Exodus 38

Exodus 38:8

OF the looking glosses] Of those excellent ones, wch anciently were made of the finestbrasse mingled withpewter: See Job 37:18. So these women converted those instruments of their vanity, into a naturall cleanenesse, and a meanes of a religious purification; in which there was a sacrament of the spirituall: See Luke 7:38 Of the women] The Scripture makes no mention neither of the beginning, nor manner, nor order of this custome, only it may be gathered by 1 Samuel 2:22. and Luke 2:17. that these were certaine devout women, who renouncing worldly affaires, and secular employments applied themselves to prayers, fasting, alines and such like religious exercises, and had some small employments about the Tabernacle; wherein it is also likely that there were distinctions of offices, and turnes of serving; and therefore the Hebrew word is taken from warre services, s elsewhere it is also used, to set down the sacred order of Divine service.

Exodus 38:17

The overlaying] This is added for an exposition of that which he had said before, that those capitels were of silver, that is to say, seemed so without, being all covered over with little silver plates, but the fillets, lists, and rounds, were of pure silver layd upon the body of the Columnes.

Exodus 38:18

In the breadth] The meaning is, that the height of this hanging was taken in the breadth.

Exodus 38:21

Of the testimony] made chiefly for this end to place the Arke of the Testimony within it, Exodus 25:16.

Exodus 38:25

A hundred talents] Hence it is cleare that a talent was three thousand shekels, and the shekell being halfe an ounce weight, the talent came to be one hundred five and twenty pounds, of twelve ounces to the pound.

Exodus 38:26

Abekah] The Italian hath it, A didramma] A piece of money of two drammes; and foure drammes were a whole shekell: See Matthew 17:24.