Commentary on Exodus, Commentary · Chapter 27
CHAP. XXVII.
Verſe 1. AND thou ſhalt make an Altar.] Of Burnt-offering, as it is explained XXXVIII. 1. And the Hebrew word Mizbeach properly ſignifies, that upon which Sacrifices were ſlain and offered.
Of Shittim-wood. What ſort of Wood this was ſee XXV. 5.
Five Cubits long, and five Cubits broad, &c.] It was two yards and an half ſquare (according to the common notion of a Cubit) at the top and bottom of it.
And the height thereof ſhall be three Cubits.] Being a yard and half in height from the ground, the Prieſt (as Fortunatus Scacchus obſerves) who miniſtred at it, was half a yard above it; the common ſtature of a Man being four Cubits, i. e. two yards, Sacr. Elaeo. Myroth. 2. c. 65. It is not ſaid how thick the Wood was, of which this frame (as I may call it) was made; but it's certain that it was hollow within, that the Grate mentioned v. 4. might hang in the midſt of it.
Ver. 2. And thou ſhalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof.] The Hebrew word kerem, which properly ſignifies an horn, ſignifies alſo an eminent or High Place; as in V Iſa. 1. God ſaith he had planted a Vineyard in a fruitful Hill; where the words in the Hebrew are in a horn of the Son of Oil. From whence it ſignifies a Pinacle, or Spire riſing up from any Building, as theſe Horns did from the Altar, for the Ornament of it. Some will have it that they were uſeful alſo to tye the Sacrifices to it, (which they gather from CXVIII Pſalm 27.) and that they were of the faſhion of Oxen or Rams-horns. Fortunatus Scacchus contends earneſtly for this (in his Myrothec. 2. Sacr. Elaeochriſm. c. 65.) ſuch Horns being much in uſe in the ancient Religion, as appears (he obſerves) from the Altars of the Gentiles. And yet he confeſſes in the LXIX Chapter of the ſame Book, that ſuch kind of ſtraight Pinacles as I mentioned before, after the manner of Obelisks (as his words are) were more convenient for the putting of the Blood of the Sacrifices round about them, as is required XVI Lev. 18.
His horns ſhall be of the ſame.] Theſe Spires ſeem to have been wrought out of the ſame piece of Wood, with the Corners of the Altar.
And thou ſhalt overlay it with braſs.] Some think it was overlaid with Braſs, not only without, but within; that the fire which burnt in the Grate might not take hold of the Wood. To prevent which, others fancy it was lined within with unhewn Stone: but there is no mention of any ſuch thing; and it was unneceſſary, if the Braſs be ſuppoſed to have been of ſuch a thickneſs as to ſecure the wooden frame of the Altar.
Ver. 3. And thou ſhalt make his pans.] The Hebrew word Siroth ſignifies Pots as well as Pans; but there is determined to the latter ſenſe, by the uſe of them, which here follows.
To receive his aſhes.] Or rather to carry out the aſhes, which fell from the Altar upon the Earth; and being taken up, were put into theſe Pans, to be carried into a a clean place, IV Lev. 12. Fortunatus Scacchus hath adventured to delineate the form of them, in the Book before-mentioned, cap. 73.
And his ſhovels.] The Hebrew word Hajahim properly ſignifies Beeſoms or Brooms; but here is rightly tranſlated Shovels, by which, being made of Braſs, the Aſhes under the Altar were ſcraped together on an heap, and then thrown into the Pans.
And his baſons.] The principal uſe of theſe Veſſels was to receive the Blood of the Sacrifices, which was to be ſprinkled as the Law directed: For the Hebrew word Mizrakoth carries this ſignification in it. Beſides which Fort. Scacchus thinks they ſerved for the mixture of the Oyl, with ſine Flour and Frankincenſe, which were to be burnt on the Altar. For when any Man offered a Meat-offering, the Prieſt was to take an handful of the Flour and of the Oyl, with all the Frankincenſe, as Gods part, to be conſumed on the Altar; and therefore we muſt ſuppoſe ſome Veſſel wherein theſe were brought to the Prieſt, as the Law requires, II Lev. 1, 2.
And his fleſh-hooks.] Or Forks, as the word Mizlegoth may be tranſlated; which Fort. Scacchus thinks were in the form of a Trident. With which they ſtirred up the Fire; and alſo ordered the pieces of the Sacrifice, if any chanced to lye out of it, and put them into it, that every bit might be ſurely conſumed.
And his fire-pans.] Theſe are commonly taken for Diſhes or Cenſers, in which the Prieſt carried burning Coals from this Altar, into the Sanctuary, to offer Incenſe upon the Golden Altar. But the above-named Fort. Scacchus thinks they did not Miniſter in the Holy Place with brazen Cenſers; and therefore takes theſe Fire-pans for a larger ſort of Veſſel, wherein the Sacred Fire which came down from Heaven, was kept burning, whilſt they cleanſed the Altar and the Grate from the Coals and Aſhes; and when this Altar was to be carried from one place to another, as it was often in the Wilderneſs, Myrothec. 2. Sacr. Elaeochriſm. c. 73.
