Charles Ellicott Commentary Exodus 36
Charles Ellicott Commentary
Exodus 36
Charles Ellicott Commentary
Exodus 36
"And Bezalel and Oholiab shall work, and every wise-hearted man, in whom Jehovah hath put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all the work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that Jehovah hath commanded." — Exodus 36:1 (ASV)
This verse is introductory to the entire section, which may be viewed as extending from this point to the close of Exodus chapter 39. It states, in brief, that Bezaleel and Aholiab, with the skilled workmen at their disposal, proceeded to accomplish the work that Moses had committed to them, and carried it out according to all that the Lord had commanded—that is, according to the instructions given to Moses on Mount Sinai and recorded in Exodus chapters 25–30.
The entire section is little more than a repetition of those chapters, differing from them merely in recording as done what had been ordered in them to be done. The minute exactness of the repetition is very remarkable and seems intended to teach the important lesson that acceptable obedience consists in a complete and exact observance of God’s commandments in all respects down to the minutest point.
"And Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab, and every wise-hearted man, in whose heart Jehovah had put wisdom, even every one whose heart stirred him up to come unto the work to do it:" — Exodus 36:2 (ASV)
Moses called Bezaleel —i.e., Moses summoned Bezaleel, Aholiab, and their chief assistants, into his presence, and committed to them the offerings which he had received from the people (Exodus 36:3)—the gold, the silver, the bronze, the shittim wood, the thread, the goats’ hair, the rams’ skins, the seals’ skins, the precious stones, the oil, the spices, etc. “They received of Moses all the offering that had been until then brought.”
"and they received of Moses all the offering which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of the sanctuary, wherewith to make it. And they brought yet unto him freewill-offerings every morning." — Exodus 36:3 (ASV)
They brought yet unto him free offerings.—The liberality of the people continued. After the work was begun and was making progress, they continued bringing in fresh offerings morning after morning, until the workmen found that they had more than enough. Compare the liberality shown when David was collecting materials for the Temple (1 Chronicles 29:6–9); and, again, when Zerubbabel was about to build the second Temple on the return from the Captivity (Ezra 2:68–70; Nehemiah 7:70–72).
"And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing." — Exodus 36:6 (ASV)
So the people were restrained from giving. —Moses felt it necessary to interfere, and forbid further offerings. By the expression Let neither man nor woman make any more work, it would seem that the superfluous offerings were chiefly such things as were produced by labour—thread, goats’ hair yarn, and the like. (See Exodus 35:25-26.) The humblest class of contributors would thus appear to have shown itself the most zealous. When will Christian liberality be so excessive as to require to be “restrained”?
"And all the wise-hearted men among them that wrought the work made the tabernacle with ten curtains; of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, with cherubim, the work of the skilful workman, [Bezalel] made them. The length of each curtain was eight and twenty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits: all the curtains had one measure. And he coupled five curtains one to another: and [the other] five curtains he coupled one to another. And he made loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling: likewise he made in the edge of the curtain that was outmost in the second coupling. Fifty loops made he in the one curtain, and fifty loops made he in the edge of the curtain that was in the second coupling: the loops were opposite one to another. And he made fifty clasps of gold, and coupled the curtains one to another with the clasps: so the tabernacle was one." — Exodus 36:8-13 (ASV)
THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TABERNACLE.
This passage follows exactly Exodus 26:1-6, the tenses of the verbs alone being changed. It relates the construction of the inner covering.
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