25 And the silver H3701 of them that were numbered H6485 of the congregation H5712 was an hundred H3967 talents, H3603 and a thousand H505 seven H7651 hundred H3967 and threescore and fifteen H7657 H2568 shekels, H8255 after the shekel H8255 of the sanctuary: H6944
26 A bekah H1235 for every man, H1538 that is, half H4276 a shekel, H8255 after the shekel H8255 of the sanctuary, H6944 for every one that went H5674 to be numbered, H6485 from twenty H6242 years H8141 old H1121 and upward, H4605 for six H8337 hundred H3967 thousand H505 and three H7969 thousand H505 and five H2568 hundred H3967 and fifty H2572 men.
27 And of the hundred H3967 talents H3603 of silver H3701 were cast H3332 the sockets H134 of the sanctuary, H6944 and the sockets H134 of the vail; H6532 an hundred H3967 sockets H134 of the hundred H3967 talents, H3603 a talent H3603 for a socket. H134
28 And of the thousand H505 seven H7651 hundred H3967 seventy H7657 and five H2568 shekels he made H6213 hooks H2053 for the pillars, H5982 and overlaid H6823 their chapiters, H7218 and filleted H2836 them.
29 And the brass H5178 of the offering H8573 was seventy H7657 talents, H3603 and two thousand H505 and four H702 hundred H3967 shekels. H8255
30 And therewith he made H6213 the sockets H134 to the door H6607 of the tabernacle H168 of the congregation, H4150 and the brasen H5178 altar, H4196 and the brasen H5178 grate H4345 for it, and all the vessels H3627 of the altar, H4196
31 And the sockets H134 of the court H2691 round about, H5439 and the sockets H134 of the court H2691 gate, H8179 and all the pins H3489 of the tabernacle, H4908 and all the pins H3489 of the court H2691 round about. H5439
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Exodus 38
Commentary on Exodus 38 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 38
Ex 38:1-31. Furniture of the Tabernacle.
1. the altar of burnt offering—The repetitions are continued, in which may be traced the exact conformity of the execution to the order.
8. laver of brass … of the looking glasses of the women—The word mirrors should have been used, as those implements, usually round, inserted into a handle of wood, stone, or metal, were made of brass, silver, or bronze, highly polished [Wilkinson]. It was customary for the Egyptian women to carry mirrors with them to the temples; and whether by taking the looking glasses of the Hebrew women Moses designed to put it out of their power to follow a similar practice at the tabernacle, or whether the supply of brass from other sources in the camp was exhausted, it is interesting to learn how zealously and to a vast extent they surrendered those valued accompaniments of the female toilet.
of the women assembling … at the door—not priestesses but women of pious character and influence, who frequented the courts of the sacred building (Lu 2:37), and whose parting with their mirrors, like the cutting the hair of the Nazarites, was their renouncing the world for a season [Hengstenberg].
9. the court—It occupied a space of one hundred and fifty feet by seventy-five, and it was enclosed by curtains of fine linen about eight feet high, suspended on brazen or copper pillars. Those curtains were secured by rods fastened to the top, and kept extended by being fastened to pins stuck in the ground.
10. hooks—The hooks of the pillars in the court were for hanging up the carcasses of the sacrificial beasts—those on the pillars at the entry of the tabernacle were for hanging the sacerdotal robes and other things used in the service.
11. sockets—mortices or holes in which the end of the pillars stood.
17. chapiters—or capitals of the pillars, were wooden posts which ran along their top, to which were attached the hooks for the hangings.
18. the height in the breadth—or, "in the measure." The sense is that the hangings of the court gate, which was twenty cubits wide, were of the same height as the hangings all round the court [Wall].
21. This is the sum of the tabernacle—Having completed his description of the component parts of the tabernacle, the inspired historian digresses into a statement respecting the gold and silver employed in it, the computation being made according to an order of Moses—by the Levites, under the direction of Ithamar, Aaron's youngest son.
24. twenty and nine talents, and seven hundred and thirty shekels—equivalent to £150,00 sterling.
25. the silver of them that were numbered—603,550 men at half a shekel each would contribute 301,775 shekels; which at 2s. 4d. each, amounts to £35,207 sterling. It may seem difficult to imagine how the Israelites should be possessed of so much wealth in the desert; but it should be remembered that they were enriched first by the spoils of the Egyptians, and afterwards by those of the Amalekites. Besides, it is highly probable that during their sojourn they traded with the neighboring nations who bordered on the wilderness [Hewlett].