1Und der Ewige redete zu Mosche und sprach: 2«Rede zu den Kindern Jisraël, daß sie mir eine Hebegabe bringen; von einem jeden, den sein Herz adelt, sollt ihr die Hebegabe für mich nehmen. 3Und dies ist die Hebegabe, die ihr von ihnen nehmen sollt: Gold und Silber und Kupfer; 4Blaupurpur und Rotpurpur, Karmesin, Byssus und Ziegenhaare; 5und rotgegerbte Widderfelle, Tahaschfelle und Akazienholz; 6Öl zur Beleuchtung, Gewürze zum Salböl und zum Räucherwerk von Spezereien; 7Schohamsteine und Steine zum Einsetzen für das Efod und den Brustschild. 8Und sie sollen mir ein Heiligtum errichten, daß ich unter ihnen wohne. 9Ganz so wie ich dirs zeige, die Bauform der Wohnung und aller ihrer Geräte, so sollt ihr es anfertigen. 10Und sie sollen eine Lade machen aus Akazienholz, zweieinhalb Ellen lang, eineinhalb Ellen breit und eineinhalb Ellen hoch. 11Und du sollst sie mit reinem Gold überziehn, von innen und von außen sollst du sie überziehn, und sollst daran einen goldenen Kranz anbringen ringsum. 12Und du sollst für sie vier goldene Ringe gießen und sie setzen an ihre vier Füße, zwei Ringe auf der einen Seite und zwei Ringe auf der andern Seite. 13Und du sollst Stangen anfertigen aus Akazienholz und sie mit Gold überziehn. 14Und du sollst die Stangen in die Ringe bringen an den Seiten der Lade, die Lade an ihnen zu tragen. 15In den Ringen der Lade sollen die Stangen bleiben, sie sollen nicht daraus entfernt werden. 16In die Lade aber sollst du die Bezeugung legen, die ich dir geben werde. 17Sodann sollst du eine Kapporet machen aus reinem Gold, zweieinhalb Ellen lang und eineinhalb Ellen breit. 18Und du sollst zwei Kerubim aus Gold anfertigen, in getriebener Arbeit sollst du sie anfertigen, an den beiden Enden der Kapporet. 19Und mache einen Kerub an dem Ende hüben und einen Kerub an dem Ende drüben; aus der Kapporet sollt ihr die Kerubim arbeiten an ihren beiden Seiten. 20Und die Kerubim sollen die Flügel oben ausbreiten, so daß sie oberhalb der Kapporet mit ihren Flügeln verstellen, und ihre Gesichter sollen einander zugewandt sein, gegen die Kapporet sollen die Gesichter der Kerubim gerichtet sein. 21Und du sollst die Kapporet oben auf die Lade stellen, und in die Lade sollst du die Bezeugung legen, die ich dir geben werde. 22Und dort will ich mich dir einstellen, und ich werde mit dir reden von über der Kapporet, zwischen den beiden Kerubim hervor, die über der Lade der Bezeugung sind, alles, was ich dir auftragen werde für die Kinder Jisraël. 23Dann sollst du einen Tisch machen aus Akazienholz, zwei Ellen lang, eine Elle breit und eineinhalb Ellen hoch. 24Und du sollst ihn überziehn mit reinem Gold und ihm einen goldenen Kranz anfertigen ringsum. 25Dann sollst du ihm eine handbreite Leiste anfertigen ringsum, und einen goldenen Kranz anfertigen an seiner Leiste ringsum. 26Und du sollst für ihn vier goldene Ringe anfertigen und die Ringe setzen an die vier Ecken seiner vier Füße. 27Dicht an der Leiste sollen die Ringe sein, als Behälter für die Stangen, um den Tisch zu tragen, 28und du sollst die Stangen machen aus Akazienholz und sie mit Gold überziehn; und an ihnen soll der Tisch getragen werden. 29Und du sollst seine Schüsseln anfertigen und seine Schalen, seine Tassen und seine Becher, mit denen dargegossen wird; aus reinem Gold sollst du sie anfertigen. 30Und du sollst auf den Tisch Vorlegebrot legen, beständig vor meinem Angesicht. 31Und du sollst einen Leuchter anfertigen aus reinem Gold; in getriebener Arbeit soll der Leuchter gemacht werden, sein Fuß und sein Schaft, seine Kelche, seine Knäufe und Blumen sollen aus ihm sein. 32Und sechs Röhren sollen von seinen Seiten ausgehn, drei Röhren des Leuchters von der einen Seite und drei Röhren des Leuchters von der andern Seite. 