Commentary on Exodus, Commentary · Chapter 35
CHAP. XXXV.
Verſe 1. AND Moſes gathered all the Congregation of the Children of Iſrael together.] Having told them what orders he had received from the LORD, and ſufficiently convinced them of his Authority (XXXIV. 32, 33.) he now proceeds to put them in Execution. And in order to it, he gathered Col-hadath, all the Congregation : which ſometimes ſignifies all the Elders and Judges, &c. (the prime Governours of the People) and ſometimes the whole Body of the People, as Corn. Bon. Bertram obſerves, de Repub. Jud. cap. 6. It ſeems here to be uſed in the firſt Senſe; for he could not ſpeak theſe words to the whole Body of the People, but to the principal Perſons of the ſeveral Tribes, by whom what he ſaid was communicated to all Iſrael.
Theſe are the words which the LORD hath commanded, …hat ye ſhould do them.] Before they entred upon the work, he admoniſhes them that none of it muſt be done upon the Sabbath.
Ver. 2. Six days ſhall work be done, but on the ſeventh day there ſhall be to you an holy Sabbath, &c.] This Commandment was particularly repeated to Moſes, at the end of all the directions about the building of the Tabernacle, (See XXXI. 13, 14, 15.) and now repeated to them (as it was at his late renewing his Covenant with them, XXXIV. 21.) that they might not imagine any of the work here commanded to be done about the Tabernacle, &c. would licence them to break the Sabbath. The obſervation of which being the great Preſervative of Religion, that's the reaſon it is ſo often enjoyned, and particular care taken to ſecure it. And it is not to be omitted, that (to ſhow of what great concern it is) he calls it here as he did XXXI. 15. where the end and uſe of it is ſet down, the Sabbath of Sabbaths, that is, the great Sabbath or Reſt.
Ver. 3. Ye ſhall kindle no fire in your Habitations, upon the Sabbath-day.] To dreſs their Meat, or for any other work: otherwiſe they might kindle a Fire to warm themſelves in cold Weather. This is ſufficiently comprehended under the general Command, Thou ſhalt not do any work, XX. 10. Therefore the meaning is, Thou ſhalt not ſo much as kindle a fire, for any ſuch purpoſe. For that's the Rule they give in Halicoth Olam cap. 2. that ſuch particular Prohibitions forbid the whole kind, i. e. all manner of work whatſoever; which is here mentioned, to ſhow they might not kindle a fire for this work of the Tabernacle.
Ver. 4. And ſpake unto all the Congregation, &c.] See v. 1.
This is the Thing which the LORD commanded.] Having ſecured the obſervation of the Sabbath, according to the Direction given juſt before he came down from the Mount the firſt time, (XXXI. 13, 14, 15.) he now relates to them what Commands he received from God, concerning all that follows.
Ver. 5. Take ye from amongſt you an offering unto the LORD.] And firſt he makes a motion to them from the LORD, that they would make a free Oblation of Materials for the Building of the Tabernacle, and all other things which the LORD commanded to be made, v. 10, &c.
Take ye, is as much as bring ye, and ſo we tranſlate it XXV. 2. See there. Where it appears that this was the very firſt thing God ſaid to him (concerning a voluntary Offering, which was the Foundation of all the reſt) and therefore is firſt propounded to the People by him.
Whoſoever is of a willing heart, &c.] See there XXV. 2.
Ver. 6, 7, 8, 9. All theſe have been explained in the XXV Chapter, v. 3, 4, 5, &c.
Ver. 10. Every wiſe-hearted among you, ſhall come and make all that the LORD hath commanded.] Every skilful Perſon in the Art of making the things following. The ſame is ſaid of the Women, v. 25. The Hebrew word Cochmah, which we tranſlate Wiſdom, is uſed variouſly, as Maimonides obſerves; ſometimes for the underſtanding of Divine things; ſometimes for Moral Vertue; and ſometimes for skill in a… Art (of which he alledges this place as an inſtance) and ſometimes for Craft and Subtilty. See More Nevochim P. III. c. 54. The word leb (or heart) is uſed here according to the Vulgar opinion of thoſe days, that the Heart is the Seat of the Underſtanding. And thus I obſerved before upon Chap. XXV. that excellent Artiſts are by the Heathen called Wiſe-men. Since which I have obſerved that this is the Language of Homer himſelf; whoſe Verſes concerning Margites are quoted by Ariſtotle in more places than one (L. VI. Moral. ad Nicomach. c. 7. & L. V. Moral. ad Endemum c. 7.) where he ſaith he was ſo fooliſh, that
foreign
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The Gods neither made him a Ditcher, nor a Plough-man, nor any other ſort of Wiſe-man. Upon which Ariſtotle notes, foreign We aſcribe Wiſdom in Arts to thoſe who excel in them; and then he inſtances in Phidias a Stone-Cutter, and Pobycletus a Statuary.
