Exodus 38:1-31 - L. M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

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THE ALTAR OP BURNT OFFERING

(vs.1-7)

This altar was placed outside the tabernacle, being the first object one would meet after entering the court. It was made of acacia wood, covered with copper, thus reminding us of the true humanity of the Lord Jesus (the acacia wood) and the holiness of His divine glory (the copper).

Its size was five cubits in length and the same in width, and its height three cubits. The number five is that of responsibility, as the human hand with its five fingers teaches. Only four fingers would be weakness, but the thumb gives strength, thus showing that responsibility is met only by God's support in weakness. Three is the number of resurrection, and reminds us that, though atonement for sin is accomplished only by the sacrifice of Christ, yet the outcome of His sacrifice is His promised and certain resurrection.

The utensils for use in connection with this altar were made of copper; pans, shovels, basins, forks and firepans A grate was made also and set inside the altar, half way between the top and bottom. The four rings were on the four corners of the grate, which no doubt necessitated having four openings in the sides, so that the rings protruded through these, thus securing the grate in its place and providing for the altar being carried with poles of acacia wood overlaid with gold, being inserted through the rings.

The copper altar speaks of Christ as the only One whose person is so great that He is able to sustain the responsibility for being the great sacrifice for our sins, for the altar speaks of His person, while every sacrifice was typical of His work of atonement. When first coming into the court, therefore, one would be faced with that which speaks of Christ and Him crucified, just as anyone coming to God must first face the Lord Jesus as the one great sacrifice for our sins.

THE COPPER LAVER

(v.8)

Only a brief mention is made of the making of the laver, which we are told in chapter 30:19-21 was for Aaron and his sons to wash their hands and feet when going into the tabernacle or when offering sacrifices. It was totally made of copper, obtained from the mirrors of serving women. Thus it would be highly polished copper in which the feet of the priests would be reflected. If purification by blood is seen at the copper altar, purification by water is emphasized in the laver. For the blood of Christ cleanses believers judicially before God, while the water of the word of God (Ephesians 5:26; John 13:8) is the means of moral cleansing, which is also essential in our drawing near to God.

THE COURT ENCLOSURE

(vs.9-20)

The court of the tabernacle was enclosed by hangings of fine linen held up by silver hooks attached to copper pillars, each of which was based on a copper socket. Copper speaks of the holiness of God seen in perfection in Christ. But the silver hooks indicate redemption, so that the hangings can only speak of believers, redeemed by the precious blood of Christ. They hang from, or depend on, the Lord Jesus, the Holy One of God, whose sacrifice has redeemed them.

The pillars were not seen from the outside, but only the fine white linen. This speaks of "the righteous acts of saints" (Revelation 19:8). Thus, the testimony of believers in the purity of devoted obedience to the Lord is that which should draw the attention to those outside. It is not their words so much as their actions.

The south and north sides of the court were 100 cubits long, each with 20 pillars, while the east and west sides were 50 cubits in length, with 10 pillars on the west side. But the east side included the gate, so that there were three pillars on either side of this, and four pillars (v.19) to hold up the hangings for the gate.

The hanging for the gate was not only fine linen, but woven of blue, purple and scarlet thread intermingled with the fine linen. Therefore the gate speaks of Christ, the only entrance for anyone into the presence of God. But since hanging by silver hooks on the copper pillars, it is intimated that only by His redemption of Calvary can we have any right to enter. The entrance then was much more attractive than the white enclosure. How true of the Lord Jesus!

SUMMARY OF MATERIALS AND COSTS

(vs.21-31)

All these things that were made in connection with the tabernacle were according to the command of Moses, and all to be cared for by the Levites, under the supervision of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest (1 Peter 2:5), and all are also servants (as the Levites were), so that we are responsible to guard carefully the truths that are symbolized in all the service of the tabernacle. These are valuable, and must not be stolen from us, or lost. Bezaleel and Aholiab are again mentioned as the master craftsmen of all the work (vs.22-23).

