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Exodus Chapter
Twenty-five
New King James Version
(NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO
EXODUS 25
In this chapter an order
is given for a freewill offering towards various things for the worship and
service of God
and the materials to be offered
which would be useful and
acceptable
are mentioned particularly
Exodus 25:1
as
also another order to build a sanctuary for God
after a model that he would
give
Exodus 25:8
and
an ark to put in the law on tables of stone
the fashion of which
and the
various things belonging to it
are described
Exodus 25:10
and a
mercy seat with cherubim on it to be set over the ark
where the Lord promises
to meet Moses and commune with him
Exodus 25:17 and a
table with various appurtenances to it to place the shewbread on
Exodus 25:23 and a
candlestick of gold
whose parts are described
and all the instruments
relative to it
Exodus 25:31.
Exodus 25:1 Then
the Lord
spoke to Moses
saying:
YLT 1And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses
saying
And the Lord
spake unto Moses
.... When on the mount
and in the midst of the cloud with him:
saying; as follows.
Exodus 25:2 2 “Speak
to the children of Israel
that they bring Me an offering. From everyone who
gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering.
YLT 2`Speak unto the sons of Israel
and they take
for Me a heave-offering; from every man whose heart impelleth him ye do take My
heave-offering.
Speak unto the
children of Israel
.... That is
when he should go down from the mountain to the
camp:
that they bring
me an offering; the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan call it a
"separation": something separated from their substance
and devoted
to the service of God
and for the use of the sanctuary afterwards to be built:
of every man
that giveth it willingly
with his heart
ye shall take my offering; or take what
was offered to him
be it more or less
and of whatsoever person
high and low
rich and poor
so be it it is freely given from the heart; not grudgingly or
through force
as the Targum of Jonathan adds; and in such manner did David and
his people many hundreds of years after this offer towards building of the
temple
and the vessels belonging to that
see 1 Chronicles 29:6
according to the Jewish writers
none but the children of Israel were to offer
to this service
and only such who knew what they did; for thus they criticize
on the words
"speak unto the children of "Israel": this exempts
an Heathen and an idolater; "of every man"; this excludes a little
one; "that giveth it willingly with his heart"; this exempts a deaf
and dumb man
and a fool
because they have no knowledge to offer freelyF26Maimon.
& Bartenora in Misn. Trumot
c. 1. sect. 1. 'however
this we may learn
from hence
that whatever we do for the worship and service of God
we should
do it freely
cheerfully
and cordially; for God loves a cheerful giver; and if
this was required under the legal dispensation
it is much more necessary and
obligatory under the Gospel dispensation
and more suitable to it where all
things are done and given freely of God
and such large blessings of grace are
liberally bestowed by him on persons undeserving.
Exodus 25:3 3 And
this is the offering which you shall take from them: gold
silver
and
bronze;
YLT 3`And this [is] the heave-offering which ye
take from them; gold
and silver
and brass
And this is the
offering which ye shall take of them
.... That is
some one or
other of the following things were to be taken of each of them that had a
heart
and it was in the power of their hands to give; it was not expected that
something of each of these should be had of everyone
but every man was to
give
and it was to be received of him
what of these would suit him best to
bestow
some one thing
some another
as they were possessed of
and had a
heart to give; and for which service many of them were abundantly supplied with
what they had brought out of Egypt; and as it was the Lord that gave them
favour in the eyes of the Egyptians to lend or give them the riches they had
they were under the greater obligation to part with somewhat of it freely for
his service; and especially as it would be to the spiritual profit and
advantage both of them and theirs:
gold and
silver
and brass; "gold"
for those things that were to he made of gold;
as the mercy seat and cherubim
the candlestick
&c. or were covered with
it
as the ark
the shewbread table
and other things; and silver
for those
that were made of that
as the silver sockets to the boards of the tabernacle
the silver trumpets
&c. and "brass" for the altar of burnt
offering
its pans
shovels
basins
rings
and staves
and other things: Aben
Ezra rightly observes
that no mention is made of iron
there being no use of
that for anything in the tabernacle to be made of it; as also there was not in
the temple of Solomon
and where there was not so much as a tool of iron heard
in it while it was building
1 Kings 6:7 it may
be
because instruments of war
slaughtering weapons
were made of iron; and to
show that God is the God of peace in his sanctuary
and so in all the churches:
gold and silver vessels the Israelites borrowed or begged of the Egyptians
and
brought them with them when they came out of Egypt
Exodus 11:2.
Exodus 25:4 4 blue
purple
and scarlet thread
fine linen
and goats’ hair;
YLT 4and blue
and purple
and scarlet
and linen
and goats' [hair]
And blue
and
purple
and scarlet
.... The Jewish doctors are much divided about the sense of the
words so rendered by us; some will have one colour
and some another meant;
but
according to those learned men
who have taken much pains in searching
into the meaning of them
as Bochart and Braunius
it appears that our version
of them is most correct: and by these we are not to understand the colours
themselves
which could not be brought
nor even the materials for dying them
are intended; but wool
or clothes
either silken or linen of those colours: of
the former the apostle has taught us to expound them
Hebrews 9:19 and so
Jarchi interprets them of wool thus died
and JosephusF1Antiqu. l.
3. c. 6. sect. 1. also; which was made up into yarn
and wove
and was much
used in the garments of the priests
in the curtains of the tabernacle
and in
the vail between the holy and the most holy place:
and fine linen; the best of
which was made in Egypt only
as Aben Ezra says
and much wore there
especially by the priests; and they had such an abundance of it that they
traded to other nations with it
see Isaiah 19:9 and of
which the Israelites might bring a considerable quantity with them out of
Egypt; and
goats' hair; though the
word hair is not in the text
it is rightly supplied
as it is by the
Septuagint version
and others
for not goats themselves
but their hair must
be meant; of this the curtains for the covering of the tabernacle were made;
Jarchi interprets it the down of goats
the short
small
fine hair that grows
under the other.
Exodus 25:5 5 ram
skins dyed red
badger skins
and acacia wood;
YLT 5and rams' skins made red
and badgers' skins
and shittim wood
And rams' skins
died red
.... Of these were made a covering for the tent or tabernacle:
and badgers'
skins
which were for the same use: the Septuagint version calls them
hyacinth or blue skins; according to which
they seem to be the rams' skins
died blue; and so JosephusF2Ut supra. (Antiq. l. 3. c. 6. sect. 1.)
seems to have understood it; and it is much questionable whether the same
creature is meant we call the badger
since that with the Israelites was an
unclean creature; nor is its skin made use of for shoes
or well could be
as
the skin of this creature is said to be
Ezekiel 16:10.
