Bible Commentaries

And Moses gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel together, and said unto them, These are the words which the LORD hath commanded, that ye should do them.

Moses gathered ... On the occasion referred to in the opening of this chapter, the Israelites were specially reminded of the design to erect a magnificent tabernacle for the regular worship of God, as well as of the leading articles that were required to furnish that sacred edifice, (see the notes at Exodus 25:1-40; Exodus 27:1-21; Exodus 30:1-38; Exodus 31:1-18.)

Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death.

On the seventh day ... a sabbath of rest ... whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death. The violation of the rest of the Sabbath was not only an act of impious audacity against the Creator, but of direct rebellion against the theocratic Sovereign of Israel. It is as a breach of the civil law of the kingdom that the infringement of sabbatic rest is here proclaimed a capital crime.

Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day.

Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day. The Sabbath was not a fast day. The Israelites cooked their victuals on that day, for which, of course, a fire would be necessary; and this view of the institution is supported by the conduct of our Lord (Luke 14:1). But in early times the Israelites, while sojourning in the wilderness and subsisting on manna, received a double supply on the sixth day, which they cooked also on that day (see the note at Exodus 16:23), so that a fire for culinary purposes was entirely unnecessary on the Sabbath day. As the kindling of a fire, therefore, could only be for secular purposes, the insertion of the prohibition in connection with the work of the tabernacle makes it highly probable that it was intended chiefly for the mechanics who were to be employed in that erection; and as some of them might have supposed it was allowable to ply their trade in the furtherance of a structure to be dedicated to religious worship, it was calculated to prevent all such ideas, by absolutely forbidding any fire for the sharpening of tools, for the melting of metals, or any other material purpose bearing on the sanctuary.

And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the LORD commanded, saying,

No JFB commentary on these verses.

The pins of the tabernacle, and the pins of the court, and their cords,

Pins of the tabernacle ... pins of the court, and their cords. No mention having been made of these in Exodus 25:1-40, it may be noticed that Josephus says, 'that to every board of the tabernacle, and to every pillar of the hangings of the court, there were cords attached at the top of the board or pillar, and that the further end of the cords or ropes was fastened to brass nails of a cubit long, which at every pillar were driven deep into the ground, and would keep the tabernacle from being shaken by the violence of winds' ('Antiquities,' b. 3:, ch.

vi., sec. 2).

The cloths of service, to do service in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest's office.

No JFB commentary on this verse.

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 and devotedness to His service, an anxious desire to secure the benefit of His presence, and gratitude for the tokens of His divine favour. It was under the combined influence of these considerations that the people were so willing and ready to pour their contributions into that exchequer of the sanctuary.

Every one whom his spirit made willing. Human nature is always the same; and it is implied, that while an extraordinary spirit of pious liberality reigned in the bosoms of the people at large, there were exceptions-some who were too fond of the world, who loved their possessions more than their God, and who could not part with these-no, not for the service of the tabernacle.

And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted, and brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold: and every man that offered offered an offering of gold unto the LORD.

They came ... - literally, 'the men with the women.'

Brought bracelets ... - (see at the beginning of Exodus 25:1-40 for the sources of Israelite wealth at this time) Money, in the form of coins or bullion, there was none in that early age. What money passed current with the merchant consisted of rings, which were weighed, and principally of ornaments for personal decoration.

Tablets , [ kuwmaaz ] (collect.) - 'golden drops,' or rather, a string of Arab beads, worn by the Israelites in the wilderness (cf. Numbers 31:50), somewhat resembling the Roman 'bulla,' or the 'baccatum manila' of Virgil. But the Septuagint has emplokia, chains, network. Diodorus Siculus (3:, 44) says that they were found in Arabia of solid gold. Astonishment at the abundance of their ornaments is at an end when we learn that costly and elegant ornaments abounded in proportion as clothing was simple and scarce among the Egyptians, and some entirely divested of clothing, yet wore rich necklaces (Hengstenberg). Among people with Oriental sentiments and tastes, scarcely any stronger proof could have been given of the power of religion than their willingness not only to lay aside, but to devote those much-valued trinkets to the house of God; and thus all, like the Eastern sages, laid the best they had at the service of God.

And every man, with whom was found blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair, and red skins of rams, and badgers' skins, brought them. No JFB commentary on these verses.

And Moses said unto the children of Israel, See, the LORD hath called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah;

See, the Lord hath ... Moses had made this communication before. But now that the collection had been made, the materials were contributed, and the operations of building about to be commenced, it was with the greatest propriety he reminded the people that the individuals entrusted with the application of their gold and silver had been nominated to the work by authority to which all would bow.

And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship;

No JFB commentary on these verses.

Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any work, and of those that devise cunning work.

Them hath he filled. A statement which not only testifies that skill in art and science is a direct gift from God, but that weaving was especially the business of men in Egypt (see Exodus 38:22; Exodus 39:22; Exodus 39:27); and in perfect harmony with the testimony of the monuments is the account given by Moses to the artists who were divinely taught the arts necessary for the embellishment of the tabernacle. Others, whose limited means did not admit of these expensive contributions, offered their gratuitous services in fabricating such articles of tapestry as were needed-arts which the Israelite females learned as bondswomen in the houses of Egyptian princes.