Also pure gold for the fleshhooks, and the bowls, and the cups. — Rather, and the forks, and the bowls, and the flagons were (in the schedule or inventory) pure gold. (See Exodus 27:3; 1 Samuel 2:13-14.) The bowls were used in lustral sprinkling, the golden flagons in libations (Exodus 25:29; Exodus 37:16; Numbers 4:7 only).
The golden basons. — Tankards, or lidded pitchers (kĕphôrîm): a word only found here and in Ezra 1:10; Ezra 8:27 (among the sacred vessels restored by Cyrus).
By weight. — By the (required) weight. The altar of incense stood within the Holiest (the Dĕbîr, or Adytum; Exodus 40:5).
And gold for the pattern of the chariot of the cherubims, that spread out their wings. — Rather, and for the model of the chariot, that is, the cherubim (he assigned) gold; to wit, for beings out-spreading (their wings) and overshadowing the Ark of the Covenant of Jehovah. The two cherubs lying on the (kappôreth) above the Ark are here called “the chariot,” with obvious reference to such passages as Psalms 18:11, where it is said of God, “He charioted on a cherub.” (Comp. also Psalms 99:1.) The rest of the verse describes the purpose of the symbolical cherubic figures, in terms borrowed from Exodus 25:20. (Comp. also Ezekiel’s vision, called by the Jews “The Chariot,” Ezekiel 1)