Exodus 25

The LORD bids Moseh to take up a free-will heave-offering to set up a Sanctuary, v. 1, etc. God chargeth him, how and whereof to make the Ark, 10. as also the cover of expiation , with the Cherubims , 17. The Table for the shew-bread, and other utensils, 23. The golden Candlestick with its employments, 31. All was to be made answerable to the pattern which Moseh had seen upon the mount , 40.

1. Then the LORD spake unto Moseh, saying ;

2. Speak to the children of Israel , that they take [i.e. Take and give, or offer] me [i.e. for my service and worship] an heave-offering : [i.e an offering , which they used to elevate at the giving , or presenting thereof : Heb. an elevating, or lifting up , or seperating , severing ; it being a gift seperated, or set apart from the rest , and consecrated to the LORD] from every man whose heart shall freely move him , shall ye take my heave-offering . [Ye, viz.Thou Moseh and the rest of the men , whom I commanded, above ch.24.1. to come up on the mount .]

3. This now is the heave-offering , which ye shall take from them ; [viz. for the making and setting up of the Tabernacle , and what belongs to it]gold, and silver, and copper.

4. As also , sky-colour , and purple, and scarlet , [Hereby are understood certain stuffs of these colours , as silks, cotton, wool,flax, and the like] and fine linnen, and goats-(hair). [whereof there was made a cover or vail to be spread over all the Tabernacle , Exod.26.7,13.]

5. And red-died rams-skins, and badgers-skins, [Of these the uppermost , or out-most cover of the Tabernacle was made, Exodus 26:14.] and Sittim-wood. [it is conceived, that this is a kinde of Cedar-wood, not subject to Corruption. See Isaiah 41:19. and Iocl 3.18.]

6. Oyl for the Candlestick, [For the use of the lights that were to burn thereon . verse 37.] spices for the annointing oyl , [wherewith the holy things, the Tabernacle, and the things pertaining to it , were to be anointed, as also the Priests themselves] and for perfuming sweet smelling spices . [oth. Precious herbs for perfumes.]

7. Sardonyx-stones , [Exod.28.4.] and filling stones , [i.e. Such as being in their ouches filled them up, Heb. stones of fulfilling , or, in- fillings , up-fillings] for the ephod, [this is rendred by some body-coat, it being the principal and most sumptuous Priestly upper garment , unto which was fastned the breast-plate , with the Urim and Thummim] and for the breast-plate . [This was made of silk , gold, and precious stones , and covered the breast of the High Priest.]

8. And they shall make me a Sanctuary, [i.e. An holy habitation , commonly called the Tabernacle , which was the place , where the publique worship of God was to be celebrated then , as afterwards in the Temple of Salomon] that I may dwell in the midst of them.

9. According to all that I shall shew thee for a pattern of this Tabernacle, and for a type of all the furniture thereof , even so shall ye make the same.

10. Thus shall they [viz. The artificers , or work men] make an Ark of Sittim-wood : two ells ( or, cubits) and an half [See Genesis 6:15.] shall be the length of it, and an ell and an half the breadth thereof , and an ell and an half the height thereof .

11. And thou shalt over-lay it with fine gold ; within and without shalt thou over-lay it : and thou shalt make a golden garland , [or, border , list, crown] round about the same . [viz .the Ark.]

12. And cast for it , [viz. for the Ark] four golden rings, and set them [Heb. give them] and the four corners of it ; so that there may be two rings on the one side of the same , and two rings on the other side of it .

13. And make hand – bars into the rings , [Oth. bearing- or , supporting -slaves] of Sittim-wood, and over-lay them with gold .

14. And put the hand-bars into the rings, which are at the side of the Ark ; [There were two rings on the one side of the Ark, and two rings on the other side, throngh which the hand -bars were to be put] that they may bear the Ark therewith. [They, viz. the Levites , who, and none else were to carry the same upon their shoulders, Numb. 7.9. 2 Chron.35.3. See likewise 1 Chron.13. 7, 10, 11. and 15. 12, 15.]

15. The bearing – bars shall be in the rings of the Ark, they shall not be drawn out .

16. After that shalt thou lay into the Ark the Testimouy, which I shall give thee [viz. The two stone Tables where the ten Commandments were written upon ; being an express testimony of the will of God , whence the Ark was called , the Ark of the Testimony ,below verse 22. and elsewhere frequently.]

17. Thou shalt likewise make an expiation- cover of pure gold . two ells and an half shall be the length thereof, and an ell and an half its breadth .

18. Thou shalt also make two Cherubims of gold ; of massy ( gold) shalt thou make them, out of both the ends of the Expiation-cover . [As if he should have said ; The Cherubims shall be coming forth at both ends of the cover, as if they were growing forth thence ; so that the Cherubims and the Cover were to be all of a piece , without being ill-laid, or sother'd together.]

19. And make thee one Cherub , out of the one end on this side , and the other Cherub out of the (other) end on yon side : Ye shall make the Cherubims out of the Expiation-Cover , out of both the ends thereof .