33Drei mandelförmige Kelche an der einen Röhre: Knauf und Blume, und drei mandelförmige Kelche an der andern Seite: Knauf und Blume; so an den sechs Röhren, die von dem Leuchter ausgehn. 34Und an dem Leuchter (selbst) vier mandelförmige Kelche, ihre Knäufe und Blumen. 35Und ein Knauf unter den beiden Röhren, aus ihm, und wieder ein Knauf unter den beiden Röhren, aus ihm, und noch ein Knauf unter den beiden Röhren, aus ihm, an den sechs Röhren, die von dem Leuchter ausgehn. 36Und ihre Knäufe und ihre Röhrchen sollen aus ihm gearbeitet sein, das Ganze aus einem Stück getrieben, von reinem Gold. 37Und du sollst seine sieben Lampen anfertigen, und man soll seine Lampen aufstecken, daß er nach der Seite seiner Richtung leuchte. 38Auch seine Scheren und Pfännchen sollen aus reinem Gold sein. 39Aus einer Scheibe reinen Goldes soll man ihn verfertigen, samt allen diesen Geräten. 40Und schaue und fertige sie an in ihrer Bauform, die dir auf dem Berg gezeigt wird.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 CONCERNING AN OFFERING. (Exo. 25:1-40)
the Lord spake unto Moses, &c.--The business that chiefly occupied Moses on the mount, whatever other disclosures were made to him there, was in receiving directions about the tabernacle, and they are here recorded as given to him.
2 bring me an offering of every man that giveth it willingly, &c.--Having declared allegiance to God as their sovereign, they were expected to contribute to His state, as other subjects to their kings; and the "offering" required of them was not to be imposed as a tax, but to come from their own loyal and liberal feelings.
3 this is the offering which ye shall take of them--the articles of which the offerings should consist.
brass--rather copper, brass being a composite metal.
4 goats' hair--or leather of goats' skin.
5 badgers' skins--The badger was an unclean animal, and is not a native of the East--rather some kind of fish, of the leather of which sandals are made in the East. [See on
Wj 39:34 and
Eze 16:10.]
shittim wood--or Shittah (
Iz 41:19), the acacia, a shrub which grows plentifully in the deserts of Arabia, yielding a light, strong, and beautiful wood, in long planks.
7 ephod--a square cloak, hanging down from the shoulders, and worn by priests.
8 a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them--In one sense the tabernacle was to be a palace, the royal residence of the King of Israel, in which He was to dwell among His people, receive their petitions, and issue His responses. But it was also to be a place of worship, in which God was to record His name and to enshrine the mystic symbols of His presence.
9 According to all that I show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle--The proposed erection could be, in the circumstances of the Israelites, not of a fixed and stable but of a temporary and movable description, capable of being carried about with them in their various sojournings. It was made after "the pattern" shown to Moses, by which is now generally understood, not that it was an unheard-of novelty, or an entirely original structure, for it is ascertained to have borne resemblance in form and arrangements to the style of an Egyptian temple, but that it was so altered, modified, and purified from all idolatrous associations, as to be appropriated to right objects, and suggestive of ideas connected with the true God and His worship.
10 an ark--a coffer or chest, overlaid with gold, the dimensions of which, taking the cubit at eighteen inches, are computed to be three feet nine inches in length, two feet three inches in breadth.
11 a crown--a rim or cornice.
12 rings--staples for the poles, with which it was to be carried from place to place.
15 staves shall be in the rings of the ark--that is, always remain in the rings, whether the ark be at rest or in motion.
