Exodus 35:20

_AND ALL THE CONGREGATION OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL DEPARTED FROM THE PRESENCE OF MOSES._ All the congregation of ... Israel ... No exciting harangues were made, nor had the people Bibles at home in which they could compare the requirements of their leader and see if these things were so. But they had no doubt as to his bearing to them the will of God; and they were impressed with so strong a sense of its being their duty, that they made a spontaneous offer of the best and most valuable treasures they possessed. Verse 21. EVERY ONE WHOSE HEART STIRRED HIM. One powerful element, doubtless, of this extraordinary open-hearted liberality was the remembrance of their recent transgression, which made them "zealous of good works" (cf. 2 Corinthians 7:11). But along with this motive there were others of a higher and nobler kind-a principle of love to God a

20._And all the congregation of the children of Israel_. There is no reason why any one should be surprised that the order of the narrative is changed, since it plainly appears from many passages that the order of time is not always observed by Moses. Thus he appears here to connect the fall of the people with the foregoing injunctions, both with respect to the building of the tabernacle, and the rest of the religious service of God. But I have shewn (292) upon good grounds that the tabernacle was built before the people fell into idolatry. Therefore Moses now supplies what had been before omitted, though I have followed the thread of the narrative in order to render it less difficult. The sum of this relation is, that whatever was necessary for the building of the tabernacle was liberally contributed. It must be observed that they had departed from the presence of Moses: for we gather f...

20-29 Without a willing mind, costly offerings would be abhorred; with it, the smallest will be accepted. Our hearts are willing, when we cheerfully assist in promoting the cause of God. Those who are diligent and contented in employments considered mean, are as much accepted of God as those engaged in splendid services. The women who spun the goats' hair were wise-hearted, because they did it heartily to the Lord. Thus the labourer, mechanic, or servant who attends to his work in the faith and fear of God, may be as wise, for his place, as the most useful minister, and he equally accepted of the Lord. Our wisdom and duty consist in giving God the glory and use of our talents, be they many or few....

EXPOSITION THE PEOPLE INVITED TO BRING GIFTS, AND ASSIST IN THE WORK OF THE TABERNACLE. Having warned the Israelites against breaches of the sabbath, Moses proceeded to enumerate the offerings which God had said that they might bring (Exodus 35:4-2), and the works which he had required to be constructed (Exodus 35:10-2). In the former enumeration, he follows exactly the order and wording of the Divine command to himself, as recorded in Exodus 25:3-2; in the latter, he ch

AND ALL THE CONGREGATION OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL DEPARTED FROM THE PRESENCE OF MOSES. After they had heard what Moses was ordered to propose unto them, they immediately went to their tents, and fetched what they had with them, or were willing to part with, and brought it directly as a freewill offering to the Lord; as Exodus 35:21 shows: from hence, Aben Ezra observes, we may learn, that the whole congregation of Israel came to the tabernacle, company after company....

6. THE BUILDING OF THE TABERNACLE CHAPTER 35 The Commandments Concerning the Tabernacle Remembered and the Offerings _ 1. The Sabbath law emphasized (Exodus 35:1)_ 2. The offerings restated (Exodus 35:4) 3. The tabernacle and its furniture restated (Exodus 35:11) 4. The offerings given (Exodus 35:20) 5. The workmen and the teachers (Exodus 35:30) It is interesting to review the events and steps which lead to this consummation in Exodus, the setting up of the tabernacle. After Jehovah had redeemed His

EXODUS 35-40. P S. THE CONSTRUCTION AND ERECTION OF THE SACRED TENT. This division of the book is generally recognised as coming from the latest stratum in the Hexateuch. This conclusion can be denied (as recently by A. H. Finn in JThS 16:449- 481) only by those who ignore the number, variety, and independence of the converging lines of proof which point to it. The clearest and most specific ground for it is that the later elements in the appendix (Exodus 30 f.) to Exodus 25-29 are here redistributed and put in their proper places. Further, the radical differences of order, and astonishing omissions as, in places, of the incense altar and the laver (both among the supplements in Exodus 30) in LXX require the assumption that the Gr. translators had the material before them in an earlier and less well-arranged draft of the Heb. text. It does not follow that all differences are due to this...

How the people responded to Moses" summons: ordinary men, women, and -rulers," all brought willingly whatever their means, or their ability, enabled them to provide. An ideal picture of a community ready and eager to contribute liberally to the sanctuary and service of its God. Cf. on Exodus 25:1. Presentation of the offerings....

THE TEXT OF EXODUS TRANSLATION 35 And Mo-ses assembled all the congregation of the children of Is-ra-el, and said unto them, These are the words which Je-ho-vah hath commanded, that ye should do them. (2) Six days shall work be done; but on the seventh day there shall be to you a holy day, a sabbath of solemn rest to Je-ho-vah: whosoever doeth any work therein shall be put to death. (3) Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day. (4) And Mo-ses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Is-ra-el, saying, This is the thing which Je-ho-vah commanded, saying, (5) Take ye from among you an offering unto Je-ho-vah; whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, Je-ho-vah's offering: gold, and silver, and brass, (6) and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats-' _hair,_ (7) and rams-' skins dyed red, and sealskins, and acacia wood, (8)...

AN ACCOUNT OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TABERNACLE AND ITS FURNITURE This section is an almost verbal repetition of Exodus 25-31, describing the carrying out of the commands in those Chapter s by Moses and the people. 4-29. Moses invites the people to contribute the materials required, which they do with great liberality: cp. Exodus 36:5. See on Exodus 25:1....