords, and his pins, and all the vessels of the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of the congregation, 41 The clothes of service, to do service in the holy place, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and his sons' garments, to minister in the priest's office. 42 According to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the work. 43 And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the LORD had commanded, even so had they done it and Moses blessed them. Heb. the incense of sweet spices.- t Chap. xxxv. 10.-" Lev. ix. 22, 23; Num. vi. 23; Josh. xxii. 6; 2 Sam. vi. 18; 1 Kings viii. 14; 2 Chron. xxx. 27. fresh oiled every day, for the purpose of being lighted in the evening. See the note on chap. xxvii. 21. Verse 43. And Moses did look upon all the work] As being the general superintendent of the whole, under whom Bezaleel and Aholiab were employed, as the other workmen were under them. They had done it as the Lord had commanded] Exactly according to the pattern which Moses received from the Lord, and which he laid before the workmen to work by. And Moses blessed them.] Gave them that praise which was due to their skill, diligence, and fidelity. See this meaning of the original word in the note on Gen. ii. 3. See also a fine instance of ancient courtesy between masters and their servants, in the case of Boaz and his reapers, Ruth ii. 4. Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said to the reapers, The Lord be with you! And they answered him, The Lord bless THEE! It is, however, very probable that Moses prayed to God in their behalf, that they might be prospered in all their undertakings, saved from every evil, and be brought at last to the inheritance that fadeth not away. This Moses is commanded to on ALL. EXODUS. set up the tabernacle blessing seems to have been given, not only to the John sufficiently prove: In the beginning was the workmen, but to all the people. The people con- WORD, and the WORD was with God, and the WORD tributed liberally, and the workmen wrought faith- was GOD. And the WORD was made flesh, and dwelt fully, and the blessing of God was pronounced up- among us, (ɛokŋvwoev ev huv, made his TABERNACLE among us,) full of grace and truth-possessing the true Urim and Thummim; all the lights and perfections, the truth and the grace, typified by the Mosaic economy. John i. 1, 14. And hence the evangelist adds, And we beheld his glory; as the Israelites beheld the glory of God resting on the tabernacle, so did the disciples of Christ see the Divine glory resting on him, and showing itself forth in all his words, spirit, and works. And for what purpose was the tabernacle erected? That God might dwell in it among the chil dren of Israel. And for what purpose was the human nature of Christ so miraculously produced? That the Godhead might dwell in it; and that God and man might be reconciled through this wonderful economy of Divine grace, God being in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, 2 Cor. v. 19. And what was implied by this reconciliation? The union of the soul with God, and the indwelling of God in the soul. Reader, has God yet filled thy tabernacle with his glory? Does Christ dwell in thy heart by faith; and dost thou abide in him, bringing forth fruit unto holiness? Then thy end shall be eternal life. Why shouldst thou not go on thy way rejoicing with Christ in thy heart, heaven in thine eye, and the world, the devil, and the flesh, under thy feet? THE promptitude, cordiality, and despatch used in this business cannot be too highly commended, and are worthy of the imitation of all who are employed in any way in the service of God. The prospect of having God to dwell among them inflamed every heart, because they well knew that on this depended their prosperity and salvation. They therefore hastened to build him a house, and they spared no expense or skill to make it, as far as a house made with hands could be, worthy of that Divine Majesty who had promised to take up his residence in it. This tabernacle, like the temple, was a type of the human nature of the Lord Jesus; that was a shrine not made with hands, formed by God himself, and worthy of that fulness of the Deity that dwelt in it. It is scarcely possible to form an adequate opinion of the riches, costly workmanship, and splendour of the tabernacle; and who can adequately conceive the glory and excellence of that human nature in which the fulness of the Godhead bodily dwelt ? That this tabernacle typified the human nature of Christ, and the Divine shechinah that dwelt in it the Deity that dwelt in the man Christ Jesus, these words of St. CHAPTER XL. Moses is commanded to set up the tabernacle, the first day of the first month of the second year of their departure from Egypt, 1, 2. The ark to be put into it, 3. The table and candlestick to be brought in also with the golden altar, 4, 5. The altar of burnt-offering to be set up before the door, and the laver between the tent and the altar, 6, 7. The court to be set up, 8. The tabernacle and its utensils to be anointed, 9-11. Aaron and his sons to be washed, clothed, and anointed, 12–15. All these things are done accordingly, 16. The tabernacle is erected; and all its utensils, &c., placed in it on the first of the first month of the second year, 17-33. The cloud covers the tent, and the glory of the Lord fills the tabernacle, so that even Moses is not able to enter, 34, 35. When they were to journey, the cloud was taken up; when to encamp, the cloud rested on the tabernacle, 36, 37. A cloud by day and a fire by night was upon the tabernacle, in the sight of all the Israelites, through the whole course of the journeyings, 38, A. M. 2514. AND the LORD spake unto B. C. 1490. An. Exod. Isr. 1. Moses, saying, 2 On the first day of the a first b d A. M. 2514. B. C. 1490. An. Exod. Isr. 1. Tisri to Adar. 4 And thou shalt bring in the month shalt thou set up the tabernacle of table, and set in order the things that are to the tent of the congregation. be set in order upon it; and thou shalt bring 3 And thou shalt put therein the ark of in the candlestick, and light the lamps thereof. a Chap. xii. 2; xiii. 4. bVer. 17; ch. xxvi. 1, 30.