20. And the Cherubims shall spread forth both their wings on high , covering with their wings the Expiation-cover : and their faces shall be over against one another ; [Heb. the man to his brother]the faces of the Cherubims shall be towards the Expiation-Cover.

21. And thou shalt put the Expiation-Cover above upon the Ark , after that thou shalt have laid the Testimony ,[i.e. the Tables of the Covenant } which I shall give thee, into the Ark. [To the end that the Ark should not be opened afterwards, the LORD commands, that the Testimony should be put into the Ark, verse 16.]

22. And there I will come unto thee , and I will speak with thee from above the Expiation-Cover , from between the two Cherubims , ( which shall be upon the Ark of the Testimony ) all that I shall command thee to the children of Israel.

23. Thou shalt likewise make a Table of Sittim-wood : [This Table stood in the holy place , that is to say , within the tabernacle before the Vail] two ells shall be the length of it , and one ell the breadth of it ; and one ell and an half shall be the height thereof .

24. And thou shalt over-lay it with pure gold ; also thou shalt make a golden garland , ( or, fringe ) at it , round about it .

25. Thou shalt likewise make a list at it [viz. At the said Table ; Heb. to it] round about , an hand breadth : and thou shalt make a golden garland , round about the list thereof .

26. Also thou shalt make four golden rings on it ; and thou shalt set the four rings on the four corners , which shall be at the four feet thereof .

27. The rings shall be over against the list , for places [Heb. for houses] for the hand -barres to bear the Table.

28. These hand-bars now thou shalt make of Sittim-wood, and thou shalt over-lay them with gold : and the Table shall be born thereby .

29. Thou shalt likewise make the dishes [Which were twelve in number according to the twelve (leoaves) Levit.24.5.] thereof, [viz. of the Table] and its perfuming-vessels , [the Hebrew word signifieth all manner of hollownesses or concavities, or vessels which are hollow , as the palm of the hand : these vessels served to put in perfumes . See Leviticus 24:7.] and the plates thereof [understand, covers , covering plates , as they are called, Numb.4.7. Heb. plates of covering , or, sprinklings] and the pots thereof , [oth. besoms , serving to keep the Table clean] ( wherewith it shall be covered) [the Table namely, which was to be beset or deckt with all these vessels] or pure gold shalt thou make them .

30. And thou shalt always lay the shew-bread before my face upon this Table . [These bread-loaves were to lie a week upon this Table , and to be changed every Sabbath-day, Leviticus 24:8. Heb. Bread of the face ; as lying exposed there before the face of the LORD.]

31. Thou shalt likewise make a candlestick of pure gold : of massie work shall this Candlestick be made , [i.e.It shall neither be cast, nor pieced and sothered together, but it shall be beaten with hammer out of one piece or lump . This Candlestick weighed a talent , verse 39.] his shaft and his reeds : [i.e. arms, or branches ; and so likewise in the sequel] his bowles , his knops, and his flowers, shall be out of him. [See the first Annot. On this verse .]

32. And six reeds shall issue out of his side ; three reeds of the Candlestick out of his one side , and three reeds of Candlestick out of his other side.

33. In the one reed there shall be three bowles, ( like) almond-nuts , [i.e. in the shape and form of almonds] a knop and a flower : and three bowles ( like) almond-nuts in another reed ; a knop and a flower : thus shall the six reeds be , issuing forth out of the Candlestick, [i.e.they shall all six of them be alike the one to the other , as is declared , verse 35.]

34. But on the Candlestick it self [i.e. on the shaft, stem, or body of it] there shall be four bowles , ( like) almond-nuts, with his knops , and with his flowers .

35. And there shall be a knop under two reeds ( issuing forth ) out of the same ; [The Parenthesis put into the Text here , is taken from the latter end of this verse] also a knop under two reeds , ( issuing forth) out of the same , [Candlestick namely] yet a knop under two reeds ( issuing forth) out of the same: (thus shall it be) with the six reeds , issuing forth out of the Candlestick.

36. Their knops and their reeds shall be out of him : it shall be altogether a single massie work of pure gold .

37. Thou shalt make him seven lamps likewise , [Hebr. thou shalt likewise make his seven lamps] and they shall kindle [Heb. cause to ascend] his lamps, and make them to light (or shine) on his sides . [or, over against him . Heb. on the side of his faces .]

38. His snuffers , and his extinguishers shall be of pure gold .

39. Out of a Talent [or, hundred weight : undderstand the hundred weight of the Sanctuary, containing one hundred and twenty five pound of gold, for an hundred weight weighed three thousand shekels, ( as may be gathered, by Exodus 38:25, 26.) which makes up the aforesaid summe . ( Howbeit others conceive it did weigh but one hundred and twenty pounds) The civil hundred weight , is thought to have weighed about the moiety.] of pure gold shall they make the same , with all this furniture .

40. Look to it then , [Exod, 39.43. it is said, that Moseh observed all this very strictly and accurately] that thou make it, according to their type , [i.e. the pattern , model and fashion , or likeness and resemblance] which is shewed thee upon the mount .