Exo 38 | CalvinCommentaries | STEP | 1. And he made the altar of burnt-offering . The purport of this chapter is the same as that of the last, except that the order of some parts of it is transposed, though not a word is changed. He begins with the altar of burnt-offering, which he states to have been made of the materials and the form prescribed by God, in order that the people might there offer with surer confidence their sacrifices for the expiation of sin, and for thanksgiving. One thing which had not been mentioned before, is here added respecting the laver of brass, or cauldron ( concha ,) from whence they took the water of sprinkling for expiation, viz., that this laver was ornamented with the mirrors of the women. Some explain this, that the vessel was so bright that it might be easily discovered on every side whether there was any scandalous, or wanton, or indelicate act committed; for we know that impure and ungodly men sometimes conceal their iniquities under the cover of religion, even as it; is written that the women who frequented the tabernacle for religious exercises were defiled by the sons of Eli, the priests. ( .) But there is another conjecture equally probable, that these mirrors were dedicated by holy women for the ornament of the Temple, and for sacred purposes; for, whereas women are only too much given to outward adornment and finery, they have been always very fond of mirrors, both for the purpose of painting their cheeks and arranging their hair, so that not a single hair should be out of place. Isaiah, therefore, ( ,) enumerates mirrors amongst the luxuries of the female world. Some, then, think that women, being devoted to God’s service, laid aside this vanity, and consecrated their mirrors in testimony of their repentance. It might, however, have been that, amongst the other gifts before spoken of, they offered mirrors also, which were mounted as embossments in this brasen laver. Others suppose that they were carvings, by which the portraits of females were depicted, as if seen in mirrors. The simple notion is most approved by me, that they were votive offerings, wherewith pious women had desired to decorate the sanctuary, and that they had been applied to this use by the advice of the artificers; for he does not speak generally of all the women, but of those who warred or assembled by troops at the door of the tabernacle; for translators variously explain this word צבא , tzaba , both in this passage and that from Samuel which I have just quoted. It is also applied to the Levites, who are said “to war the warfare” of the sanctuary, whilst performing their appointed work. ( .) Indeed this metaphor is by no means unsuitable to watchings and long-continued prayers. The sum is, that the laver was cast of their materials, or, as I rather suppose, embossed with these mirrors, in order that it might be more splendid.

‏ Exodus 38

1. And he made the altar of burnt-offering. The purport of this chapter is the same as that of the last, except that the order of some parts of it is transposed, though not a word is changed. He begins with the altar of burnt-offering, which he states to have been made of the materials and the form prescribed by God, in order that the people might there offer with surer confidence their sacrifices for the expiation of sin, and for thanksgiving. One thing which had not been mentioned before, is here added respecting the laver of brass, or cauldron (concha,) from whence they took the water of sprinkling for expiation, viz., that this laver was ornamented with the mirrors of the women. Some explain this, ^{▼▼
All the difficulties connected with this matter are set at rest by our increased acquaintance with Egyptian Antiquities. C., and almost all the earlier commentators, were evidently possessed with the idea that the mirrors of the women were literally looking-glasses; and hence arose the various solutions which are here given, and others which might be added. Sir G. Wilkinson, in his “Popular Account of the Ancient Egyptians,” tells us; — “One of the principal objects of the toilet was the mirror. It was of mixed metal, chiefly copper, most carefully wrought and highly polished; and so admirably did the Egyptians succeed in the composition of metals, that this substitute for our modern looking-glass was susceptible of a lustre which has even been partially revived at the present day, in some of those discovered at Thebes, though buried in the earth for many centuries. The same kind of metal-mirror was used by the Israelites, who doubtless brought them from Egypt.” — Vol. 2, p. 346.} that the vessel was so bright that it might be easily discovered on every side whether there was any scandalous, or wanton, or indelicate act committed; for we know that impure and ungodly men sometimes conceal their iniquities under the cover of religion, even as it; is written that the women who frequented the tabernacle for religious exercises were defiled by the sons of Eli, the priests. (1 Samuel 2:22.) But there is another conjecture equally probable, that these mirrors were dedicated by holy women for the ornament of the Temple, and for sacred purposes; for, whereas women are only too much given to outward adornment and finery, they have been always very fond of mirrors, both for the purpose of painting their cheeks and arranging their hair, so that not a single hair should be out of place. Isaiah, therefore, (3:23,) enumerates mirrors amongst the luxuries ^{▼▼
“Entre les bagages superflus des femmes.” — Fr.} of the female world. Some, then, think that women, being devoted to God’s service, laid aside this vanity, and consecrated their mirrors in testimony of their repentance. It might, however, have been that, amongst the other gifts before spoken of, they offered mirrors also, which were mounted as embossments in this brasen laver. Others suppose that they were carvings, by which the portraits of females were depicted, as if seen in mirrors. The simple notion is most approved by me, that they were votive offerings, wherewith pious women had desired to decorate the sanctuary, and that they had been applied to this use by the advice of the artificers; for he does not speak generally of all the women, but of those who warred or assembled by troops at the door of the tabernacle; for translators ^{▼▼
C. here affords the reader a curious proof that he composed this note with S M. under his eye, by employing Munster’s word labrum for the Hebrew כיור, which he had previously rendered concha in his own text. But whilst S M had translated צבאת אשר צבאו, (mulierum) militantium, quae militabant, C. had the sagacity to drop the metaphor, and render the words convenientium, quae conveniebant צבא, says Professor Robertson, to assemble for worship, or for war. Clav Pentat in loco. — W} variously explain this word צבא, tzaba, both in this passage and that from Samuel which I have just quoted. It is also applied to the Levites, who are said ^{▼▼
Numbers 4:3, “All that enter into the host.” — A.V. Numbers 8:24, “They shall go in to wait upon the service,” margin, “Heb., to war the warfare of the tabernacle.” — A.V.} “to war the warfare” of the sanctuary, whilst performing their appointed work. (Numbers 4:3; 8:24.) Indeed this metaphor is by no means unsuitable to watchings and long-continued prayers. The sum is, that the laver was cast of their materials, or, as I rather suppose, embossed with these mirrors, in order that it might be more splendid.