Jarchi says it was a kind of beast only at that time; and Aben Ezra says
it
was known in those days but not now: and
shittim wood; supposed by
the Jewish writers
as KimchiF3Sepher Shorash. rad. שוט
and Ben Melech from him
to be the best and most
excellent kind of cedar: Aben Ezra conjectures
and he delivers it but as a
conjecture
that there might be near Mount Sinai a forest of
"shittim" trees; and while the Israelites were there they cut them
down for booths
which they might carry with them when they removed from
thence; for
he says
Moses did not speak of the tabernacle till after the day
of atonement: and since Acacia is by much the largest and the most common tree
of the deserts of Arabia
as Dr. ShawF4Travels
p. 144. Ed. 2.
observes
he thinks there some reason to conjecture
that the "shittim
wood"
whereof the several utensils of the tabernacle
&c. were made
was the wood of Acacia: and long ago it was the opinion of CordusF5Apud
Drus. Heb. Adag. Decur. 3. Adag. 4. that the "shittim wood" was the
Acacia of Dioscorides; and it is the same with the Senton or Santon of the
Arabians
which is the Egyptian thorn that grows in the wilderness
of which
HerodotusF6Euterpe
sive
l. 2. c. 96. says
they cut wood of two
cubits out of and make ships of burden of it: this is said to grow in the parts
of Egypt at a distance from the sea; in the mountains of Sinai
at the Red sea
about Suez
in the barren wilderness; which circumstances seem to determine it
to be the "shittim wood"F7Vid. Scheuchzer. Physic. Sacr.
vol. 2. p. 204. : some places where it might grow in plenty seem to have had
their names from it
see Numbers 25:1.
Exodus 25:6 6 oil
for the light
and spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense;
YLT 6oil for the light
spices for the anointing
oil
and for the perfume of the spices
Oil for the
light
.... For the light of the lamps in the candlestick: this was oil
olive
as the Targum of Jonathan
and so Jarchi
see Exodus 27:20
spices for
anointing oil; for the anointing of Aaron and his sons
and the tabernacle and
its vessels
such as pure myrrh
sweet cinnamon
sweet calamus
and cassia:
and for sweet
incense; as stacte
onycha
and galbanum; from whence they had this oil
and these spices
it is not easy to say
unless they brought them out of Egypt
with them; which is likely
since the deserts of Arabia could not furnish them
with them.
Exodus 25:7 7 onyx
stones
and stones to be set in the ephod and in the breastplate.
YLT 7shoham stones
and stones for setting for an
ephod
and for a breastplate.
Onyx stones
.... So called
from their likeness to the nail of a man's finger: the Targum of Onkelos calls
them stones of beryl; and the Targum of Jonathan gems of beryl; and the
Septuagint version
stones of sardius; and some take them to be the sardonyx
stones
which have a likeness both to the onyx and to the sardius:
and stones to
be set in the ephod
and in the breastplate; two onyx stones were set
in the ephod
one of the garments of the high priest
and an onyx stone
with
eleven other precious stones
were set in the breastplate of the high priest:
these stones were doubtless among the jewels set in gold and silver the
Israelites had of the Egyptians
and brought with them out of Egypt.
Exodus 25:8 8 And
let them make Me a sanctuary
that I may dwell among them.
YLT 8`And they have made for Me a sanctuary
and I
have tabernacled in their midst;
And let them
make me a sanctuary
.... An holy place to dwell in
and so called from his dwelling
in it
as follows:
that I may
dwell amongst them; in the midst of them
where the tabernacle was always placed;
and there he dwelt as their King and their God
to whom they might have
recourse on all occasions
and whom they should serve and worship; this
sanctuary was to be made of many of the materials before mentioned by the
Israelites
whom Moses should employ
and to whom he should give directions for
the making it
according to the pattern showed him: and so the Jewish writers
interpret "make me"
or "to me"
i.e. of mine
of mine holy
things
things sanctified and separated to his use; and they bring this passage
to prove that the workmen in the temple were to be paid only out of the holy
things
or money given for the repair of itF8Maimon. & Bartenora
in Misn. Temurah
c. 7. sect. 1. : this was a type of the human nature of
Christ
the true sanctuary and tabernacle which God pitched and not man
and in
which the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily; and of the church of God
the
temple of the living God
among whom he walks
and with whom he dwells
Hebrews 8:2.
Exodus 25:9 9 According
to all that I show you
that is
the pattern of the tabernacle and the
pattern of all its furnishings
just so you shall make it.
YLT 9according to all that which I am shewing
thee
the pattern of the tabernacle
and the pattern of all its vessels
even
so ye do make [it].
According to
all that I show thee
.... That is
the sanctuary was to be made in all respects
exactly according to the view of it that Moses now had upon the mount from God
and which he was to communicate to the workmen for their instruction and
direction:
after the
pattern of the tabernacle
and of the pattern of all the instruments thereof
even so shall ye make it: and by the "pattern" is not meant an idea of it
impressed on the mind of Moses
or a picture of it which was shown him
but a
little edifice representing it in all its parts
a perfect model of it: and so
MaimonidesF9Moreh Nevochim
par. 1. c. 3. says
"Tabnith"
the word here used
signifies the structure and disposition of anything
i.e.
the form of it in a four square
in roundness
in a triangle
or in any of the
like figures
see Hebrews 8:5 and so
David had
by the Spirit
a pattern of the temple
and which he gave to his son
Solomon
to build according to it
1 Chronicles 28:11.
Exodus 25:10 10 “And
they shall make an ark of acacia wood; two and a half cubits shall be
its length
a cubit and a half its width
and a cubit and a half its height.
