Making the tabernacle, Exodus, Chapter 25 – The Bible

Offerings prescribed for making the tabernacle, the ark, the candlestick, etc.

[1] And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: [2] Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring firstfruits to me: of every man that offereth of his own accord, you shall take them. [3] And these are the things you must take: gold, and silver, and brass, [4] Violet and purple, and scarlet twice dyed, and fine linen, and goats’ hair, [5] And rams’ skins dyed red, and violet skins, and setim wood:

[6] Oil to make lights: spices for ointment, and for sweetsmelling incense: [7] Onyx stones, and precious stones to adorn the ephod and the rational. [8] And they shall make me a sanctuary, and I will dwell in the midst of them: [9] According to all the likeness of the tabernacle which I will shew thee, and of all the vessels for the service thereof: and thus you shall make it: [10] Frame an ark of setim wood, the length whereof shall be of two cubits and a half: the breadth, a cubit and a half: the height, likewise, a cubit and a half.

[11] And thou shalt overlay it with the purest gold within and without: and over it thou shalt make a golden crown round about: [12] And four golden rings, which thou shall put at the four corners of the ark: let two rings be on the one side, and two on the other. [13] Thou shalt make bars also of setim wood, and shalt overlay them with gold. [14] And thou shalt put them in through the rings that are in the sides of the ark, that it may be carried on them. [15] And they shall be always in the rings, neither shall they at any time be drawn out of them.

[16] And thou shalt put in the ark the testimony which I will give thee. [17] Thou shalt make also a propitiatory of the purest gold: the length thereof shall be two cubits and a half, and the breadth a cubit and a half. [18] Thou shalt make also two cherubims of beaten gold, on the two sides of the oracle. [19] Let one cherub be on the one side, and the other on the other. [20] Let them cover both sides of the propitiatory, spreading their wings, and covering the oracle, and let them look one towards the other, their faces being turned towards the propitiatory wherewith the ark is to be covered.

[21] In which thou shalt put the testimony that I will give thee. [22] Thence will I give orders, and will speak to thee over the propitiatory, and from the midst of the two cherubims, which shall be upon the ark of the testimony, all things which I will command the children of Israel by thee. [23] Thou shalt make a table also of setim wood, of two cubits in length, and a cubit in breadth, and a cubit and half in height. [24] And thou shalt overlay it with the purest gold: and thou shalt make to it a golden ledge round about. [25] And to the ledge itself a polished crown, four inches high: and over the same another little golden crown.

[26] Thou shalt prepare also four golden rings, and shalt put them in the four corners of the same table over each foot. [27] Under the crown shall the golden rings be, that the bars may be put through them, and the table may be carried. [28] The bars also themselves thou shalt make of setim wood, and shalt overlay them with gold to bear up the table. [29] Thou shalt prepare also dishes, and bowls, censers, and cups, wherein the libations are to be offered of the purest gold. [30] And thou shalt set upon the table loaves of proposition in my sight always.

[31] Thou shalt make also a candlestick of beaten work of the finest gold, the shaft thereof, and the branches, the cups, and the bowls, and the lilies going forth from it. [32] Six branches shall come out of the sides, three out of the one side, and three out of the other. [33] Three cups as it were nuts to every branch, and a bowl withal, and a lily; and three cups, likewise of the fashion of nuts in the other branch, and a bowl withal, and a lily. Such shall be the work of the six branches, that are to come out from the shaft: [34] And in the candlestick itself shall be four cups in the manner of a nut, and at every one, bowls and lilies. [35] Bowls under two branches in three places, which together make six coming forth out of one shaft.

[36] And both the bowls and the branches shall be of the same beaten work of the purest gold. [37] Thou shalt make also seven lamps, and shalt set them upon the candlestick, to give light over against. [38] The snuffers also and where the snuffings shall be put out, shall be made of the purest gold. [39] The whole weight of the candlestick with all the furniture thereof shall be a talent of the purest gold. [40] Look and make it according to the pattern, that was shewn thee in the mount.

Commentary

[2] “Firstfruits”: Offerings of some of the best and choicest of their goods.

[5] “Setim wood”: The wood of a tree that grows in the wilderness, which is said to be incorruptible.

[7] “The ephod and the rational”: The ephod was the high priest’s upper vestment; and the rational his breastplate, in which were twelve gems, etc.

[17] “A propitiatory”: a covering for the ark: called a propitiatory, or mercy seat, because the Lord, who was supposed to sit there upon the wings of the cherubims, with the ark for his footstool, from thence shewed mercy. It is also called the oracle, ver. 18 and 20; because from thence God gave his orders and his answers.

[23] “A table”: On which were to be placed the twelve loaves of proposition: or, as they are called in the Hebrew, the face bread, because they were always to stand before the face of the Lord in his temple: as a figure of the eucharistic sacrifice and sacrament, in the church of Christ.

[29] “Libations”: That is, drink offerings.

[31] “A candlestick”: This candlestick, with its seven lamps, which was always to give light in the house of God, was a figure of the light of the Holy Ghost, and his sevenfold grace, in the sanctuary of the church of Christ.

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