1So mache es denn Bezal'el und Oholiab und alle Verständigen, in welche der Ewige Weisheit und Einsicht gelegt hat, daß sie alle Arbeiten des heiligen Werkes auszuführen verstanden, für alles, was der Ewige befohlen hat.» 2Da berief Mosche Bezal'el und Oholiab und jeden verständigen Mann, in dessen Herz der Ewige Weisheit gelegt hatte, jeden, den sein Herz bewegte, hinzutreten an die Arbeit, um sie auszuführen. 3Und sie nahmen von Mosche alle Hebegabe, die die Kinder Jisraël zur Arbeit des heiligen Werkes gebracht hatten, um es zu verfertigen. Diese aber brachten ihm noch Edelmutsgaben Morgen für Morgen. 4Da kamen alle Künstler, die alle Arbeit des Heiligtums ausführten, jeder von seiner Arbeit, die sie ausführten, 5und sprachen zu Mosche: «Das Volk bringt mehr, als für die Arbeit an dem Werk erforderlich ist, das der Ewige auszuführen befohlen hat.» 6Da befahl Mosche, und man ließ einen Ruf durch das Lager ergehen, besagend: «Weder Mann noch Weib sollen noch Arbeit verrichten für die Hebegabe des Heiligtums.» So wehrte man dem Volk, weiter zu bringen. 7Und die Arbeit war genug für das ganze Werk, um es auszuführen, und noch darüber. 8So machten denn alle Verständigen unter den Werkarbeitern die Wohnung aus zehn Behängen von gezwirntem Byssus, von blauem und rotem Purpur und von Karmesin, mit Kerubim von Kunstweberarbeit machte man sie. 9Die Länge eines Behanges war achtundzwanzig Ellen, und die Breite eines Behanges vier Ellen; einerlei Maß hatten alle Behänge. 10Und man heftete fünf Behänge aneinander und heftete wieder fünf Behänge aneinander. 11Dann brachte man purpurblaue Schleifen am Saum des einen Behanges, am Ende, an der Heftung, an; ebenso machte man es am Saum des äußersten Behanges der andern Heftung. 12Fünfzig Schleifen brachte man an dem einen Behang an, und fünfzig Schleifen brachte man am Rand des Behanges an, der zu der andern Heftung gehört, einander gegenüber waren die Schleifen. 13Dann fertigte man fünfzig goldene Spangen an und heftete die Behänge mittelst der Spangen aneinander, so daß die Wohnung eins wurde. 14Und man verfertigte Behänge aus Ziegenhaar zu einem Zelt über der Wohnung; elf solcher Behänge fertigte man an. 15Die Länge eines Behanges war dreißig Ellen, und vier Ellen die Breite eines Behanges, einerlei Maß hatten die elf Behänge. 16Und man heftete die fünf Behänge besonders zusammen und die sechs Behänge besonders. 17Dann brachte man fünfzig Schleifen an am Saum des äußersten Behanges an der Heftung, und fünfzig Schleifen brachte man an am Saum des Behanges der andern Heftung. 18Dann fertigte man fünfzig kupferne Spangen an, um das Zelt zusammenzufügen, daß es eins werde. 19Und man fertigte eine Decke für das Zelt an aus rotgegerbten Widderfellen, und darüber eine Decke aus Tahaschfellen. 20Und man fertigte die Bretter zur Wohnung an aus Akazienholz, aufrecht stehend; 21zehn Ellen war die Länge eines Brettes und eineinhalb Ellen die Breite eines Brettes. 22Zwei Zapfen waren an einem Brett, untereinander verbunden; so machte man es an allen Brettern der Wohnung. 23Und von den Brettern zur Wohnung fertigte man zwanzig an für die Südseite, gegen Mittag. 24Und vierzig silberne Sockel brachte man unter den zwanzig Brettern an, zwei Sockel unter einem Brett für seine beiden Zapfen, und zwei Sockel unter je einem Brett für seine beiden Zapfen. 25Und für die andere Seite der Wohnung, für die Nordseite, fertigte man zwanzig Bretter an. 26Und dazu vierzig silberne Sockel, zwei Sockel unter einem Brett, und zwei Sockel unter je einem Brett. 27Und für die Hinterwand der Wohnung, nach Westen hin, fertigte man sechs Bretter an. 28Und zwei Bretter fertigte man an für die Winkel der Wohnung an der Hinterwand. 