YLT 10`And they have made an ark of shittim wood;
two cubits and a half its length
and a cubit and a half its breadth
and a
cubit and a half its height;
And they shall
make an ark of shittim wood
.... A chest or coffer to put things into
and
into this were to be put the two tables of stone on which the law was written
and it was to be made of the wood before mentioned
Exodus 25:5 this
was a very eminent type of Christ
with whom the name of an ark
chest
or
coffer where treasure lies
agrees; for the treasures of wisdom and knowledge
and the riches of grace
even all the fulness of it
lie in him; and all the
epithets of this ark are suitable to him
as when it is called the ark of God
the ark of his strength
the glory of God
the face of God
Jehovah
and God
himself
the holy ark
and ark of the covenant: and its being made of
"shittim wood"
which is an incorruptible wood
a wood that rots not
by which the Septuagint version here
and in Exodus 25:5 and
elsewhere render it
may denote the duration of Christ in his person
and the
natures united in it; in his divine nature
from everlasting to everlasting
he
is God; in his human nature he saw no corruption
and though he died he lived
again
and lives for evermore; in his offices
as Mediator
Redeemer
Saviour
prophet
priest
and King
he abideth for ever; and in his grace and the
fulness of it
which
like himself
is the same today
yesterday
and forever:
two cubits and
a half shall be the length thereof
and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof
and a cubit and a half the height thereof; if this cubit was a
common cubit
consisting of a foot and a half or eighteen inches
then the
length of this ark was forty five inches
and its breadth and height twenty
seven each; according to Dr. CumberlandF11Of Scripture Weights and
Measures
ch. 2. p. 34
56.
the Egyptian and Jewish cubit was above twenty
one inches
and then the ark must be fifty three inches long or more
and
thirty two and three quarters broad and high
or more: and JosephusF12Antiqu.
l. 3. c. 6. sect. 5. says
the length of it was five spans
and the breadth and
height of it three spans each.
Exodus 25:11 11 And you shall overlay it
with pure gold
inside and out you shall overlay it
and shall make on it a
molding of gold all around.
YLT 11and thou hast overlaid it [with] pure gold
within and without thou dost overlay it
and thou hast made on it a ring of
gold round about.
And thou shalt
overlay it with pure gold
.... Not gild it
but put a plate of pure
gold over it:
within and
without shalt thou overlay it; so that nothing of the wood could be seen:
this may denote the glory of Christ in both his natures
divine and human
the
riches of his person and office
which are unsearchable and durable
and his
preciousness to them that believe
Song of Solomon 5:10
and shalt make
upon it a crown of gold round about: or a cornish of pure
gold upon it
every way
which was a square on which the mercy seat was set;
which may point at the honour and glory of Christ
especially in his kingly
office
who has indeed on his head many crowns; one a crown of pure gold
his
divine Father has set upon him; another which the church has crowned him with
and indeed both angels and saints cast their crowns at his feet
and set the
crown on his head
or give him the glory of all they have and are.
Exodus 25:12 12 You
shall cast four rings of gold for it
and put them in its four corners;
two rings shall be on one side
and two rings on the other side.
YLT 12`And thou hast cast for it four rings of
gold
and hast put [them] on its four feet
even two rings on its one side
and
two rings on its second side;
And thou shalt
cast four rings of gold for it
.... For which a mould was to be made
and
the gold being melted was poured into it
and so the rings were fashioned:
and put them in
the corners thereof; or
"in its feet"
as Aben Ezra
though Jarchi says it
had no feet; but as the word used so signifies always
it is more probable it
had feet; and the rather
that it might not stand upon the ground
but on feet
as chests and coffers usually do:
and two rings
shall be in the one side of it
and two rings in the other side of it; Jarchi says
at the upper corners
near the mercy seat were they placed
two on one side and
two on the other
at the breadth of the ark; but it is more likely they were
fixed in the lower part of it
as Ramban
at the feet of it; and in the length
of the ark
as Josephus writesF13Antiqu. l. 3. c. 6. sect. 5 .
Exodus 25:13 13 And
you shall make poles of acacia wood
and overlay them with gold.
YLT 13and thou hast made staves of shittim wood
and hast overlaid them [with] gold
And thou shall
make staves of shittim wood
.... Of the same
wood the ark was made of
see Exodus 25:5 and
overlay them with gold; cover them with plates of gold
so that they appeared
to be all of gold
the wood being not to be seen.
Exodus 25:14 14 You
shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark
that the ark may be
carried by them.
YLT 14and hast brought the staves into the rings on
the sides of the ark
to bear the ark by them
And thou shall
put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark
.... This
shows for what use the rings were; namely
to put the staves into them and the
use of the staves thus put was:
that the ark
might be borne with them; which staves overlaid with gold
and put into golden rings
figured the ministers of Christ
enriched with the gifts and graces of his
Spirit
and possessed of the truths of the Gospel
more precious than gold and
silver; who bear the name of Christ
and carry his Gospel into the several
parts of the world.
Exodus 25:15 15 The
poles shall be in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it.
YLT 15in the rings of the ark are the staves
they
are not turned aside from it;
The staves
shall be in the rings of the ark
.... Not only be put into
them
but remain in them
yea
always:
they shall not
be taken from it; or
as the Septuagint version is
be immovable; so that those
gold rings in the ark may signify the churches of Christ
which are
instrumental to bear his name
and spread his truth in the world
comparable to
rings for their circular form
being the purest and most perfect bodies of men
on earth
and to gold rings for their worth and value
preciousness
excellency
and duration; and with whom the ministers of the Gospel
comparable
to golden staves
are always to be
and never depart from them: or else they
may signify the perfect and precious doctrines of Christ
in which his
ministers are always to be; either in meditation on them
or in preaching of
them
and by which they are always to abide
see 1 Timothy 4:15.
Exodus 25:16 16 And
you shall put into the ark the Testimony which I will give you.
YLT 16and thou hast put unto the ark the testimony
which I give unto thee.
And thou shall
put into the ark the testimony that I shall give thee. Which was the
principal use of it: by the "testimony" is meant the law
written on
two tables of stone; so called
because it was a testification of the mind and
will of God
what he would have done or omitted; and as the Israelites had
declared their approbation of it
and assent unto it
and had promised
obedience to it
therefore
should they transgress it
it would be a testimony
against them: now this was put into the ark
and preserved there
see Deuteronomy 10:1
which may signify that the law was in the heart of Christ
and which he
undertook to fulfil
and with pleasure did it; that he is become the fulfilling
end of the law for righteousness to them that believe in him; and that it
remains with him as a rule of walk and conversation to his people
so far as it
is of a moral
holy
and spiritual nature.
Exodus 25:17 17 “You
shall make a mercy seat of pure gold; two and a half cubits shall be its
length and a cubit and a half its width.
