Exodus 35:11

35:4-19 The tabernacle was to be dedicated to the honour of God, and used in his service; and therefore what was brought for it, was an offering to the Lord. The rule is, Whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring. All that were skilful must work. God dispenses his gifts; and as every man hath received, so he must minister, 1Pe 4:10. Those that were rich, must bring in materials to work on; those that were skilful, must serve the tabernacle with their skill: as they needed one another, so the tabernacle needed them both, 1Co 12:7-21.

The tabernacle,.... Which is not a general name for the whole, the court, the holy place, and the holy of holies; but designs the ten fine linen curtains curiously wrought; or the under curtains, as Jarchi expresses it, which were within: his tent; the curtains of goats' hair, which were a covering over the others, and were made for a roof of the tabernacle, as the same writer observes: and his covering; the covering for the tent, which was made of rams' skins, and badgers' skins: his taches; which clasped, coupled the curtains together, both the one and the other; the one sort were of silver, and the other of brass: and his boards, his bars, his pillars; which were all of shittim wood; the boards were the walls of the tabernacle, the bars which kept them tight together, and the pillars were those on which the hanging of the door of the tent, and on which the vail that divided between the holy of holies, were hung; of all which, see Exodus 26:1 &c. to end of chapter: and his sockets; which were of silver, into which the boards were let and fastened, see Exodus 26:19, &c.

The tabernacle , i.e. the boards or structure of the tabernacle, as it appears, because it is distinguished here from its tent and curtains; whereas elsewhere the tabernacle is put for all together. His tent ; the inward and finer curtains which covered the boards of it. His covering ; the outward and coarser coverings.

See Exodus 26:1-37 . It has been already observed Exodus 25:10 that in the instructions for making the sanctuary, the ark of the covenant, as the principal thing belonging to it, is mentioned first; but in the practical order of the work, as it is here arranged, the tabernacle with its tent and covering come first.

Verse 11. - On the tabernacle , see Exodus 26:1-6 ; on the tent, ib , 7-13; on the covering , ib , 14; the boards , ib , 15-25; the bars , ib , 26-29; the pillars , ib , 32-37; and the sockets , ib , 19, 21, 25, 32, and 37. The enumeration comprises all the main parts of which the tabernacle consisted. Exodus 35:11

CHAPTER 35 Ex 35:1-35. Contributions to the Tabernacle. 1. Moses gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel, &c.—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 [Ex 35:11-19]. (See on [29]Ex 25:1-40; [30]Ex 27:1-21; [31]Ex 30:1-31:18).

Preliminaries to the Work. - Exodus 35:1-29 . After the restoration of the covenant, Moses announced to the people the divine commands with reference to the holy place of the tabernacle which was to be built. He repeated first of all ( Exodus 35:1-3 ) the law of the Sabbath according to Exodus 31:13-17 , and strengthened it by the announcement, that on the Sabbath no fire was to be kindled in their dwelling, because this rule was to be observed even in connection with the work to be done for the tabernacle. (For a fuller comment, see at Exodus 20:9 .). Then, in accordance with the command of Jehovah, he first of all summoned the whole nation to present freewill-offerings for the holy things to be prepared ( Exodus 35:4 , Exodus 35:5 ), mentioning one by one all the materials that would be required ( Exodus 35:5-9 , as in Exodus 25:3-7 ); and after that he called upon those who were endowed with understanding to prepare the different articles, as prescribed in ch. 25-30, mentioning these also one by one ( Exodus 35:11-19 ), even down to the pegs of the dwelling and court ( Exodus 27:19 ), and "their cords," i.e., the cords required to fasten the tent and the hangings round the court to the pegs that were driven into the ground, which had not been mentioned before, being altogether subordinate things. (On the "cloths of service," Exodus 35:19 , see at Exodus 31:10 .) In Exodus 35:20-29 we have an account of the fulfilment of this command.

The people went from Moses, i.e., from the place where they were assembled round Moses, away to their tents, and willingly offered the things required as a heave-offering for Jehovah; every one "whom his heart lifted up," i.e., who felt himself inclined and stirred up in his heart to do this. The men along with (על as in Genesis 32:12 ; see Ewald, 217) the women brought with a willing heart all kinds of golden rings and jewellery: chak, lit., hook, here a clasp or ring; nezem, an ear or nose-ring ( Genesis 35:4 ; Genesis 24:47 ); tabbaath, a finger-ring; cumaz, globulus aureus, probably little golden balls strung together like beads, which were worn by the Israelites and Midianites ( Numbers 31:50 ) as an ornament round the wrist and neck, as Diod. Sic. relates that they were by the Arabians (3, 44). "All kinds of golden jewellery, and every one who had waved (dedicated) a wave (offering) of gold to Jehovah," sc., offered it for the work of the tabernacle.