Exodus 37:16

37:1-29 The making of the ark, and the furniture of the tabernacle. - In the furniture of the tabernacle were emblems of a spiritual and acceptable service. The incense represented the prayers of the saints. The sacrifice of the alter represented the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world. The golden pot with manna, or bread from heaven, the flesh of Jesus Christ, which he gave for the life of the world. The candlestick, with its lights, the teaching and enlightening of the Holy Spirit. The shew-bread represented that provision for those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, which the gospel, the ordinances and the sacraments of the house of prayer, abundantly bestow. The exactness of the workmen to their rule, should be followed by us; seeking for the influences of the Holy Spirit, that we may rejoice in and glorify God while in this world, and at length be with him for ever.

And Bezaleel made the ark of shittim wood,.... Jarchi says, because he gave his mind to this work more than the rest of the wise men, it is called by his name. It is a notion of some Jewish writers that the ark was made by Bezaleel, without the help of others; but there is no sufficient reason to be given for it; for other things are equally ascribed to him in this and the following chapter, as the mercy seat with the cherubim, the shewbread table, the candlestick of pure gold, the two altars, the laver of brass, with other things, which are only said to be made by him, because they were made by his direction, and he having the oversight of them while making; wherefore Aben Ezra observes, that this is particularly said for the glory of the ark. Of the ark, and all other things mentioned in this chapter; see Gill on Exodus 25:1 &c. to end of chapter; see Gill on Exodus 30:1 &c. to end of chapter.

(compare Exodus 37:1-5 ). The ark is uniformly designated in Exodus the ark of the testimony. Elsewhere it is called the testimony, the ark of the covenant (most frequently in Deuteronomy and the other books of the Old Testament), the ark of the lord, the ark of god, the ark of the strength of the lord, and the holy ark. The ark of the covenant was the central point of the sanctuary. It was designed to contain the testimony Exodus 25:16; Exodus 40:20; Deuteronomy 31:26, that is, the tables of the divine law, the terms of the covenant between Yahweh and His people: and it was to support the mercy-seat with its cherubim, from between which He was to hold communion with them Exodus 25:22. On this account, in these directions for the construction of the sanctuary, it is named first of all the parts. But on the other hand, in the narrative of the work as it was actually carried out, we find that it was not made until after the tabernacle Exodus 37:1-9. It was suitable that the receptacle should be first provided to receive and shelter the most sacred of the contents of the sanctuary as soon as it was completed. The order in which the works were executed seems to be given in Exodus 31:7-10, and Exodus 35:11-19. The completion of the ark is recorded in Exodus 37:1-5. On its history, see the concluding note to Exodus 40.

6-10. made the mercy seat of pure gold—To construct a figure, whether the body of a beast or a man, with two extended wings, measuring from two to three feet from tip to tip, with the hammer, out of a solid piece of gold, was what few, if any, artisans of the present day could accomplish.

Preparation of the vessels of the dwelling: viz., the ark of the covenant ( Exodus 37:1-9 , as in Exodus 25:10-22 ); the table of shew-bread and its vessels ( Exodus 37:10-16 , as in Exodus 25:23-30 ); the candlestick ( Exodus 37:17-24 , as in Exodus 25:31-40 ); the altar of incense ( Exodus 37:25-28 , as in Exodus 30:1-10 ); the anointing oil and incense ( Exodus 37:29 ), directions for the preparation of which are given in Exodus 30:22-38 ; the altar of burnt-offering ( Exodus 38:1-7 , as in Exodus 27:1-8 ); the laver ( Exodus 37:8 , as in Exodus 30:17-21 ); and the court ( Exodus 37:9-20 , as in Exodus 27:9-19 ). The order corresponds on the whole to the list of the separate articles in Exodus 35:11-19 , and to the construction of the entire sanctuary; but the holy chest (the ark), as being the most holy thing of all, is distinguished above all the rest, by being expressly mentioned as the work of Bezaleel, the chief architect of the whole.

Preparation of the vessels of the dwelling: viz., the ark of the covenant ( Exodus 37:1-9 , as in Exodus 25:10-22 ); the table of shew-bread and its vessels ( Exodus 37:10-16 , as in Exodus 25:23-30 ); the candlestick ( Exodus 37:17-24 , as in Exodus 25:31-40 ); the altar of incense ( Exodus 37:25-28 , as in Exodus 30:1-10 ); the anointing oil and incense ( Exodus 37:29 ), directions for the preparation of which are given in Exodus 30:22-38 ; the altar of burnt-offering ( Exodus 38:1-7 , as in Exodus 27:1-8 ); the laver ( Exodus 37:8 , as in Exodus 30:17-21 ); and the court ( Exodus 37:9-20 , as in Exodus 27:9-19 ). The order corresponds on the whole to the list of the separate articles in Exodus 35:11-19 , and to the construction of the entire sanctuary; but the holy chest (the ark), as being the most holy thing of all, is distinguished above all the rest, by being expressly mentioned as the work of Bezaleel, the chief architect of the whole.

29 . dishes ] also Exodus 37:16 , Numbers 4:7 ; Numbers , 14 times in Numbers 7 (‘charger,’ each weighing 130 shekels= c. 67 oz., and filled with fine flour mingled with oil). The root in Arab, signifies to be deep . A deep and large gold dish, or other similar vessel, must be thought of, in which the large oblong cakes were either brought to the Table, or laid out upon it. spoons ] cups for the frankincense, which was placed upon the loaves, and burnt ( Leviticus 24:7 ) at the end of the week on the altar of burnt-offering: LXX. θυίσκαι (‘incense-cups’), as 1Ma 1:22 . Also Exodus 37:16 , Numbers 4:7 ; Numbers 4:16 times in Numbers 7 (each 10 shekels=5 oz. in weight, and filled with incense); and of the incense-cups in the Temple, 1 Kings 7:50 al. Cf. Jos. Ant. iii. 6. 6 ‘and above the loaves were placed two golden cups ( φιάλαι ) full of incense’; and the cups upon the Table on the Arch of Titus. flagons … and chalices ( Speaker’s Comm. ; LXX. κύαθοι )] viz. for the wine, which, though this is not stated explicitly in the OT., apparently entered into the ritual of the Presence-bread. The flagons (also Exodus 37:16 , Numbers 4:7 , 1 Chronicles 28:17 †) would be for keeping the wine in; the ‘chalices’ ( Exodus 37:16 , Numbers 4:7 , Jeremiah 52:19 †) for making the libations with,—we may suppose that, like other libations, they were poured out at the base of the Bronze altar (cf. Exodus 29:40 ; Sir 50:15 ).

[Reformed Biblical] h God did no t prescribe the making of the shew- bread, yet he mentions it, together with the table, Exo_25:30, an d therefore it is conven iently menti oned with th e table in this place also, where Moses, to show his exactness and fidelity, doth punctually repeat the same things to the people which he had rec eived in command from God. In like manner the oil, which fed the light of the lamps, is mentioned here in the next verse, because the lighting of the lamps was prescribed, Exo_25:37. Exodus 35:14 Exodus 35:15 Exodus 35:16 Exodus 35:17 Exodus 35:18 Exodus 35:19 Exodus 35:20 Exodus 35:21 ## Whose heart stirred him up , i.e. whose heart being des irous and ready to serve God, engaged his hand to offer what he ha