YLT 17`And thou hast made a mercy-seat of pure
gold
two cubits and a half its length
and a cubit and a half its breadth;
And thou shall
make a mercy seat of pure gold
.... Or "covering"F14כפרת "opertorium"
Montanus; "tegmen sive
operimentum"
Vatablus; "operculum"
Piscator. ; so Jarchi and
Aben Ezra; for so the word properly signifies; and what is meant was no more
than a cover of the ark
which was open at the top
and this was the lid of it
and exactly answered to it
as appears by the dimensions afterwards given of
it; and because the root of this word in one form signifies to propitiate or
make atonement
some render it the "propitiatory" or
"propitiation"F15"Propitiatorium"
V. L.
Pagninus
Munster
Tigurine version. ; which is favoured by the apostle in Hebrews 9:5 and to
which he seems to refer
Romans 3:25 and the
rather since God is represented sitting on this
as showing himself propitious
and well pleased with men
by his communing with them from hence; the
Septuagint version takes in both senses
rendering it the "propitiatory
covering"F16
ιλαστηριον επιθεμα Sept. "operculum propitiatorium"
Junius &
Tremellius. : this being called by what name it will
was typical of Christ; he
is the seat of mercy
or
as it is in the New Testament expressed
the throne
of grace; whereon
or in whom God shows himself to be gracious and merciful to
the children of men; all the stores of mercy are in him
and all the vessels of
mercy are put into his hands; the mercy of God is displayed in the mission of
him as a Saviour
and is glorified by him in a way consistent with his justice
and holiness; through him only special mercy is communicated to sinful men
to
whom God is only merciful in Christ: and Christ himself is all mercy to his
people; his ways of old were mercy and truth
and all his works
especially his
great work of redemption
are done in mercy and pity to them; he shows himself
to be merciful to them
by sympathizing with them
and supporting them under
all their temptations and afflictions
in granting them all the necessary
supplies of grace here
and by bestowing eternal life on them hereafter: he is
their "covering"
the covering of their persons by his righteousness
imputed to them
and of their sins
by his blood shed for them
and sprinkled
on them
and of the law
by his satisfaction for the transgressions of it;
whereby they are secured from the avenging justice of God
and wrath to come:
and he is the "propitiation" or "propitiatory"
who has
made atonement and reconciliation for sin; and in and through whom God shows
himself propitious to his people
he being pacified
his wrath appeased
and
his justice satisfied by his obedience and sufferings: and this mercy seat
being of "pure gold"
without any alloy or mixture in it
may denote
the purity of Christ's obedience
righteousness
and sacrifice
in the
completeness of salvation by him
without any works of righteousness of men;
the worth and excellency of Christ
and of these blessings of his
and the
preciousness of his blood
and the continued virtue and efficacy of it
and of
his righteousness and sacrifice
by which the propitiation is made:
two cubits and
a half shall be the length thereof
and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof: which are
exactly the dimensions of the ark
to which this was a lid or cover
see Exodus 25:10 in the
mystical sense it intimates
that Christ
in his nature
obedience
sufferings
and death
is the end of the law for righteousness
which is entirely commensurate
and answers to all its demands: his holy nature is answerable to the holiness
and spirituality of the law; his righteousness to all that obedience it
requires
and his sufferings and death to the penalty of it; so that
through
Christ
we have a righteousness to justify us before God
as long and as broad
as the law is
though the commandment is exceeding broad
Psalm 119:96. Aben
Ezra observes
that there is no mention made of the thickness of the mercy
seat; and the same Jarchi takes notice of
but adds
that
according to their
Rabbins
it was an hand's breadth
and the Targum of Jonathan says
"and
its thickness an hand's breadth.'
Exodus 25:18 18 And
you shall make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work you shall make them at
the two ends of the mercy seat.
YLT 18and thou hast made two cherubs of gold
beaten work dost thou make them
at the two ends of the mercy-seat;
And thou shalt
make two cherubim of gold
.... Which some take to be in the form of
birds
and others of winged animals
such as the like were never seen
so
Josephus; the Jews commonly suppose they were in the form of young men
which
they observe the word signifies in the Chaldee language; others
that they were
in the form of an ox
the face of an ox and a cherub being the same
Ezekiel 1:10 and
indeed their form is best discerned from account of them in Ezekiel
and in the
Revelation
and from the latter we best learn what they were; they were
hieroglyphics or emblems
not of the two Testaments
as many of the ancients
nor of the angels
since they are distinguished from them
much less of the
trinity of persons in the Godhead; but either of the saints and true believers
in Christ in common
of both dispensations
legal and evangelical
and so
signified by the number "two"; and being made of gold may denote
their excellency
worth
and value in the esteem of Christ; for the precious
sons of Sion are comparable to fine gold for their preciousness
solidity
and
duration
as well as for their sincerity and simplicity; or rather of the
ministers of the word in particular; and these may be signified by two
and at
the prophets of the Old Testament and the apostles of the New; and the
ministers of the word in all ages
and particularly during the reign of antichrist
are called the two witnesses that prophesy in sackcloth; and being said to be
of gold
may respect the grace of God bestowed on "them"
comparable
to gold
the gifts of the Spirit of God they are furnished with
as well as the
precious truths of the Gospel committed to their trust:
of beaten work
shalt thou make them
in the two ends of the mercy seat; not of gold
melted and poured into a mould
and so received the form of the cherubim; nor
were they first made by themselves
and then placed at the two ends of the
mercy seat
and soldered to it; but they were made of the same mass of gold
with the mercy seat
and beaten out of it with an hammer
and planished and
smoothed
and so wrought up into this form
as appears by the following verse;
and may denote the union of believers to Christ
who are one body and one
spirit with him; and the union of the Old and New Testament churches in him
and who are but one church
one body
of which he is the head; and as he is the
foundation of the apostles or prophets
on whom they are laid
he is the
cornerstone in which they are united; and so it may likewise signify the
nearness of the ministers of the word to Christ
their dependence on him
and
their partaking of the same gifts and graces of his Spirit
only in measure
being made by him able ministers of the Gospel.
Exodus 25:19 19 Make
one cherub at one end
and the other cherub at the other end; you shall make the
cherubim at the two ends of it of one piece with the mercy seat.
YLT 19and make thou one cherub at the end on this
side
and one cherub at the end on that; at the mercy-seat ye do make the
cherubs on its two ends.
And make one
cherub on the one end
and the other cherub on the other end
.... The
situation of the cherubim is particularly explained
lest
as Jarchi observes
it should be thought that there were two at both ends of the mercy seat;
whereas there were only one at one end
and another at the other
opposite to
each other
and both pointing to the mercy seat; which may express the
situation and office of the ministers of the word under each dispensation
who
are so placed as to derive all their gifts and graces from Christ
and to point
him out unto the sons of men as the only way of salvation
the only
propitiation for sin
and through whom alone grace and mercy are to be had:
even of the
mercy seat shall ye make the cherubim on the two ends thereof; this is not
so much intended the more to inculcate and confirm the situation of the
cherubim
as more fully to explain the matter of which they were made; for it
was "of" or out of the mercy seat that they were made
at the two
ends of it; that is
they were made not only of the same kind of metal with
that
but out of the same mass or lump of gold that was; a lid of gold being
made commensurate to the ark
what remained above that measure
at the ends of
it
were beaten and formed into two cherubim.
