These are the words. — Exodus 35:2 is, in the main a repetition of Exodus 31:15, but Exodus 35:3 is new, or, at any rate, only contained by implication in any previous legislation. Kindling fire was in early times a hard piece of manual work, being effected by the friction of two pieces of dry wood.... [ Continue Reading ]
XXXV. ITERATION OF THE LAW CONCERNING THE SABBATH. (1-3) Moses, being about to require the people to engage in the work, first, of constructing the materials for the Tabernacle, and then of uprearing the Tabernacle itself, prefaced his requirements by a renewed promulgation of the law of the Sabbath... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PEOPLE INVITED TO OFFER THE MATERIALS OF THE TABERNACLE, AND TO ASSIST IN THE WORK. (4-9) And Moses spake. — This passage is the sequence and counterpart of Exodus 25:1, and follows exactly the same order in the enumeration of the required offerings. Both passages equally declare the _sine quâ... [ Continue Reading ]
(10-19) AND EVERY WISE HEARTED AMONG YOU. — The first appeal is to all; all may contribute something towards the _materials_ of the sacred structure. But the second appeal is to some only. The “wise-hearted” alone can take part in the actual construction, and “make all that the Lord hath commanded.”... [ Continue Reading ]
THE ZEAL OF THE PEOPLE IN OFFERING AND ASSISTING IN THE WORK. (21) THEY CAME, EVERY ONE WHOSE HEART STIRRED HIM UP. — All classes came, “men and women” (Exodus 35:22), rich and poor, “rulers” (Exodus 35:27), and those whose only skill was to “spin with their hands” (Exodus 35:25). And the great majo... [ Continue Reading ]
BOTH MEN AND WOMEN... BROUGHT BRACELETS... — It is not quite certain what the personal ornaments here mentioned are. The LXX. render σφραγῖδας καὶ ἐνώτια καὶ δακτυλίους καὶ ἐμπλόκια καὶ περιδέξια, “signets, and earrings, and rings, and chains, and armlets,” substituting five terms for four. Rosenmül... [ Continue Reading ]
RED SKINS OF RAMS. — Rather, _rams’ skins dyed red,_ as the same words are translated in Exodus 25:5; Exodus 35:7. BADGERS’ SKINS. — See Note 2 on Exodus 25:5.... [ Continue Reading ]
AN OFFERING OF SILVER. — Silver had been enumerated among the offerings which would be accepted (Exodus 25:3; Exodus 35:5), and it was therefore brought; but it is difficult to say what was done with it. All the silver actually employed in the sanctuary came from the half-shekels paid when the peopl... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE WOMEN THAT WERE WISE-HEARTED — _i.e.,_ “all who had sufficient skill.” Spinning was probably a very general accomplishment of the Hebrew women. It was effected in early times by means of a wheel and spindle, with or without a distaff. The only materials used for the fabrics of the sanctuary... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE WOMEN WHOSE HEART STIRRED THEM UP IN WISDOM SPUN GOATS’ HAIR. — It would seem to have been more difficult to produce a thread from goats’ hair than from flax. Only the most skilful undertook the more difficult task.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE RULERS BROUGHT ONYX STONES, AND STONES TO BE SET. — The “rulers” here intended are probably the _“_princes of the tribes” of Israel (Numbers 1:16; Numbers 3:3; Numbers 3:5, &c.). The twelve stones required for the breastplate would naturally be contributed by the twelve chiefs of the tribes whos... [ Continue Reading ]
(28) Spice.-See Exodus 30:23; Exodus 30:34.... [ Continue Reading ]
BEZALEEL AND AHOLIAB SET OVER THE WORK. (30-35) This passage is the sequel to Exodus 31:1, where Bezaleel and Aholiab were designated for their respective offices, and follows closely the order, and even the wording, of that passage. The verbal resemblance is even greater in the original than in th... [ Continue Reading ]