Bible Commentaries
Exodus 36

Introduction

Overview

Exodus 36:1, The offerings are delivered to the workmen; Exodus 36:4, The liberality of the people is restrained; Exodus 36:8, The curtains with cherubims; Exodus 36:14, The curtains of goats’ hair; Exodus 36:19, The covering of skins; Exodus 36:20, The boards with their sockets; Exodus 36:31, The bars; Exodus 36:35, The vail; Exodus 36:37, The hanging for the door.

Verse 1

An, Ex, Is, 1, Tisri to Adar

Bezaleel: Exodus 31:1-6, Exodus 35:30-35

wise hearted man: Exodus 28:3, Exodus 31:6

for the service: Exodus 36:3, Exodus 36:4, Exodus 25:8, Numbers 7:9, Hebrews 8:2

according: Exodus 23:21, Exodus 23:22, Exodus 39:1-43, Exodus 40:1-38, Psalms 119:6, Matthew 28:20, Luke 1:6

Reciprocal: Exodus 10:25 - sacrifices Exodus 31:2 - I have Exodus 35:10 - General Exodus 35:25 - General Exodus 38:22 - Bezaleel Exodus 39:33 - the tent 1 Kings 7:14 - he was filled 1 Chronicles 2:20 - Bezaleel 1 Chronicles 28:21 - willing Job 38:36 - who hath given Proverbs 8:12 - knowledge 2 Timothy 2:7 - and James 1:5 - any James 1:17 - good

Verse 2

in whose: Exodus 28:3, Exodus 31:6, Exodus 35:10, Exodus 35:21-35, Acts 6:3, Acts 6:4, Acts 14:23, Colossians 4:17, Hebrews 5:4

one whose: Exodus 35:2, Exodus 35:21, Exodus 35:25, Exodus 35:26, 1 Chronicles 29:5

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 7:14 - he was filled 1 Chronicles 2:20 - Bezaleel Job 38:36 - who hath given Isaiah 28:26 - For his God Isaiah 58:13 - turn 2 Timothy 1:6 - that 2 Timothy 2:7 - and James 1:17 - good James 3:17 - the wisdom

Verse 3

the offering: Exodus 35:5-21, Exodus 35:27, Exodus 35:29

every morning: Psalms 5:3, Psalms 101:8, Proverbs 8:15, Isaiah 50:4, Jeremiah 21:12

Reciprocal: Exodus 36:1 - for the service Leviticus 1:3 - his own 2 Kings 12:4 - and all the money Ezra 2:68 - offered freely Isaiah 58:13 - turn

Verse 4

2 Chronicles 24:13, Matthew 24:45, Luke 12:42, 1 Corinthians 3:10

Reciprocal: Exodus 36:1 - for the service

Verse 5

Exodus 32:3, 2 Chronicles 24:14, 2 Chronicles 31:6-10, 2 Corinthians 8:2, 2 Corinthians 8:3, Philippians 2:21, Philippians 4:17, Philippians 4:18

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 22:7 - they dealt faithfully 2 Chronicles 31:5 - as soon

Verse 6

When God puts grace into the heart, the hands will be diligently employed in every good work.

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 22:7 - they dealt faithfully 2 Chronicles 31:5 - as soon