Exodus 25:20 20 And
the cherubim shall stretch out their wings above
covering the mercy
seat with their wings
and they shall face one another; the faces of the
cherubim shall be toward the mercy seat.
YLT 20`And the cherubs have been spreading out
wings on high
covering the mercy-seat over with their wings
and their faces
[are] one towards another -- towards the mercy-seat are the faces of the
cherubs.
And the
cherubim shall stretch forth their wings on high
.... From whence it
appears they were in the form of winged creatures
as the seraphim in Isaiah's
vision
and the living creatures in those of Ezekiel and John; and their wings
did not hang down by them
or on the side of them
but were stretched out
upwards towards the heaven above their heads; denoting the readiness
agility
and swiftness of the ministers of the word to do the work and will of Christ
as well as their expectation of all the supplies of gifts and grace from him to
enable them to do it:
covering the
mercy seat with their wings; which reached each other; though
as JarchiF17T.
Bab. Succah
fol. 5. 2. Vid. Gloss. in ib. says
between them and the mercy
seat there was a hollow of ten hands' breadth; so high were they stretched
upwards
though they met each other:
and their faces
shall look one to another; and which is expressive of the harmony
concord
and agreement of the true and faithful ministers of Christ one with
another; who all agree in preaching Christ
and him crucified
and in the
several momentous and important doctrines of the Gospel:
towards the
mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be; as before observed
it
may denote their directing souls to Christ as the only way of salvation
keeping always in all their ministrations this great truth in view
atonement
and satisfaction by the blood and sacrifice of Christ
and salvation alone by
him; which they make the rule of their ministry
and from which they never
swerve
taking care not to deliver anything contrary to it
or which may serve
to cast a veil over it.
Exodus 25:21 21 You shall put the mercy
seat on top of the ark
and in the ark you shall put the Testimony that I will
give you.
YLT 21`And thou hast put the mercy-seat on the ark
above
and unto the ark thou dost put the testimony which I give unto thee;
And thou shalt
put the mercy seat above upon the ark
.... Over it
as a
covering for it: this situation of the mercy seat above the ark
where the law
was
signifies
that there is no mercy but in a way of righteousness
or of
satisfaction to the law of God
and in a consistence with the honour of it; and
the cherubim over the mercy seat making a throne for the majesty of God
in
which he sat
and the ark below a kind of footstool for him
shows that Christ
the mercy seat and propitiatory
stands between God and his law
and is the
mediator between God
and men the transgressors of that law
and by fulfilling
it has covered the sins of his people
which are violations of it; and being
above it
and having magnified and made it honourable
is able to suppress its
charges and accusations
and secure from its curse and condemnation:
and in the ark
thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee; or
"after thou shalt put in the ark"
&c.F18ואל הארן "postquam in
area"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Drusius. Vid. Nold. Concord Ebr.
part. p. 290.
as the particle "vau" is sometimes used; the sense
is
that then the mercy seat should be put above
and upon the ark
as the
covering of it
after the law
or the two tables of testimony
were put into
it; for then it was covered
and not to be opened any more; see Exodus 40:20.
Exodus 25:22 22 And
there I will meet with you
and I will speak with you from above the mercy
seat
from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the
Testimony
about everything which I will give you in commandment to the
children of Israel.
YLT 22and I have met with thee there
and have
spoken with thee from off the mercy-seat (from between the two cherubs
which
[are] on the ark of the testimony) all that which I command thee concerning the
sons of Israel.
And there I
will meet with thee
.... With Moses
and so with the high priest in later times
when
he should enter into the holy of holies
and with the people of God as
represented by him
when he should go in and inquire for them of the Lord:
and I will
commune with thee from above the mercy seat
from between the two cherubim; converse with
him and them about whatsoever they should apply unto him for
these being the
symbols of the divine presence: hence the Lord is frequently described as
"dwelling between the cherubim which are upon the ark of the
testimony"; that is
which cherubim are upon it
being on the mercy seat
which was the cover of it; or rather "which is upon"F19אשר על "quod est"
Vatablus.
which mercy seat is upon the ark of the testimony
as it properly
was; and here the Lord promises to commune
of all things
which I shall give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel: what they
shall do
respecting those things which by Moses
or the high priest
they
should inquire the mind and will of God about: this may signify that the way to
communion with God lies through Christ
the mercy seat and propitiation
through his blood and righteousness
through the vail
that is to say
his
flesh; and the encouragement to it is from him
our great high priest
and from
his propitiatory sacrifice; and the enjoyment of it is through him; our
fellowship is with the Father
and his Son Jesus Christ; God speaks to us by
him
and reveals himself in him.
Exodus 25:23 23 “You
shall also make a table of acacia wood; two cubits shall be its length
a cubit its width
and a cubit and a half its height.
YLT 23`And thou hast made a table of shittim wood
two cubits its length
and a cubit its breadth
and a cubit and a half its
height
Thou shalt also
make a table of shittim wood
.... As the sanctuary or tabernacle was an
house for God to dwell in
he would have the proper furniture of an house
as a
table
candlestick
&c. This table was to be in the same place with the ark
and mercy seat; they were set in the holy of holies
where there were nothing
else; but this in the holy place
on the north side of it
Exodus 26:35 its
principal use was to set the shewbread on
as after mentioned
and was typical
of Christ
and communion with him
both in this life
and that to come. There
is the table of the Lord
to which his people are now admitted
where he sits
down with them
and they with him
to have fellowship with him in the
ministration of the word and ordinances
of which he is the sum and substance;
and this is very desirable and delightful
and an instance of his condescending
grace
Song of Solomon 1:12
and he will have a table in his kingdom hereafter
where his saints shall eat
and drink with him
in which their chief happiness will consist
Luke 22:30 This
table may be considered as typical of Christ himself
for he is both table and
provisions and everything to his people; and of him in both his natures; in his
human nature
it being made of shittim wood
incorruptible; for though Christ
died in
that nature
yet he saw no corruption
he rose again and lives for
evermore; in his divine nature
by the gold it was covered with:
two cubits
shall be the length thereof
and a cubit the breadth thereof
and a cubit and a
half the height thereof; it was two Jewish square cubits in length
which are about six
English square feet and above half
viz. ninety four inches
according to
Bishop CumberlandF20Ut supra. (Of Scripture Weights and Measures
ch. 2. p. 34
36.) . It was neither so long nor so broad as the ark by half a
cubit
but was of the same height with it
being about thirty two inches high
and three quarters
according to the Jewish and Egyptian cubit
which was about
twenty one inches and more and was a proper height for a table; and this
measure
no doubt
takes in the thickness of the table
and the height of the
seat
as Jarchi and Aben Ezra observe.