21. This is the sum of the tabernacle ^{▼▼
“These are the counted-things.” — Lat. So also Ainsworth.} As much as to say that this was the computation, or these the numbers; for he gives us to understand that not only was the tabernacle thus at once completed, but that its several parts were numerically distinguished, and consigned as it were to registers, ^{▼▼
“Afin que les Levites sceussent ce qu’ils devoyent avoir en garde;” in order that the Levites might know what they ought to have in charge. — Fr.} so as to be given in charge to the Levites, lest any part of it should be lost. For the reference here is not so much to the fabric, or the architecture of the tabernacle, as to its perpetual conservation, viz., that Ithamar the priest deposited its several parts with the Levites, and this in accordance with the command of Moses.

22. And Bezaleel, the son of Uri. He again impresses upon us that the whole work was divine, both because Moses faithfully delivered the commands of God, and the artificers followed them with precise accuracy. At the same time, he counts up the whole sum of gold and silver, and shews us on what it was consumed. Hence we gather that every one honestly discharged his duty, and that no one was corrupted or drawn aside by covetousness so as to fall from his integrity. We are also informed from whence the amount of silver was obtained, viz., from the census of the people; for a tax of a common shekel, which was half a shekel of the sanctuary, was imposed on every head, as we ^{▼▼
See on Exodus 30:12, vol. 1, p. 482.} have already seen. Moses now shews that this entire sum was collected and paid without fraud, and so applied as that none should be lost.

Exodus 39

Exodus 39:1-43

1. And of the blue, and purple, and scarlet, they made clothes of service, to do service in the holy place, and made the holy garments for Aaron; as the Lord commanded Moses.

l. Ex hyacintho autem, et purpura, et vermiculo cocci fecerunt vestes ministerii ad ministrandum in sanctuario: fecerunt item vestes sanctitatis, quae erant Aharonis, quemadmodum praeceperat Jehova ipsi Mosi.

2. And he made the ephod of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.

2. Fecit et ephod ex auro, hyacintho, et purpura, et vermiculo cocci, et bysso retorta.

3. And they did beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into wires, to work it in the blue, and in the purple, and in the scarlet, and in the fine linen, with cunning work.

3. Extenderuntque bracteas aureas, et inciderunt fila, ut texerent in medio hyacinthi, et in medio purpurae, et in medio vermiculi cocci, et in medio byssi, opere phrygionico.

4. They made shoulder-pieces for it, to couple it together: by the two edges was it coupled together.

4. Oras fecerunt ei copulantes sese, et in duabus extremitatibus ejus conjungebantur.

5. And the curious girdle of his ephod, that was upon it, was of the same, according to the work thereof, of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen; as the Lord commanded Moses.