Ver. 11. The Tabernacle.] This ſignifies ſometimes the whole Structure of the Houſe of God; but here only the fine inward Curtains, mentioned XXVI. 1, 2, &c.
His Tent.] This ſignifies the Curtains of Goats-hair; which were laid over the other, XXVI. 7, &c.
His Covering.] Of Rams-skins and Badger-skins; which were thrown over the other two, XXVI. 14.
His Taches, and his Boards, his Bars, his Pillars and his Sockets.] All theſe are explained in that Chapter.
Ver. 12. The Ark and his Staves, with the Mercy-ſeat.] See XXV. 10, 13, 17.
And the Vail of the Covering.] Whereby the Holy was ſeparated from the moſt Holy Place. Which is here fitly mentioned between the Mercy-ſeat, which was within; and the Table, &c. which were without this Vail.
Ver. 13. The Table and his Staves, and all his Veſſels.] See all theſe explained XXV. 23, 24, &c.
And the Shew-bread.] This is a ſhort Expreſſion, one word (as is uſual) being cut off, viz. the Diſhes, in which the Shew-bread was ſet. For Moſes had not order to make the Bread it ſelf, but the Diſhes (as I ſaid) on which the Loaves were laid, XXV. 29.
Ver. 14. The Candleſtick alſo for the light, and his Furniture and his Lamps.] See XXVI. 31, 32, &c.
With the Oyl for the Light.] See XXVII. 20, 21.
Ver. 15. And the Incenſe Altar and the Staves.] See XXXI. 1, 2, &c.
And the anointing Oyl.] XXXI. 23, 24, &c.
And the ſweet Incenſe.] XXXI. 34, &c. He mentioned before the Materials for them (v. 8.) and now the things themſelves.
And the hanging for the door, at the entring in of the Tabernacle.] Of this ſee XXVI. 36.
Ver. 16. And the Altar of Burnt-offering, with his brazen Grate, his Staves.] Theſe are explained XXVII. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7.
And all his Veſſels.] See there v. 3.
The Laver and his foot.] See XXIX. 17, 18.
Ver. 17. The hangings of the Court, his Pillars and their Sockets.] See XXVII. 9, 10, &c.
And the hangings for the door of the Court.] See there v. 16.
Ver. 18. The Pins of the Tabernacle, &c.] XXVII. 19.
Ver. 19. The Clothes of the Service, to do Service in the holy place, the holy Garments for Aaron the Priest, and his Sons, &c.] Of which there is an account in the whole XXVIIIth Chapter. And Moſes here makes this large enumeration of all the things which God had commanded (v. 10.) that they might be ſtirred up to be the more liberal in their Offering, when they ſaw how many things were to be done.
Ver. 20. And all the Congregation of the Children of Iſrael.] Whom he had ſummoned to meet together, v. 1.
Departed from the preſence of Moſes.] When he had reported to them what Orders he had received from the Divine Majeſty in the Mount, v. 4, 5, &c.
Ver. 21. And they came.] Being diſmiſſed to their own Tents, they went thither only to fetch an Offering to the LORD; which they came and brought immediately.
Every one whoſe heart ſtirred him up.] Whoſe Mind was raiſed to a free and cheerful readineſs. The Hebrew words are lifted him up; that is, had animum excelſum, a noble Mind; or was of a generous Spirit; as the following words import, Every one whom his Spirit made willing.
And they brought the LORDS Offering.] An Offering to the LORD, as Moſes exhorted v. 5.