16 the testimony--that is, the two tables of stone, containing the ten commandments, and called "the testimony," because by it God did testify His sovereign authority over Israel as His people, His selection of them as the guardians of His will and worship, and His displeasure in the event of their transgressing His laws; while on their part, by receiving and depositing this law in its appointed place, they testified their acknowledgment of God's right to rule over them, and their submission to the authority of His law. The superb and elaborate style of the ark that contained "the testimony" was emblematic of the great treasure it held; in other words, the incomparable value and excellence of the Word of God, while its being placed in this chest further showed the great care which God has ever taken for preserving it.
17 thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold--to serve as a lid, covering it exactly. It was "the propitiatory cover," as the term may be rendered, denoting that Christ, our great propitiation [
1Jn 2:2;
1Jn 4:10], has fully answered all the demands of the law, covers our transgressions, and comes between us and the curse of a violated law.
18 two cherubim--The real meaning of these figures, as well as the shape or form of them, is not known with certainty--probably similar to what was afterwards introduced into the temple, and described in
Eze 10:8-
Eze 10:22. They stretched out their wings, and their faces were turned towards the mercy seat [
Wj 25:20], probably in a bowing attitude. The prevailing opinion now is, that those splendid figures were symbolical not of angelic but of earthly and human beings--the members of the Church of God interested in the dispensation of grace, the redeemed in every age--and that these hieroglyphic forms symbolized the qualities of the true people of God--courage, patience, intelligence, and activity.
22 there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat--The Shekinah, or symbol of the Divine Presence, rested on the mercy seat, and was indicated by a cloud, from the midst of which responses were audibly given when God was consulted on behalf of His people. Hence God is described as "dwelling" or "sitting" between the cherubim.
23 table of shittim wood--of the same material and decorations as the ark [see on
Wj 25:5], and like it, too, furnished with rings for the poles on which it was carried [
Wj 25:26]. The staves, however, were taken out of it when stationary, in order not to encumber the priests while engaged in their services at the table. It was half a cubit less than the ark in length and breadth, but of the same height. [See on
Wj 25:10.]
24 crown--the moulding or ornamental rim, which is thought to have been raised above the level of the table, to prevent anything from falling off.
29 dishes--broad platters.
spoons--cups or concave vessels, used for holding incense.
covers--both for bread and incense.
bowls--cups; for though no mention is made of wine, libations were undoubtedly made to God, according to JOSEPHUS and the rabbins, once a week, when the bread was changed.
to cover withal--rather, "to pour out withal."
30 showbread--literally, presence bread, so called because it was constantly exhibited before the Lord, or because the bread of His presence, like the angel of His presence, pointed symbolically to Christ. It consisted of twelve unleavened loaves, said traditionally to have been laid in piles of six each. This bread was designed to be a symbol of the full and never-failing provision which is made in the Church for the spiritual sustenance and refreshment of God's people.
31 candlestick--literally, "a lamp bearer." It was so constructed as to be capable of being taken to pieces for facility in removal. The shaft or stock rested on a pedestal. It had seven branches, shaped like reeds or canes--three on each side, with one in the center--and worked out into knobs, flowers, and bowls, placed alternately [
Wj 25:32-
Wj 25:36]. The figure represented on the arch of Titus gives the best idea of this candlestick.
33 knops--old spelling for "knobs"--bosses.
37 they shall light the lamps . . . that they may give light--The light was derived from pure olive oil, and probably kept continually burning (compare
Wj 30:7;
Kpł 24:2).
38 tongs--snuffers.
39 a talent of pure gold--in weight equivalent to 125 lbs. troy.
40 look that thou make them after their pattern--This caution, which is repeated with no small frequency in other parts of the narrative, is an evidence of the deep interest taken by the Divine King in the erection of His palace or sanctuary; and it is impossible to account for the circumstance of God's condescending to such minute details, except on the assumption that this tabernacle was to be of a typical character, and eminently subservient to the religious instruction and benefit of mankind, by shadowing forth in its leading features the grand truths of the Christian Church.