5. Et cingulum ephod quod erat super illud, ex ipso erat juxta opus suum, ex auro, hyacintho, et purpura, et vermiculo cocci, et bysso retorta, quemadmodum praeceperat Jehova Mosi.

6. And they wrought onyx-stones inclosed in ouches of gold, graven, as signets are graven, with the names of the children of Israel.

6. Et aptaverunt lapides onychinos circundatos palis aureis, sculptos sculpturis annuli cum nominibus filiorum Israel.

7. And he put them on the shoulders of the ephod, that they should be stones for a memorial to the children of Israel; as the Lord commanded Moses.

7. Posuitque illos in lateribus ephod, ut essent lapides memoriae filiis Israel, quemadmodum praeceperat Jehova Mosi.

8. And he made the breastplate of cunning work, like the work of the ephod; of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.

8. Fecit et pectorale opere phrygionis, sicut opus ephod, ex auro, hyacintho, et purpura, et vermiculo cocci, et bysso retorta.

9. It was four-square; they made the breastplate double: a span was the length thereof, and a span the breadth thereof, being doubled.

9. Quadratum erat, duplicatum fecerunt pectorale: palmus longitudo ejus, palmusque latitudo ejus: duplicatum.

10. And they set in it four rows of stones; the first row was a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this was the first row.

10. Impleverunt autem in eo quatuor ordines lapidum, ordo autem talis erat, sardius, topazius, et carbunculus, erat ordo primus.

11. And the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.

11. Ordo vero secundus, smaragdus, sapphirus, et jaspis.

12. And the third row, a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst.

12. Ordo praeterea tertius, lyncurius, achates, et amethystus.

13. And the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper: they were inclosed in ouches of gold in their inclosings.

13. Postremo quartus ordo, chrysolitus, onychinus, et beryllus circundati palis aureis in plenitudinibus suis.

14. And the stones were according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet, every one with his name, according to the twelve tribes.

14. Porro lapides illi juxta nomina filiorum Israel erant, duodecim, juxta nomina eorum, sculpturae sigilli, quilibet juxta nomen suum, secundum duodecim tribus.

15. And they made upon the breastplate chains at the ends, of wreathen work of pure gold.

15. Fecerunt et super pectorale catenas terminationis opere plectili ex auro puro.

16. And they made two ouches of gold, and two gold rings, and put the two rings in the two ends of the breastplate.

16. Fecerunt etiam duas palas aureas, et duos annulos aureos: posueruntque duos illos annulos in duabus extremitatibus pectoralis.

17. And they put the two wreathen chains of gold in the two rings on the ends of the breastplate.

17. Et inseruerunt duas catenas aureas duobus illis annulis qui erant in extremitatibus pectoralis.

18. And the two ends of the two wreathen chains they fastened in the two ouches, and put them on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod, before it.

18. Duas autem extremitates duarum catenarum inseruerunt duabus illis palis, posueruntque eas in oris ephod a fronte ipsius.

19. And they made two rings of gold, and put them on the two ends of the breastplate, upon the border of it, which was on the side of the ephod inward.

19. Fecerunt item duos annulos aureos, quos posuerunt in duabus extremitatibus pectoralis, in ora ejus quae erat in latere ephod intrinsecus.

20. And they made two other golden rings, and put them on the two sides of the ephod underneath, toward the fore-part of it, over against the other coupling thereof, above the curious girdle of the ephod.

20. Fecerunt praeterea duos alios annulos aureos, quos posuerunt in duabus oris ephod inferne,a fronte ipsius, e regione conjunctionis ejus, supra balteum ephod.

21. And they did bind the breastplate by his rings unto the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it might be above the curious girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate might not be loosed from the ephod; as the Lord commanded Moses.

21. Et ligaverunt pectorale ab annulis suis ad annulos ipsius ephod, filo hyacinthino, ut esset supra balteum ipsius ephod, neque separaretur pectorale ab ephod: quemadmodum praeceperat Jehova ipsi Mosi.

22. And he made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue.

22. Fecit insuper pallium ipsi ephod opere textoris, totum hyacinthinum.

23. And there was an hole in the midst of the robe, as the hole of habergeon, with a band round about the hole, that it should not rend.