To the work of the Tabernacle.] For the building a Sanctuary, wherein God might dwell among them, XXV. 8.
And for all his Service.] For all that belonged to the Furniture of it, both within and without, which are mentioned in the Verſes before-going.
And for the holy Garments.] That the Prieſts might Miniſter there in their Office, v. 19.
Ver. 22. And they came both Men and Women, as many as were willing-hearted.] Who ſeem to have been the greateſt part of the Congregation.
And brought Bracelets, and Ear-rings and Rings.] They were no leſs forward to offer to the Service of God, than they had been to the making the Golden Calf, XXXII. 2, 3. for which offence they now make ſome ſort of Satiſfaction; being more liberal in contributing to this Work, than they were to that. For we read there only of their Ear-rings which they break off from their Ears, and brought to Aaron; but here of their Bracelets alſo, and Rings, with other things. For though they may be ſuppoſed to have parted with a great deal, on that wicked account; it did not make thoſe who were touched with what Moſes ſaid, leſs willing to give a freſh to an holy uſe.
Tablets.] The Hebrew word Comaz or Camaz, is of very uncertain ſignification; for ſome make it an Ornament of the Arms, and others of ſome other part: But the Chaldee takes it for ſomething about the Breaſt; a Faſcia (ſaith Elias) wherewith Women tied up and compreſſed their Breaſts, to make them appear more beautiful, by being round. This Bochartus approves in his Canaan, L. II. c. 5.
All Jewels of Gold.] All the four forenamed ſort of Ornaments were of Gold.
And every Man that offered, offered an Offering of Gold unto the LORD.] The firſt Oblations that were brought, either by the Women, or the Men, were all of Gold: and then followed meaner things, which the People of lower Condition brought to the LORD.
Ver. 23. And every Man with whom was found blue, and purple, and ſcarlet, and ſine linen, &c.] The common ſort of People alſo offered ſuch as they had, Yarn, and ſine Linen, Goats-hair, and Skins. See XXV. 4, 5.
Ver. 24. Every one that did offer an Offering of Silver and Braſs, &c.] Thoſe of a middle Condition, offered Silver, and Braſs, and Shittim-wood. All which were neceſſary for ſeveral uſes: For the Ark, and the Table, were to be overlaid with Gold; of which the Candleſticks, and ſeveral other things, were to be made. See Chap. XXV. The inward Curtains were to be made of the Yarn; and the outward of Goats-hair; and the Covering of both, of Skins. The Foundations of the Tabernacle were of Silver; and the Taches of the Curtains, and Altar of Burnt-offering, of Braſs; and Shittim-wood was uſed about the Boards of the Tabernacle, the Ark, Table, &c. See Chap. XXV, XXVI, XXVII.
Ver. 25. And all the Women that were wiſe-hearted, did ſpin with their hands, and brought that which they had ſpun, &c.] Not only the Men, but the Women alſo brought Materials for the Houſe; and more then that, ſuch as were skilful among them ſpun both Yarn and Thred: which was the proper work of Women, not of Men. Unto which work alone they were bound to apply themſelves; if by the cuſtom of the place no other work (ſuch as knitting and ſewing with their Needle, &c.) was uſually performed by them, as Mr. Selden obſerves L. III. de Ʋxor. Hebr. c. 10. where he treats of all the Imployments of their Women.
Ver. 26. And all the Women whoſe heart ſtirred them up.] Whoſe Minds were elevated to excellent Contrivances.
In Wiſdom, ſpun Goats-hair.] With great Art ſpun Goats-hair; which was not ſo eaſie, as to ſpin Wool and Flax. For though their Goats were ſhorn in thoſe Countries, as Sheep are here (their Hair being longer than ours) yet there was a great deal of Skill required to work it into a Thred, and to make Stuff of it. See Bochart. Hierozoic. P. I. L. II. c. 51. In old time alſo Women were wont to weave as well as ſpin, as appears, not only out of the Sacred Books, but out of Homer, Plato, Cicero, and many other Authors mentioned by Braunius in his Book de Veſtitu Sacerd. Hebr. L. I. c. 17. where he obſerves (N. 33.) out of Herodotus, that he ſhowing the Egyptian Cuſtoms to be different in many things, from thoſe of other Nations, mentions this among the reſt, that their Men foreign, ſat at home and weaved, while their Women went abroad and bought and ſold, L. II. c. 35.