Verse 7

and too much: 2 Chronicles 31:10

Verse 8

wise: Exodus 31:6, Exodus 35:10

made: Exodus 26:1-37, 1 Chronicles 15:1

cherubims: Keroovim, cherubim, not cherubims. What these were we cannot determine. Some, observing that the verb kerav in Syriac, sometimes means to resemble, make like, conceive the noun keroov signifies no more than an image, figure, or representation of anything. Josephus says they were flying animals, like none of those which are seen by man, but such as Moses saw about the throne of God. In another place he says, "As for the cherubim, nobody can tell or conceive what they were like." These symbolical figures, according to the description of them by Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1:10; Ezekiel 10:14), were creatures with four heads and one body; and the animals of which these forms consisted were the noblest of their kind; the lion among the wild beasts; the bull among the tame ones; the eagle among the birds, and man at the head of all. Hence some have conceived them to be somewhat of the shape of flying oxen; and it is alleged in favour of this opinion, that the far more common meaning of the verb kerav, in Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic, being to plough, the natural meaning of keroov, is a creature used in ploughing. This seems to have been the ancient opinion which tradition had handed down, concerning the shape of the cherubim with the flaming sword, that guarded the tree of life - Genesis 3:24. Exodus 25:18, Exodus 25:22, 1 Kings 6:23, 2 Chronicles 3:10, Ezekiel 1:5-28, Ezekiel 10:1-19

Reciprocal: Exodus 26:31 - blue Exodus 31:7 - tabernacle Exodus 35:11 - tabernacle Exodus 35:26 - General Exodus 36:19 - rams' skins dyed red Exodus 39:3 - cunning work Exodus 40:19 - the tent Numbers 3:25 - the tabernacle and 1 Kings 6:29 - carved figures 1 Kings 7:14 - he was filled Hebrews 9:2 - a tabernacle

Verse 10

Exodus 26:3, Psalms 122:3, Psalms 133:1, Zephaniah 3:9, Acts 2:1, 1 Corinthians 1:10, 1 Corinthians 12:20, 1 Corinthians 12:27, Ephesians 1:23, Ephesians 2:21, Ephesians 2:22, Ephesians 4:2-6, Philippians 2:2, Philippians 3:15

Verse 11

Exodus 26:4

Verse 12

Exodus 26:5, Exodus 26:10

Reciprocal: Exodus 26:4 - loops of blue

Verse 13

so it became: 1 Corinthians 12:20, Ephesians 2:20-22, 1 Peter 2:4, 1 Peter 2:5

Reciprocal: Exodus 26:6 - taches of gold

Verse 14

Exodus 26:7-13

Reciprocal: Exodus 36:19 - rams' skins dyed red

Verse 17

Reciprocal: Exodus 26:4 - loops of blue Exodus 27:9 - hangings for

Verse 18

Reciprocal: Exodus 26:6 - taches of gold Exodus 40:2 - tabernacle

Verse 19

covering: Exodus 26:14

rams' skins dyed red: This was the third covering of the tabernacle. The first and lowermost was made of fine linen, richly embroidered with figures of cherubim, in shades of blue, purple, and scarlet - Exodus 36:8-13. It is reasonable to suppose, that the right side of this curtain was undermost, and so it formed a beautiful ceiling in the inside of the tabernacle. The second covering, which lay over the embroidered one, was made of a sort of mohair - Exodus 36:14-17, and the fourth, or uppermost one, which was to keep the others from the weather, was made of tachash, or badgers' skins.

Verse 20

boards: Exodus 26:15-25, Exodus 40:18, Exodus 40:19

shittim wood: Exodus 25:5, Exodus 25:10, Numbers 25:1, Deuteronomy 10:3

Reciprocal: Exodus 36:21 - The length Numbers 3:36 - under the custody and charge

Verse 21

The length: Each of these boards, taking the cubit at nearly twenty-two inches, was about eighteen feet long, and two feet nine inches broad. As these boards are said to be standing up - Exodus 36:20, their length was consequently the height of the tabernacle; and as the two sides were composed of twenty of these, standing up - Exodus 36:23, and Exodus 36:25, and the west end of six, with two boards to project at the corners - Exodus 36:27, and Exodus 36:28, the tabernacle must therefore, have been thirty cubits, or fifty-five feet long, and about ten cubits, or eighteen feet broad. These boards were fastened at the bottom by two tenons in each board, which fitted into two mortices in the foundation, at the top by links or hasps, and on the sides by five wooden bars, which ran through rings or staples in each of the boards. The boards and bars were all overlaid with gold; and their rings for the staves, and their hasps at top, were of the same metal. The foundation on which they stood consisted of about ninety-six solid blocks of silver, two under each board, about eighteen inches long, and of a suitable thickness; and each weighing a talent, or about a hundred weight. Four blocks of silver formed the bases of the columns which supported the curtain that divided the inside of the tabernacle into two rooms.

