_THE OFFERINGS FOR THE TABERNACLE: THE MATTER AND FORM OF THE ARK AND THE MERCY-SEAT: THE TABLE OF SHEW-BREAD; AND THE CANDLESTICK: ALL WHICH WERE TO BE MADE AFTER THE PATTERN SHEWN TO MOSES IN THE MOUNT._ _Before Christ 1491._... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES— The Almighty, as King of the Jews, having delivered his laws, and ratified his covenant with them, now calls _for an offering,_ in token of homage from his subjects, for the great purpose of erecting a _sanctuary_ or _palace,_ Exodus 25:8 wherein he might dwell among t... [ Continue Reading ]
AN OFFERING— The original signifies, properly, as in the margin of our Bibles, _a heave-offering;_ so called from its being _heaved,_ or _lifted up_ before the Lord, ch. Exodus 29:27. But the word is frequently used in a more general sense; for any thing which is offered or given to God. Ezekiel 45:... [ Continue Reading ]
RAMS' SKINS DYED RED, AND BADGERS' SKINS— A badger being an unclean animal according to the law, Bochart, after several of the best interpreters, insists that the passage should be rendered, _rams' skins dyed of a red, and of a violet or purple colour._ "All the ancient versions agree," says Parkhur... [ Continue Reading ]
ONYX-STONES—EPHOD—BREAST-PLATE— See ch. Exodus 28:6, &c.... [ Continue Reading ]
ACCORDING TO ALL— This verse might be rendered, more intelligibly perhaps, _And ye shall make all things, according to the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, which I shall shew you;_ see Exodus 25:40 and Hebrews 8:5. This verse, as well as that at the close of... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SHALL MAKE AN ARK OF SHITTIM-WOOD— The furniture of the most sacred part of the tabernacle, the _Holy of holies,_ the immediate residence of the Divinity, is first appointed. Of this, the _ark_ or _chest_ was the principal; which, made of _shittim-wood,_ Exodus 25:5 was about four feet five inc... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT MAKE TWO CHERUBIMS OF GOLD— These cherubims were to be made of _gold, of the matter of the mercy-seat,_ Exodus 25:19. (margin of our Bibles) which seems to specify only that they were to be made of gold, i.e_._ the _matter_ of the mercy-seat; and not, as some have supposed, of _the same p... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT ALSO MAKE A TABLE OF SHITTIM-WOOD— The next piece of furniture was the table for the _shewbread,_ Exodus 25:30 which, like the _ark,_ was to be made _of shittim-wood, overlaid with pure gold,_ with a _border_ and a _golden crown,_ or a circular rim of gold, with _rings_ and _staves,_ as f... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THOU SHALT MAKE THE DISHES THEREOF— The _dishes_ were patens, or a sort of charger wherein to put the _shew bread;_ Numbers 7:13. The _spoons,_ as appears from Numbers 7:14 were vases for containing incense; and therefore some think that, with the LXX, the word would have been rendered more prop... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THOU SHALT SET UPON THE TABLE SHEW-BREAD— In the Hebrew, _bread of the faces;_ so called, because it was to be placed before the sanctuary or the immediate presence of Jehovah. We refer to Leviticus 24:5; Leviticus 24:23 for a fuller account of this bread _shewn_ or _exhibited_ constantly before... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT MAKE A CANDLESTICK OF PURE GOLD— This _candlestick_ or _chandelier_ was to consist of a _shaft,_ from which were to issue _six branches,_ each branch to have _three bowls_ or _cups,_ made in the shape of alm_onds,_ with _knops_ and _flowers,_ ornaments round and foliated like blossoms to... [ Continue Reading ]
A TALENT OF PURE GOLD— A talent was 3000 shekels, as may be collected by halving the number of the Israelites, (because each brought half a shekel,) which half is 301,775, and is the sum of the shekels which they all contributed. Now, Moses assures us, ch. Exodus 38:25 that these shekels amounted to... [ Continue Reading ]
AND LOOK THAT THOU MAKE, &C.— Moses was now in the mount with God: this verse therefore should be rendered, in conformity with the 9th, _look that thou make them after the pattern which is shewed thee,_ or, _which thou art caused to see, in the mount;_ which is a literal translation of the Hebrew, a... [ Continue Reading ]