29Diese paßten unten genau zusammen, und oben liefen sie zusammen in den einen Ring aus. So machte man es bei beiden, an den beiden Winkeln. 30So waren es acht Bretter und ihre silbernen Sockel, sechzehn Sockel, je zwei Sockel unter je einem Brett. 31Dann verfertigte man Querhölzer aus Akazienholz, fünf für die Bretter der einen Seite der Wohnung 32und fünf Querhölzer für die Bretter der andern Seite der Wohnung und fünf Querhölzer für die Bretter der Hinterwand der Wohnung nach Westen hin. 33Und das mittlere Querholz fertigte man an, daß es innerhalb der Bretter von einem Ende bis zum andern quer durchlief. 34Und die Bretter überzog man mit Gold, und die Ringe dazu verfertigte man aus Gold, als Behälter für die Querhölzer, und auch die Querhölzer überzog man mit Gold. 35Dann fertigte man den Verhang aus blauem und rotem Purpur, aus Karmesin und gezwirntem Byssus an, in Kunstweberarbeit fertigte man ihn an, mit Kerubim. 36Und man fertigte für ihn vier Säulen aus Akazienholz an und überzog sie mit Gold; auch ihre Haken waren aus Gold; und man goß für sie vier silberne Sockel. 37Dann fertigte man einen Vorhang für den Eingang des Zeltes an aus blauem und rotem Purpur, aus Karmesin und gezwirntem Byssus, Buntwirkerarbeit. 38Dazu fünf Säulen und ihre Haken; und man überzog ihre Köpfe und ihre Ringe mit Gold, ihre fünf Sockel aber waren aus Kupfer.
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary 1 I. The workmen set in without delay. Then they wrought,
Exod 36:1. When God had qualified them for the work, then they applied themselves to it. Note, The talents we are entrusted with must not be laid up, but laid out; not hid in a napkin, but traded with. What have we all our gifts for, but to do good with them? They began when Moses called them,
Exod 36:2. Even those whom God has qualified for, and inclined to, the service of the tabernacle, yet must wait for a regular call to it, either extraordinary, as that of prophets and apostles, or ordinary, as that of pastors and teachers. And observe who they were that Moses called: Those
in whose heart God had put wisdom for this purpose, beyond their natural capacity, and
whose heart stirred them up to come to the work in good earnest. Note, Those are to be called to the building of the gospel tabernacle whom God has by his grace made in some measure fit for the work and free to engage in it. Ability and willingness (with resolution) are the two things to be regarded in the call of ministers. Has God given them not only knowledge, but wisdom? (for those that would win souls must be wise, and have their hearts stirred up to come to the work, and not to the honour only; to do it, and not to talk of it only), let them come to it with full purpose of heart to go through with it. The materials which the people had contributed were delivered by Moses to the workmen,
Exod 36:3. They could not create a tabernacle, that is, make it out of nothing, nor work, unless they had something to work upon; the people therefore brought the materials and Moses put them into their hands. Precious souls are the materials of the gospel tabernacle; they are
built up a spiritual house, 1Pet 2:5. To this end they are to offer themselves a free-will offering to the Lord, for his service (
Roma 15:16), and they are then committed to the care of his ministers, as builders, to be framed and wrought upon by their edification and increase in holiness, till they all come, like the curtains of the tabernacle,
in the unity of the faith, to be a holy temple, Ephes 2:21,
Ephes 2:22;
Ephes 4:12,
Ephes 4:13.