Verse 22

Reciprocal: Exodus 26:17 - tenons

Verse 23

Reciprocal: Exodus 36:21 - The length

Verse 24

Reciprocal: Exodus 26:17 - tenons Exodus 26:19 - forty sockets of silver

Verse 25

Reciprocal: Exodus 36:21 - The length

Verse 27

westward: Exodus 26:22, Exodus 26:27

Reciprocal: Exodus 36:21 - The length

Verse 28

Reciprocal: Exodus 26:23 - corners Exodus 36:21 - The length

Verse 29

coupled: Heb. twined, Exodus 26:24, Psalms 122:3, Psalms 133:1, Acts 2:46, Acts 4:32, 1 Corinthians 1:10, 1 Corinthians 12:13, 2 Corinthians 1:10, Ephesians 2:15, Ephesians 2:19, Ephesians 2:21, Ephesians 3:18, Ephesians 3:19, Ephesians 4:2-6, Ephesians 4:15, Ephesians 4:16

Verse 30

under every board two sockets: Heb. two sockets

two sockets: under one board, Exodus 26:25

Reciprocal: Exodus 26:24 - and they shall be coupled together above

Verse 31

Exodus 25:28, Exodus 26:26-29, Exodus 30:5

Verse 32

the tabernacle: Exodus 26:26

Verse 34

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 6:21 - overlaid

Verse 35

veil of blue: Parachoth, from parach, to separate, divide, make a distinction between somewhat, the inner vail, which divided the tabernacle into two, and separated, and made a distinction between the Holy place and the Holy of Holies. This vail was made of the same rich materials as the inner covering of the tabernacle, and curiously embroidered with cherubim and other ornaments. Though it does not appear from Scripture at what distance from either end of the tabernacle this vail was hung, yet is reasonably conjectured, that it divided it in the same proportion in which the temple, built after this model, was divided; that is, two-thirds of the whole length were allotted to the first room, and one-third to the second; so that the room beyond the vail, the Holy of Holies, was exactly square, being ten cubits each way, and the first room, the sanctuary, was twice as long as it was broad. Exodus 26:31-35, Exodus 30:6, Exodus 40:21, Matthew 27:51, Hebrews 10:20

Reciprocal: Exodus 35:12 - the veil Exodus 40:3 - General Numbers 3:31 - and the hanging Numbers 4:5 - they shall Hebrews 9:3 - the second

Verse 36

Jeremiah 1:18

Reciprocal: Exodus 26:32 - their hooks shall be of gold Exodus 26:33 - the taches Exodus 35:12 - the veil Exodus 40:3 - General Numbers 3:31 - and the hanging Numbers 3:36 - under the custody and charge

Verse 37

an hanging: This vail was a fine embroidered curtain, of the same materials and of the same workmanship as the inner vail and inner covering of the tabernacle. The text does not say how low it hung. Philo makes it touch the ground; but Josephus will have it to come down but half way, so that the people might have a view of the inside of the tabernacle; but then he says there was another curtain over that, which came to the ground, to keep it from the weather, and was drawn aside on the sabbath and other festivals. Exodus 26:36, Exodus 26:37, Exodus 40:28

of needlework: Heb. the work of a needle worker, or embroider, Exodus 26:36

Reciprocal: Exodus 27:16 - needlework Exodus 35:15 - the hanging Numbers 3:25 - and the hanging Ezekiel 41:2 - the door

Verse 38

fillets with gold: Exodus 27:10

Reciprocal: Exodus 26:32 - pillars of shittim Exodus 26:37 - overlay them with gold Exodus 35:15 - the hanging Numbers 3:25 - and the hanging 1 Kings 7:16 - General