The total weight of gold is given as 29 talents and 730 shekels, which would amount to nearly 3800 pounds. The silver amounted to 100 talents and 1775 shekels, which would weigh about 11,635 pounds. Verse 26 refers to the one-half shekel of silver that each person of Israel over 20 paid as atonement money, the number of persons being 603,550. The 100 talents of silver were used for the socket under each of the boards of the sanctuary and under the pillars for the veil. The remaining 175 shekels of silver served for making hooks on the pillars of the court to hold up the hangings.

The weight of the copper was 70 talents and 2400 shekels, which would amount to about 8160 pounds. This was used for sockets for the door of the tabernacle, the altar of burnt offering and its utensils, the sockets for the pillars of the court and pegs. Whether the weight of the laver is included in this we are not told.

Related Commentaries of Exodus 38:1

Exodus 38:1-31

1 And he made the altar of burnt offering of shittim wood: five cubits was the length thereof, and five cubits the breadth thereof; it was foursquare; and three cubits the height thereof.

2 And he made the horns thereof on the four corners of it; the horns thereof were of the same: and he overlaid it with brass.

3 And he made all the vessels of the altar, the pots, and the shovels, and the basons, and the fleshhooks, and the firepans: all the vessels thereof made he of brass.

4 And he made for the altar a brasen grate of network under the compass thereof beneath unto the midst of it.

5 And he cast four rings for the four ends of the grate of brass, to be places for the staves.

6 And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with brass.

7 And he put the staves into the rings on the sides of the altar, to bear it withal; he made the altar hollow with boards.

8 And he made the laver of brass, and the foot of it of brass, of the lookingglassesa of the women assembling, which assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

9 And he made the court: on the south side southward the hangings of the court were of fine twined linen, an hundred cubits:

10 Their pillars were twenty, and their brasen sockets twenty; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver.

11 And for the north side the hangings were an hundred cubits, their pillars were twenty, and their sockets of brass twenty; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver.

12 And for the west side were hangings of fifty cubits, their pillars ten, and their sockets ten; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver.

13 And for the east side eastward fifty cubits.

14 The hangings of the one side of the gate were fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.

15 And for the other side of the court gate, on this hand and that hand, were hangings of fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.

16 All the hangings of the court round about were of fine twined linen.

17 And the sockets for the pillars were of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver; and the overlaying of their chapiters of silver; and all the pillars of the court were filleted with silver.

18 And the hanging for the gate of the court was needlework, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: and twenty cubits was the length, and the height in the breadth was five cubits, answerable to the hangings of the court.

19 And their pillars were four, and their sockets of brass four; their hooks of silver, and the overlaying of their chapiters and their fillets of silver.

20 And all the pins of the tabernacle, and of the court round about, were of brass.

21 This is the sum of the tabernacle, even of the tabernacle of testimony, as it was counted, according to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, son to Aaron the priest.

22 And Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the LORD commanded Moses.

23 And with him was Aholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver, and a cunning workman, and an embroiderer in blue, and in purple, and in scarlet, and fine linen.

24 All the gold that was occupied for the work in all the work of the holy place, even the gold of the offering, was twenty and nine talents, and seven hundred and thirty shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary.

25 And the silver of them that were numbered of the congregation was an hundred talents, and a thousand seven hundred and threescore and fifteen shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:

26 A bekah for every man,b that is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for every one that went to be numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty men.

27 And of the hundred talents of silver were cast the sockets of the sanctuary, and the sockets of the vail; an hundred sockets of the hundred talents, a talent for a socket.

28 And of the thousand seven hundred seventy and five shekels he made hooks for the pillars, and overlaid their chapiters, and filleted them.

29 And the brass of the offering was seventy talents, and two thousand and four hundred shekels.

30 And therewith he made the sockets to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the brasen altar, and the brasen grate for it, and all the vessels of the altar,

31 And the sockets of the court round about, and the sockets of the court gate, and all the pins of the tabernacle, and all the pins of the court round about.