Ver. 27. And the Rulers brought Onyx-ſtones, and Stones to be ſet for the Ephod, and for the Breast-plate.] The great Men alſo offered ſutable to their quality; ſuch things as the People could not furniſh, viz. precious Stones for uſes mentioned XXV. 7. XXVIII. 9, 17, 18, &c.
Ver. 28. And Spice, and Oyl for the light, and for the anointing Oyl, &c.] Such principal Spices (as we tranſlate it) mentioned XXX. 23, 34. together with Oyl for the Light, XXVII. 20. which was ſo pure, that ordinary Perſons had it not. For there were ſeveral ſorts of Olives (as Fort. Scacchus ſhows Myrothec. Sacr. Elaeochriſm. P. I. c. 4, 5.) ſome of which were not ſo common as the other, and therefore of greater value.
Ver. 29. The Children of Iſrael brought a willing Offering, &c.] To ſum up all, in a few words, they brought whatſoever was neceſſary for all manner of work which the LORD had commanded to be made.
By the hand of Moſes.] Whom he imployed to deliver theſe Commands to his People.
Ver. 30. And Moſes ſaid, See, the LORD hath called by name, &c.] Hath principally made choice of Bezaleel to undertake and perform this work. This he ſaid, that they might not be ſolicitous about Artiſts, to make all that was propounded; for they knew that there were none among them, bred to ſuch Employments. Moſes therefore informs them in the firſt place, that God had provided himſelf of a Maſter-Workman, as he told him XXXI. 1, 2, &c.
Ver. 31. And he hath filled him with the Spirit of God, in wiſdom, &c.] This Verſe is explained before XXXI. 3, 6. only I ſhall add, That the extraordinary Skill which any Man had, without teaching, in common Arts, was by the Heathens aſcribed to their Gods. There are ſeveral Inſtances of it obſerved by Maximus Tyrius Diſſert. XXII. Where he argues that it ſhould not be thought ſtrange, if a Man be made vertuous by a Divine Inſpiration, when ſome have no otherways become admirable Artiſts. Among which he mentions Demodocus, a Muſician whom Homer introduces, ſpeaking thus of himſelf, foreign. I was never taught by any body, but the Gods beſtowed on me the gift of ſinging. The latter end of which Verſe is a little otherways in Homer, as we now have him (Odyſſ. X.) but to the ſame ſenſe, and it is Phemius, not Demodocus who there ſpeaks, as Petrus Petitus hath obſerved in his Miſcell. Obſerv. L. 1. c. 19.
Ver. 32. And to deviſe curious works.] The Hebrew word Chaſchab ſignifies to deviſe, and excogitate; whence Macheſchaboth, which we tranſlate curious works (and in the end of the next Verſe cunning works) is as much, as ingenious Inventions, deviſed with much Art. Such were the Engines made by King Ʋzziah, which are ſaid to be invented by cunning men, or excellent Engeniers, as we now ſpeak, 2 Chron. XXVI. 15. See XXXI. 4. where this Verſe hath been explained.
Ver. 33. And in the cutting of Stones, &c.] See XXXI. 5.
Ver. 34. And he hath put in his heart that he may teach.] Inſtruct others in his Arts. For this was a gift of God, as much as any of the reſt, to be able to inform others dextrouſly, in thoſe things which he knew himſelf: As it was, to be able to comprehend, what Moſes told him God had ordered, and put it in execution. For God gave Moſes the pattern, according to which all things were to be wrought: and as it was a peculiar gift of God which enabled him to repreſent to Bezaleel, what had been ſet before him; ſo it was by an extraordinary operation on his Mind, that he conceived preſently what was repreſented, and had Skill to perform it, according to direction.
Ver. 35. Them hath he filled with wiſdom of heart, to work all manner of work, &c.] This is repeated ſo often, and ſuch particular mention is here made again of their Skill in every thing, though of never ſo difficult Contrivance; to aſſure the Iſraelites that they were ſo well qualified for the work, that they might be intruſted with the Offerings they had made. And accordingly they were XXXVI. 3.