Exodus 25:24 24 And
you shall overlay it with pure gold
and make a molding of gold all around.
YLT 24and hast overlaid it [with] pure gold
and
hast made for it a crown of gold round about
And thou shalt
overlay it with pure gold
.... Cover it with a plate of gold
so that
the wood was not seen; which may denote either the excellency of Christ's human
nature
being pure and spotless
and adorned with the grace of the Spirit of
God without measure; or rather of his divine nature
which is the head of
Christ
and said to be as the most fine gold
for in him dwells all the fulness
of the Godhead bodily:
and make
thereto a crown of gold round about; that is
on both sides
and at both ends; for though it is called a crown
it was a square
and this
was both to ornament the table
and to keep from falling off of it what was set
upon it. Jarchi says
it was a sign of the crown of the kingdom
for a table
signifies riches and greatness
as they say a king's table: and indeed this was
the table of the King of kings
who has on his head many crowns
and one must
be made upon his table.
Exodus 25:25 25 You
shall make for it a frame of a handbreadth all around
and you shall make a
gold molding for the frame all around.
YLT 25and hast made for it a border of a
handbreadth round about
and hast made a crown of gold to its border round
about.
And thou shalt
make unto it a border of art hand's breadth round about
.... Jarchi
says
their wise men are divided about this; some say it was above
round about
the table; others say it was below
fixed from foot to foot at the four corners
of the table
and the board of the table lay upon the border:
and thou shalt
make a golden crown to the border thereof round about; this was not
the same spoke of in the former verse
but another; that was above
and upon
the table
this below and under it; or rather that was
as it may be better
expressed
a lip
rim
or border
that went round within the tableF21So
R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel Moed
fol. 61. 2. ; and this crown
surrounded that on the
edge of it.
Exodus 25:26 26 And
you shall make for it four rings of gold
and put the rings on the four corners
that are at its four legs.
YLT 26`And thou hast made to it four rings of gold
and hast put the rings on the four corners
which [are] to its four feet;
And thou shalt
make for it four rings of gold
.... As the ark had
and for the same use as
the rings of that were
though whether cast
as they were
is not said:
and put the
rings in the four corners that are on the four feet thereof; as there were
four feet at the four corners of the table
to each foot a ring was fastened;
the use of these follows.
Exodus 25:27 27 The
rings shall be close to the frame
as holders for the poles to bear the table.
YLT 27over-against the border are the rings for
places for staves to bear the table;
Over against
the border
.... Or "under" it
as the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin
versions. Jarchi says the rings were fixed to the feet over against the top of
the border:
shall the rings
be for placing of the staves to bear the table; into these rings staves
were to be put
to carry the table from place to place
when it was necessary
as while they were in the wilderness
and before the tabernacle had a fixed
settled place for it; for wherever the tabernacle was carried
the ark and the
table were also: where the church of Christ is
there he is
and there are the
word and ordinances; and which are sometimes moved from place to place
as from
the land of Judea into the Gentile world
from the eastern part of the world to
the more northern; and that by the ministers of the word
who bear the name
and carry the Gospel of Christ into the several parts of the world
as this
table was bore by the Levites
Numbers 4:7.
Exodus 25:28 28 And
you shall make the poles of acacia wood
and overlay them with gold
that the
table may be carried with them.
YLT 28and thou hast made the staves of shittim
wood
and hast overlaid them with gold
and the table hath been borne with
them;
And thou shall
make the staves of shittim wood
and overlay them with gold
.... In like
manner as the staves for the ark
and which were made of the same wood:
that the table
may be borne with them; when moved from one place to another; these staves did not
remain in the rings
as the staves for the ark did; but
as Josephus saysF23Antiqu.
l. 3. c. 6. sect. 6.
were taken out
because they otherwise would have been
in the way of the priests
who came every week to it
to set the shewbread on;
and these were put in only when they carried it from place to place
as appears
from Numbers 4:8.
Exodus 25:29 29 You
shall make its dishes
its pans
its pitchers
and its bowls for pouring. You
shall make them of pure gold.
YLT 29and thou hast made its dishes
and its bowls
and its covers
and its cups
with which they pour out; of pure gold thou dost
make them;
And thou shall
make the dishes thereof
.... On which the shewbread loaves were set. Jarchi says they
were of the form of the bread
and that there were two sorts
one of gold
and
one of iron; in the iron one the bread was baked
and when they took it out of
the oven
they put it into the golden one until the morrow of the sabbath
when
they set it in order upon the table; and that form is called
"Kaarah"
which we render a dish:
and the spoons
thereof; or rather "cups"; these
Jarchi says
were censers
in
which they put the frankincense; and there were two of them for the two
handfuls of frankincense
which they put upon the two rows of shewbread
Leviticus 24:7.
JosephusF24Antiq. l. 3. c. 6. sect. 6. calls them vials
and says
that on the bread were put two golden vials full of frankincense:
and the covers
thereof
and the bowls thereof
to cover withal; the one to cover the
bread
and the other to cover the frankincense; or all the above said vessels
were to cover the table
and with them all it must be pretty well covered with
vessels. The Jews give a different account of these two last
and of their use
which we render "covers" and "bowls": the first of these
Jarchi says were like the half of hollow reeds divided to their length
made of
gold; and three of them were laid in order on the top of every loaf
so that
one loaf rested upon these reeds; and they separated between loaf and loaf
so
that the air could come in between them
and they did not become mouldy; the
latter
he says
were props like stakes of gold standing on the ground
and
they were higher than the table
even as high as the rows of bread; and they
were forked with live forks
one above another
and the tops (or ends) of the
reeds
which were between each loaf
rested upon these forks
that so the
weight of the upper loaves might not be too heavy for the lower ones
and break
them. A like account of them Ben Melech gives
and observes
that some make the
first word to signify the props
and the second the reeds; and so they are
interpreted by MaimonidesF25Pirush in Misn. Menachot
c. 11. sect.
6. ; and
according to the MisnahF26Menachot
ib.
the props were
four
and the reeds twenty eight. According to the Septuagint version
these
were vessels used in libations
or drink offerings; and the last clause is
rendered in it
"with which thou shall pour out": wine or oil
and so
in some other versions; but it will be difficult to find any use for such
libations or drink offerings at this table.
Exodus 25:30 30 And
you shall set the showbread on the table before Me always.
YLT 30and thou hast put on the table bread of the
presence before Me continually.
