A Help for the Understanding of the Holy Scriptures, Exodus · Chapter 27
CHAP. XXVII.
Verſ. 1. ANd thou ſhalt make an altar of ſhittim-wood.]
Though the altar was made of wood, yet it was covered over with braſſe to defend it from the heat ofthe fire, which lay ever burning upon it; and beſides the wideneſſe and length of it was ſuch that the fire needed not come near the ſides, but might be kept within the compaſſe of the grate, which was all of braſſe. Nei…her is this Law contrary to that, Exod. 20. 24. An altar of earth thou ſhalt make, &c. For that is meant of altars to be made upon the ſudden upon ſome extraordinary occaſion, which were onelyonly for a time, and ſo to be diſſolved again, ſuch as Samuel and Elias made; but this was for the perpetuall uſe of the tabernacle, and was a type of Chriſt, who is now the onelyonly altar of his Church, Heb. 13. 10. We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which ſerve the tabernacle.
Verſ. 2. And thou ſhalt make the horns of it, &c.]
To theſe they bound their ſacrifices, Pſal. 118. 27. Bind the ſacrifice with cords, even to the horns of the altar: And beſides, horns uſually ſignifying power and might (Habb. 3. 4. He had horns coming out of his hand, and there was the hiding of his power) theſe foure horns ſignified the power of Chriſt for the ſalvation of his people, gathered from the foure corners of the world.
Verſ. 3. And his fleſh-hooks, &c.]
The word in the originall may comprehend fire-tongs, forks, and other inſtruments, uſed as occaſion was to remove and lay in order the wood, coals, and fleſh of the ſacrifices: But our Tranſlatours have rendered it fleſh-hooks, that is, thoſe inſtruments with teeth, uſed to take fleſh out of pots, 1. Sam. 2. 14. All that the fleſh-hook brought up, the priest took for himſel…. See alſo 2. Chron. 4. 16.
Verſ. 4. And upon the net thou ſhalt make foure brazen rings, &c.]
Wherewith it hung upon ledges or hooks within the altar, happely upon the ends or hooks in the inſide of thoſe rings which were on the outſide for the carrying of the altar: And thus hanging down midway the hollow of the altar, the boards on each ſide would fence the flames in part from the wind and weather.
Verſ. 9. And thou ſhalt make the court of the tabernacle, &c.]
This was called the court of the tabernacle, becauſe it was reared up round about the tabernacle, chap. 40. 33. Here the ſacrifices were killed, and other ſervices of the Levites performed; and it was a type of the viſible Church here in this world, where both true believers and hypocrites do joyn together in the outward duties of Gods worſhip and ſervice: for which cauſe alſo it was ſo ſpacious and large, an hundred cubits, that is, fifty yards long, and fifty cubits, that is, five and twenty yards wide, to ſignifie how greatly the Church ſhould be enlarged in proceſſe of time, eſpecially when the Gentiles ſhould alſo become Gods people.
Verſ. 10. The hooks of the pillars and their fillets ſhall be of ſilver.]
Theſe fillets were certain hoops or wreaths of ſilver, which compaſſed the pillars and ſerved for ornament, and happely for th… better faſtning of the hangings in ſome places to the pillars: where the making of theſe is related, it is ſaid that their heads alſo (or chapiters) were over-laid with ſilver, chap. 38. 17. though that be not her… expreſſed.
Verſ. 12. Their pillars ten, and their ſockets ten.]
The hangings on the Weſt ſide muſt have ten pillars, ſtanding upon as many braſen ſockets. And here we muſt alſo note that doubtleſſe there ſtood two pillars joyned together in each corner, for otherwiſe we cannot ſay whether the corner pillar was to be numbred amongſt the twenty pillars, appointed on each ſide for the length of the court, or the …n appointed for the breadth.
Verſ. 16. And for the gate of the court ſhall be an hanging of twenty cubits, &c.]
See the note, chap. 26. 36.
Verſ. 18. And the height five cubits, &c.]
This court therefore of th… tabernacle was but half ſo high as the tabernacle, and therefore the tabernacle might be eaſily ſeen; yet theſe hangings were ſo high that men could not overlook them.
Verſ. 19. All the veſſels of the tabernacle, &c. ſhall be of braſſe.]
That is, ſuch as were onelyonly for the taking down and ſetti…g up of the tabernacle, as the pinnes or ſtakes which were driven into the ground to faſten it.
Verſ. 20. And thou ſhalt command the children of Iſrael, that they bring pure oyl olive beaten, &c.]
It ſeems that oyl which was firſt gotten out of the olives by beating or ſtamping of them, was farre purer …nd clearer from dregges, then that which was afterward cruſhed out with a preſſe. This therefore th e children of Iſrael were appointed to provide for the lamp in the golden candleſtick, even pure oyl olive beaten, wherewith the prieſts were to maintain the lamps, to cauſe the lamp to burn alwayes, that is every night, by renewing them ſtill at the appointed times: As the daily ſacrifice is called a continuall burnt-offering, Exod. 29. 42. and yet it was offered but twice every day, at morning and evening. And ſo this word, alwayes, is explained in the following verſe, Aaron and his ſonnes ſhall order it from evening to morning before the Lord. At the Eaſt end of the ta bernacle, either abov… the vail, or at the opening of it, there might come in light ſufficient in the day time; and therefore I conceive then the lamps burnt not, but in the night onelyonly, and were put out in the morning; which ſome inferre alſo from that, 1. Sam. 3. 3. where it is ſaid that the Lord appeared to Samuel ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of God, to wit, before the break of day. Now by this pure oyl was ſignified the gifts and graces of the Spirit, whereby the miniſters of God are fitted to be as lights among the people.
Verſ. 21. In the tabernacle of the congregation, &c.]
The …abernacle is here called the tabernacle of the congregation, becauſe though the people did not enter into this place; yet to the doore of this tabernacle they brought their offerings, and there did the Lord meet with the people, and make known his will to them.
Aaron and his ſonnes ſhall order it, &c.]
Signifying that the prieſts lippes ſhould preſerve knowledge.