23. Et foramen pallii in medio ejus, sicut foramen loricae labrum erat in orificio ipsius per circuitum, ne frangeretur.

24. And they made upon the hems of the robe pomegranates of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen

24. Feceruntque in fimbriis pallii malogranata ex hyacintho, et purpura, et vermiculo cocci, et bysso retorta.

25. And they made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates, upon the hem of the robe, round about between the pomegranates:

25. Fecerunt et tintinnabula exauro puro, posueruntque tintinnabula illa in medio malogranatorum, in fimbriis pallii per circuitum, in medio, inquam, malogranatorum.

26. A bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, round about the hem of the robe to minister in; as the Lord commanded Moses.

26. Tintinnabulum et malogranatum, tintinnabulum et malogranatum in fimbriis pallii in circuitu, ad ministrandum, quemadmodum praeceperat et Jehova ipsi Mosi.

27. And they made coats of fine linen, of woven work, for Aaron, and for his sons;

27. Post haec fecerunt tunicas ex bysso opere textorio ipsi Aharon et filiis ejus:

28. And a mitre of fine linen, and goodly bonnets of fine linen, and linen breeches of fine twined linen;

28. Mitram quoque ex bysso, et decora galerorum ex bysso, et foeminalia linee ex bysso retorta:

29. And a girdle of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, of needle-work; as the Lord commanded Moses.

29. Balteum praeterea ex bysso retorta, et hyacintho, ex purpura, et vermiculo cocci, opere phrygionis, quemadmodum praeceperat Jehova ipsi Mosi.

30. And they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote upon it a writing, like to the engravings of a signet, Holiness to the Lord.

30. Fecerunt postremo laminam coronae sanctificationis ex auro, scripseruntque in ea scriptura caelaturarum annuli, Sanctitas ipsi Jehovae.

31. And they tied unto it a lace of blue, to fasten it on high upon the mitre; as the Lord commanded Moses.

31. Et inseruerunt in eam filum hyacinthinum, ut poneretur super tiaram superne, quemadmodum praeceperat Jehova Mosi.

32. Thus was all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation finished: and the children of Israel did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so did they.

32. Perfectum est igitur totum opus tabernaculi conventionis: et fecerunt filii Israel juxta omnia quae praeceperat Jehova ipsi Mosi, sic fecerunt.

33. And they brought the tabernacle unto Moses, the tent, and all his furniture, his taches, his boards, his bars, and his pillars, and his sockets;

33. Attuleruntque tabernaculum illud ad Mosen, tabernaculum et omnia vasa ejus, circulos ejus, tabulas ejus, vectes ejus, et columnas ejus, et bases ejus.

34. And the covering of rams’ skins dyed red, and the covering of badgers’ skins, and the vail of the covering;

34. Opertorium quoque ex pellibus arietum rubricatis, et opertorium ex pellibus taxorum, et velum operimenti.

35. The ark of the testimony, and the staves thereof, and the mercy-seat;

35. Arcam testimonii, et vectes ejus, et propitiatorium,

36. The table, and all the vessels thereof, and the shew-bread;

36. Mensam, omnia vasa ejus, et panem facierum,

37. The pure candlestick, with the lamps thereof, even with the lamps to be set in order, and all the vessels thereof, and the oil for light;

37. Candelabrum purum, lucernas inquam ordinationis, et omnia vasa ejus, et oleum luminaris,

38. And the golden altar, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the hanging for the tabernacle-door;

38. Et altare aureum, et oleum unctionis, et suffimentum aromaticum, et aulaeum pro ostio tabernaculi.

39. The brasen altar, and his grate of brass, his staves, and all his vessels; the laver and his foot;

39. Altare aereum, et cribrum ejus aereum, vectes ejus, et omnia vasa ejus, et concham, et basim ejus.

40. The hangings of the court, his pillars, and his sockets, and the hanging for the court-gate, his cords, and his pins, and all the vessels of the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of the congregation;

40. Cortinas atrii, et columnas ejus, et aulaeum pro porta atrii, et funes ejus, et palos ejus, et omnia vasa ministerii tabernaculi, tabernaculi conventionis.

41. The clothes of service to do service in the holy place; and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and his sons’ garments, to minister in the priest’s office.

41. Vestes ministerii ad ministrandum in sanctuario, vestes sanctas ipsi Aharon sacerdoti, et vestes filiorum ejus, ad fungendum sacerdotio.

42. According to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the work.

42. Juxta omnia quae praeceperat Jehova Mosi, sic fecerunt filii Israel universum opus.

43. And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the Lord had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.

43. Videns vero Moses universum opus, quod prorsus fecissent illud quemadmodum praeceperat Jehova, benedixit illis.