And thou shall
set upon the table shewbread before me always. Which consisted of twelve
cakes loaves
set in two rows upon the table
and stood there a whole week
and
every sabbath were renewed; and when the old ones were took away
which were
eaten by the priests
new ones were set
so that they were always before the
Lord; and being continually before him
were called shewbread
or "bread
of faces"
being always before the face of God. This was a memorial of the
goodness of God in daily providing bread for the people of Israel
and was
presented to him as a thankful acknowledgment of it
and being the same they
ate at their own tables; and this being eaten by the priests
was expressive of
the communion between God and them
they being guests of his
and feeding on
the same provisions. This shewbread may be considered either as typical of the
church and people of God
who are all one bread
1 Corinthians 10:17
these pure and unleavened cakes may denote their purity
simplicity
and
sincerity
being without the leaven of malice and wickedness; the number
twelve
the twelve tribes of Israel
the whole spiritual Israel of God; their
being called shewbread
or bread of faces
the presentation of themselves to the
Lord in public worship
and their being ever under the eye and care of God;
their being set on the table
their standing in Christ
and security by him
who is the foundation of the apostles and prophets; and being set in rows
their order and harmony; being renewed every sabbath
the constancy of their
worship
and the succession of them in all ages; the frankincense put on each
row
the acceptance of their persons and services through the incense of
Christ's mediation; the border round about them
the power of Christ around
them to keep them from falling: or else as typical of Christ himself
of his
being the food of believers
the bread of life: the shewbread of fine flour may
fitly signify Christ
the finest of the wheat
the corn of heaven
the bread that
comes from thence; its quantity
twelve cakes
the sufficiency of food with
him
bread enough and to spare for the whole Israel of God; its continuance
the permanency of Christ as the food believers have always to feed upon; the
frankincense on it
the gratefulness of Christ to such
to whom his flesh is
meat indeed
and his blood drink indeed; and being set for priests
and only
for them
may show that Christ is only food to such who are made priests to
God: or this may be an emblem of the intercession of Christ
who is the Angel
of God's presence
ever before him
and represents the whole Israel of God
for
whom he intercedes; and his intercession is continual
he ever lives to make
intercession for them
and that is always acceptable to God. The twelve loaves
JosephusF1Antiqu. l. 3. c. 7. sect. 7. says
signify the year
divided into so many months.
Exodus 25:31 31 “You shall also make a
lampstand of pure gold; the lampstand shall be of hammered work. Its shaft
its
branches
its bowls
its ornamental knobs
and flowers shall be of
one piece.
YLT 31`And thou hast made a candlestick of pure
gold
of beaten work is the candlestick made; its base
and its branch
its
calyxes
its knops
and its flowers are of the same;
And thou shalt
make a candlestick of pure gold
.... Another piece of household furniture
and an useful one
especially in a house where there are no windows
as there
were none in the tabernacle
denoting the darkness of the legal dispensation
see 2 Kings 4:10. This
candlestick was set in the holy place
on the south side of it
opposite the
shewbread table
Exodus 26:35 and
was typical of the church of God; so the candlesticks John had a vision of
signify seven churches
Revelation 1:13
the general use of which is
to hold forth light put into it
for it has none
of itself
but what is put there by Christ: and this is not the light of nature
and reason
nor the law of Moses
but the Gospel of Christ; which where it is
set
gives light and dispels darkness; is useful to walk and work by; does not
always burn alike
and will shine the brightest in the end of the world: this
light is put into the candlestick by Christ the fountain of all light
and from
whom all light is communicated
particularly the Gospel; and being put there
lost sinners are looked up by it
strayed ones are brought back
hypocrites are
detected
and saints are enlightened
comforted
and refreshed: and this
candlestick being made of "pure gold"
may denote the worth and value
of the church of God
and the members of it
their splendour
glory
and purity
they have from Christ
and their duration; and thus the seven churches of Asia
are compared to seven golden candlesticks
Revelation 1:12
and under the form of a golden candlestick is the Gospel church set forth in Zechariah 4:2.
JosephusF2Antiq. l. 3. c. 7. sect. 7. is of opinion the candlestick
has some mystical meaning in it
it being of seventy parts
as he says
refers
to the twelve signs of the Zodiac
through which the seven planets take their
course
whom MiltonF3Paradise Lost. B. 12. ver. 254
255
256.
follows:
of beaten work
shall the candlestick be made; not of gold melted
and poured into a
mould
from whence it might take its form; but it was beaten with an hammer out
of an entire mass of gold
and not the following parts made separately
and
then joined:
his shaft
and
his branches
his bowls
his knops
and his flowers
shall be of the same; not only of
the same metal
but beaten out of the same mass and lump of gold; these are the
several parts of the candlestick: the "shaft" is the trunk and body
of the candlestick
which stood in the middle of it
and in which the several
parts united; and may either be typical of Christ
who is principal and head of
the church
and stands in the middle of it
and is the cement of the several
parts of it
and is but one
the one head
Mediator and Saviour; or else the
church universal
of which particular ones are parts: its "branches"
may either signify the several members of churches
who are in Christ as
branches
and hold forth the word of light; or else minister
of the Gospel
who have their commission and gifts from him
and are held by him as stars in
his right hand; or else particular churches
which are branches of the church
universal: its "bowls"
which were to hold oil for the lamps
may
denote men of capacity in the churches
full of the gifts and graces of the
Spirit
able to teach others also: and the "knops" and "flowers"
were for decoration
and may signify the graces of the Spirit
with which
private members and believers are adorned; or the gifts of the Spirit with
which the ministers of the word are furnished
and appear beautiful
publishing
the glad tidings of salvation by Christ.
Exodus 25:32 32 And
six branches shall come out of its sides: three branches of the lampstand out
of one side
and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side.
YLT 32and six branches are coming out of its sides
three branches of the candlestick out of the one side
and three branches of
the candlestick out of the second side;
And six
branches shall come out of the sides of it
.... Out of the trunk or
shaft
being beaten out of it:
three branches
of the candlestick out of one side
and three branches of the candlestick out
of the other side; Jarchi takes what we render the "shaft" to be the
lower part of the candlestick
from whence three feet went out below; and the
"branch" or "cane"
for it is in the singular number in the
preceding verse
he takes to be the middle branch or trunk
that went up from
the middle of the foot upwards
and upon it was the middle lamp
in the form of
a censer
to pour oil into the midst of it; and the six branches went out from
the sides of that
here and there drawn obliquely
and went up to the height of
the candlestick
which is the middle branch or cane; and they went up from the
midst of that middle cane
one above another
the lowermost long
and that
above it shorter than that
and the uppermost shorter than that; for the height
of the tops of them were equal to the height of the middle cane
that is
the
seventh
from whence the six went out.