II. The contributions restrained. The people continued to bring
free offerings every morning, Exod 36:3. Note, We should always make it our morning's work to bring our offerings unto the Lord; even the spiritual offerings of prayer and praise, and a broken heart surrendered entirely to God. This is that which the duty of every day requires. God's compassions are new every morning, and so must our duty to him be. Probably there were some that were backward at first to bring their offering, but their neighbours' forwardness stirred them up and shamed them. The zeal of some provoked many. There are those who will be content to follow who yet do not care for leading in a good work. It is best to be forward, but better late than never. Or perhaps some who had offered at first, having pleasure in reflecting upon it, offered more; so far were they from grudging what they had contributed, that they doubled their contribution. Thus, in charity,
give a portion to seven, and also to eight; having given much, give more. Now observe, 1. The honesty of the workmen. When they had cut out their work, and found how their stuff held out, and that the people were still forward to bring in more, they went in a body to Moses to tell him that there needed no more contributions,
Exod 36:4,
Exod 36:5. Had they sought their own things, they had now a fair opportunity of enriching themselves by the people's gifts; for they might have made up their work, and converted the overplus to their own use, as perquisites of their place. But they were men of integrity, that scorned to do so mean a thing as to sponge upon the people, and enrich themselves with that which was offered to the Lord. Those are the greatest cheats that cheat the public. If to murder many is worse than to murder one, by the same rule to defraud communities, and to rob the church or state, is a much greater crime than to pick the pocket of a single person. But these workmen were not only ready to account for all they received, but were not willing to receive more than they had occasion for, lest they should come either into the temptation or under the suspicion of taking it to themselves. These were men that knew when they had enough. 2. The liberality of the people. Though they saw what an abundance was contributed, yet they continued to offer, till they were forbidden by proclamation,
Exod 36:6,
Exod 36:7. A rare instance! Most need a spur to quicken their charity; few need a bridle to check it, yet these did. Had Moses aimed to enrich himself, he might have suffered them still to bring in their offerings; and when the work was finished might have taken the remainder to himself: but he also preferred the public before his own private interest, and was therein a good example to all in public trusts. It is said (
Exod 36:6),
The people were restrained from bringing; they looked upon it as a restraint upon them not to be allowed to do more for the tabernacle; such was the zeal of those people, who gave
to their power, yea, and beyond their power, praying the collectors
with much entreaty to receive the gift, 2Cor 8:3,
2Cor 8:4. These were the fruits of a first love; in these last-days charity has grown too cold for us to expect such things from it.
8 The first work they set about was the framing of the house, which must be done before the furniture of it was prepared. This house was not made of timber or stone, but of curtains curiously embroidered and coupled together. This served to typify the state of the church in this world, the palace of God's kingdom among men. 1. Though it is upon the earth, yet its foundation is not in the earth, as that of a house is; no, Christ's kingdom is not of this world, nor founded in it. 2. It is mean and mutable, and in a militant state; shepherds dwelt in tents, and God is the Shepherd of Israel; soldiers dwelt in tents, and the Lord is a man of war, and his church marches through an enemy's country, and must fight its way. The kings of the earth enclose themselves in cedar (
Jer 22:15), but the ark of God was lodged in curtains only. 3. Yet there is a beauty in holiness; the curtains were embroidered, so is the church adorned with the gifts and graces of the Spirit, that
raiment of needle-work, Pss 45:14. 4. The several societies of believers are united in one, and, as here, all
become one tabernacle; for there is one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. 14 Here, 1. The shelter and special protection that the church is under are signified by the curtains of hair-cloth, which were spread over the tabernacle, and the covering of rams' skins and badgers' skins over them,
Exod 36:14-
Exod 36:19. God has provided for his people a
shadow from the heat, and a covert from storm and rain, Isa 4:6. They are armed against all weathers; the sun and the moon shall not smite them: and they are protected from the storms of divine wrath, that hail which will
sweep away the refuge of lies, Isa 28:17. Those that dwell in God's house shall find, be the tempest ever so violent, or the dropping ever so continual, it does not rain in. 2. The strength and stability of the church, though it is but a tabernacle, are signified by the boards and bars with which the curtains were borne up,
Exod 36:20-
Exod 36:34. The boards were coupled together and joined by the bars which shot through them; for the union of the church, and the hearty agreement of those that are its stays and supporters, contribute abundantly to its strength and establishment.
35 In the building of a house there is a great deal of work about the doors and partitions. In the tabernacle these were answerable to the rest of the fabric; there were curtains for doors, and veils for partitions. 1. There was a veil made for a partition between the holy place, and the most holy,
Exod 36:35,
Exod 36:36. This signified the darkness and distance of that dispensation, compared with the New Testament, which shows us the glory of God more clearly and invites us to draw near to it; and the darkness and distance of our present state, in comparison with heaven, where we shall be
ever with the Lord and
see him as he is. 2. There was a veil made for the door of the tabernacle,
Exod 36:37,
Exod 36:38. At this door the people assembled, though forbidden to enter; for, while we are in this present state, we must get as near to God as we can.