- Ver. Ver. 23; chapter xxv. 30; Lev. xxiv. 5, 6.- Heb. the order 21; chap. xxvi. 33; Num. iv. 5.4 Ver. 22; ch. xxvi. 35. NOTES ON CHAP. XL. thereof.- Ver. 24, 25. days after they had left Egypt. Such a building, Verse 2. The first day of the first month] It is with such a profusion of curious and costly workmangenerally supposed that the Israelites began the work ship, was never got up in so short a time. But it was of the tabernacle about the sixth month after they had the work of the Lord, and the people did service as left Egypt; and as the work was finished about the unto the Lord; for the people had a mind to work. end of the first year of their exodus, (for it was set Verse 4. Thou shalt bring in the table, and set in up the first day of the second year,) that therefore order the things, &c.] That is, Thou shalt place the they had spent about six months in making it so that twelve loaves upon the table in the order before menthe tabernacle was erected one year all but fifteen tioned. See the note on chap. xxv. 30, i 7 And thou shalt set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and shalt put water therein. 8 And thou shalt shut up the court round about, and hang up the hanging at the court gate. 9 And thou shalt take the anointing oil, and kanoint the tabernacle, and all that is therein, and shalt hallow it, and all the vessels thereof: and it shall be holy. 10 And thou shalt anoint the altar of the burntoffering, and all his vessels, and sanctify the altar and it shall be an altar m most holy. 11 And thou shalt anoint the laver and his foot, and sanctify it. 12 " And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and wash them with water. 13 And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him, and sanctify him; that he may minister unto me in the priest's office. and its utensils placed in it. A. M. 2514. B. C. 1490. 15 And thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, An. Exod. Isr. 1. that they may minister unto me Tisri to Adar. in the priest's office for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations. A. M. 2514. B. C. 1490. 16 Thus did Moses according to all that the LORD commanded him, so did he. 17 And it came to pass in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was reared up. An. Exod. Isr. 2. Abib or Nisan. t 22 And he put the table in the tent of the congregation, upon the side of the tabernacle 14 And thou shalt bring his sons, and clothe northward without the veil. h Verse 26.- -i Ver. 30; chap. xxx. 18.- Chap. xxx. 26. 1 Chap. xxix, 36, 37.viii. 1-13. Verse 15. For their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood] By this anointing a right was given to Aaron and his family to be high priests among the Jews for ever; so that all who should be born of this family should have a right to the priesthood without the repetition of this unction, as they should enjoy this honour in their father's right, who had it by a particular grant from God. But it appears that the high priest, on his consecration, did receive the holy unction; see Lev. iv. 3; vi. 22; xxi. 10. And this continued till the destruction of the first temple, and the Babylonish captivity; and according to Eusebius, Cyril of Jerusalem, and others, this custom continued among the Jews to the advent of our Lord, after which there is no evidence it was ever practised. See Calmet's note on chap. xxix. 7. The Jewish high priest was a type of Him who is called the high priest over the house of God, Heb. x. 21; and when he came, the functions of the other necessarily ceased. This case is worthy of observation. The Jewish sacrifices were never resumed after the destruction of their city and temple, for they hold it unlawful to sacrifice any. where out of Jerusalem; and the unction of their high 23 " And he set the bread in order upon it • Chap. xxviii. 41.1.Chap. xxv. 16.xxvi. 35.- Lu Ver. 4. -P Num. xxv. 13.-- - Ver. 1; Num. vii. Chap. xxvi. 33; xxxv. 12. Chap. priests ceased from that period also: and why? Because the true priest and the true sacrifice were come, and the types of course were no longer necessary after the manifestation of the antitype. Verse 19. He spread abroad the tent over the tabernacle] By the tent, in this and several other places, we are to understand the coverings made of rams' skins, goats' hair, &c., which were thrown over the building; for the tabernacle had no other kind of roof. Verse 20. And put the testimony into the ark] That is, the two tables on which the ten commandments had been written. See chap. xxv. 16. The ark, the golden table with the shew-bread, the golden candlestick, and the golden altar of incense, were all in the tabernacle, within the veil or curtains, which served as a door, ver. 22, 24, 26. And the altar of burnt-offering was by the door, ver. 29. And the brazen laver, between the tent of the congregation and the brazen altar, ver. 30; still farther outward, that it might be the first thing the priests met with when entering into the court to minister, as their hands and feet must be washed before they could perform any part of the holy service, ver. 31, 32. When all these things were thus placed, |