Exodus 25:33 33 Three
bowls shall be made like almond blossoms on one branch
with
an ornamental knob and a flower
and three bowls made like almond blossoms
on the other branch
with an ornamental knob and a flower—and so
for the six branches that come out of the lampstand.
YLT 33three calyxes made like almonds in the one
branch
a knop and a flower
and three calyxes made like almonds in one branch
a knop and a flower; so for the six branches which are coming out from the
candlestick.
Three bowls
made like unto almonds
with a knop and a flower in one branch
.... There
were three bowls or cups in the form of almond nuts to each branch
which were
either to hold oil for the lamps
as before observed
or
as others think
to
catch the snuff which fell from them; and there were a "knop"
which
according to the signification of the word
was in the form of a pomegranate
and a flower
which the Targum of Jonathan renders a lily; and they are both in
Scripture emblems of the saints endowed with the gifts and graces of the
Spirit:
and three bowls
made like almonds in the other branch; on the other side of the
candlestick
opposite to the former:
so in the six
branches that come out of the candlestick; there were the same
number of bowls
with a knop and a flower in the rest of the branches
as in
those mentioned.
Exodus 25:34 34 On
the lampstand itself four bowls shall be made like almond blossoms
each with its ornamental knob and flower.
YLT 34`And in the candlestick [are] four calyxes
made like almonds
its knops and its flowers;
And in the
candlestick shall be four bowls
.... That is
in the trunk or body of it;
the branches had but three apiece
but this being larger had four: and these
were also
made like unto
almonds
with their knops and their flowers; as the bowls on the
branches had with them.
Exodus 25:35 35 And
there shall be a knob under the first two branches of the same
a
knob under the second two branches of the same
and a knob under the third
two branches of the same
according to the six branches that extend from the
lampstand.
YLT 35and a knop under two branches of the same
and a knop under two branches of the same
and a knop under two branches of the
same
[are] to the six branches which are coming out of the candlestick;
And there shall
be a knop under two branches of the same
.... According to Jarchi
from the middle of the knop (which was like a pomegranate
or
as others
like
an apple) two branches were drawn from the two sides of it
here and there; so
they teach in the work of the tabernacle
the height of the candlestick was
eighteen hands' breadth: this clause is repeated twice in this verse
signifying there should be a knop under each of the three branches on one side
and three on the other side: for it follows:
according to
the six branches that proceed out of the candlestick; out of the
trunk of it
as in Exodus 25:32.
Exodus 25:36 36 Their
knobs and their branches shall be of one piece; all of it shall be
one hammered piece of pure gold.
YLT 36their knops and their branches are of the
same
all of it one beaten work of pure gold;
Their knops and
their branches shall be of the same
.... Of the same metal
gold
and of same mass:
all of it shall
be one beaten work of pure gold not made in parts
and then put and soldered
together
but the whole candlestick in all its parts and branches were to be
beaten out of one piece of gold.
Exodus 25:37 37 You
shall make seven lamps for it
and they shall arrange its lamps so that they
give light in front of it.
YLT 37and thou hast made its seven lamps
and [one]
hath caused its lights to go up
and it hath given light over-against its
front.
And thou shall
make the seven lamps thereof
.... Which were
six of them
on the top of
the six branches that came out of the sides of the candlestick
and the seventh
on the top of the shaft which ran up in the middle of it; which no doubt were
made of gold as well as the rest
and may signify the many members of churches
bearing the lamp of a profession: or the several gifts and graces of the
Spirit
which are sometimes
because of the perfection of them
called the
seven spirits of God
and are compared to seven lamps of fire burning before
the throne
Revelation 4:5 or
else the ministers of the Gospel
who are the lights of the world:
and they shall
light the lamps thereof; Aaron and his sons
the priests in successive generations:
that they may
give light over against it to the table of shewbread
which was
opposite to it on the north side of the tabernacle
and so by the light of
these lamps the priests could see to place the shewbread in its order; or the
candlestick itself
the lamps being so placed as to give light to the whole
body of it
that it might be seen in all its parts very distinctly; unless it
can be thought that these lamps were separate from the candlestick
and set
around the sides of the holy place
and gave light to it: and this may rather
seem to be the case
since these lamps are spoken of after the whole of it is
said to be one beaten work of pure gold; but then we have no account of the
lamps of the candlestick
unless they are supposed to be included in the
branches; wherefore the first sense seems best.
Exodus 25:38 38 And
its wick-trimmers and their trays shall be of pure gold.
YLT 38`And its snuffers and its snuff dishes [are]
of pure gold;
Which
according to
Jarchi
was a sort of forks with which they took the wicks out of the oil
and
put them in the lamps; or
as some think
the snuffers
but they are
distinguished from tongs
1 Kings 7:49 and
the snuffdishes thereof shall be of pure gold; in which the tongs or snuffers
were put
or into which the snuff itself was put that was snuffed off. Jarchi
says they were a sort of small cups
in which they put the ashes of the lamp
morning by morning
when they trimmed the lamps from the ashes of the wicks
which burned in the night
and were extinct: so Ben Gersom and Lyra say they
were vessels full of water where those were put which were snuffed off
that
they might not make a smoke
which is not improbable.
Exodus 25:39 39 It
shall be made of a talent of pure gold
with all these utensils.
YLT 39of a talent of pure gold he doth make it
with all these vessels.
Of a talent of
pure gold shall he make it
with all these vessels. The common
talent weighed sixty pounds
but the sacred talent was double
and weighed one
hundred and twenty pounds
as says Jarchi
and so Ben Melech: a talent of gold
amounted to 5067 pounds
three shillings and ten pence of our money
according
to Bishop CumberlandF4Of Scripture Weights and Measures
p. 121. .
(Assuming a troy weight of 12 ounces to a pound
and an ounce of gold worth
$400 U.S.
than a talent would be worth about $600
000. Editor.)
Exodus 25:40 40 And
see to it that you make them according to the pattern which was shown
you on the mountain.
YLT 40And see thou and do [them] by their pattern
which thou art shewn in the mount.
And look that
thou make them
.... Or see that they are made by workmen employed:
after their
pattern
which was showed thee in the mount; from whence it appears
that as Moses was showed the model of the tabernacle
so also of the
candlestick
and of all its appurtenances
and of every other vessel in it; and
he is strictly charged to look carefully and diligently to it
that everything
be done exactly according to the model he had a view of
in which everything
was particularly described
and nothing was left to the will
humour
and fancy
of men.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》