Ver. 4. And thou ſhalt make for a grate.] This was the principal part of the Altar; the Wood being laid here, and the Sacrifices burnt in it. Whence the Greeks call it foreign; which was the Name the Heathen gave to the Fire-place upon their Altars, as we learn from Jul. Pollux. The figure of it was round (as Fort. Scacchus gathers from the very Name in Hebrew; for Michbar ſignifies a Scive) but grew leſs and leſs, till at the bottom it ended, like a Top, in a point. So he deſcribes it in the fore-named Book, cap. 71.
Of Net-work.] It was made full of holes, like a Scive, or Net, (and thence called ſimply the Net, in the latter end of this Verſe, and in the next) that the Aſhes might fall through them to the bottom of the Altar; where there was a Door, on the Eaſt-ſide, to open and take out the Aſhes.
Of braſs.] The Motal of which all the fore-named things were made, and the Altar it ſelf was overlaid.
And upon the Net.] i. e. the Grate full of holes, as was ſaid before.
Thou ſhalt make four brazen rings.] The uſe of which was double; firſt that by them it might be hung upon the Altar: and then, when it was to be cleanſed, or removed in their Travels, it might by them be taken off.
In the four corners thereof.] This ſeems to overthrow what I now ſaid of its Circular Figure: But it is to be obſerved that Moſes doth not uſe the ſame word here, which he doth when he ſpeaks of the four Corners of the Altar, which he calls Pinoth, v. 2. but calls theſe only Ketzoth, which may be better tranſlated the extremities of it, as the ſaid Fort. Scacchus hath noted.
Ver. 5. And thou ſhalt put it under the compaſs of the Altar beneath.] Some have fancied that this Grate was placed only at the top of the Altar: but that doth not agree with theſe directions, which only place it beneath, in the hollow part of the Altar (called in the Hebrew Carcob, which ſignifies as R. Solomon ſaith, any thing that is round, and is by us tranſlated the Compaſs) but ſo much lower than the top of the Altar, that it was even to the midſt of it, as it here follows.
That the Net may be even to the midst of the Altar.] This ſhows the depth of the Grate to have been a Cubit and an half: for the Altar being three Cubits high (v. 1.) and the bottom of this being even to the middle of the Altar, it muſt hang down half way to the ground, and conſequently be a Cubit and an half from the top of it to the bottom. So that this Grate ſeems to have been made like to a Furnace, full of holes round about, as well as below; and perhaps was hung by Chains, in the Rings before-mentioned, to the Horns of the Altar.
Ver. 6. And thou ſhalt make ſtaves for the Altar, &c.] Of ſuch a length that they might be laid upon the ſhoulders of the Prieſts; and the Altar, when they carried it, hang between them.
Ver. 7. And the ſtaves ſhall be put into the rings.] Beſides the Rings for the Grate, there were others (it appears by this) in the Altar it ſelf, into which the ſtaves were to be put, when it was to be removed.
And the ſtaves ſhall be upon the two ſides of the Altar to bear it.] It's plain by this, that the Staves were not put into the Rings of the Grate (which was within the hollow part of the Altar) unleſs we imagine as Dr. Lightfoot doth, that the Rings of the Grate came through the frame of the Altar, and hung out on the ſides of it; ſo that the Frame and the Grate were carried together. But beſides other Objections againſt this, from the different form of the Grate and the Altar, it may be doubted whether they were carried together, and not ſeparate one from another; eſpecially if we conceive the Grate to have been carried with the Fire ſtill burning on it; which would have immediately conſumed the Purple Cloth, wherewith the Altar was to be covered, when they removed it, IV Numb. 13. But the Fine-pans before-mentioned, v. 3. it is probable, as I noted there, received the Fire out of the Grate: and then, it being cleanſed from the Aſhes, was carried together with the Altar, to which it was faſtned by its Rings; a Purple Cloth being ſpread over both.
Ver. 8. Hollow with boards ſhalt thou make it.] Otherwiſe the Grate could not have been in the midſt of it, as is before ordered, v. 5.
As it was ſhewed thee in the Mount.] Of this alſo he had a Model ſet before him, as he had of other things. See XXV. 9, 40.
So ſhall they make it.] By that Pattern he was to direct the Workmen to make it.
Ver. 9. And thou ſhalt make the Court of the Tabernacle.] The Hebrew word Chatzar properly ſignifies a green Field or Cloſe. Such was this place, uncovered, in the open Air; but incloſed with Pillars and Hangings; which made it ſuch a place as we call, a Courtyard before an Houſe. In this Court ſtood the Tabernacle, or Dwelling-houſe of God: not juſt in the midſt of it, but towards the upper end. And here the Altar of Burnt-offering ſtood, between the Tabernacle and the lower end of the Court: and the Laver, wherein they waſhed, ſtood on one ſide of the Altar. David ſpeaks of more Courts than one, LXV Pſal. 5. LXXXIV. 3. but Moſes made only one; into which the Prieſts came to offer Sacrifice. Whether the People were admitted into it, is not certain: if they were, it could contain no great number; and they ſtood at a great diſtance from the Prieſts in the lower part of the Court; and were ſeparated by ſome bounds or other, as they were in after times when they came into Canaan. Where being ſetled, and the Tabernacle fixed in Shilo, the Hebrews ſay it was incloſed with a Wall, as well as with Hangings: and then, it is likely, a diſtinct Court was made for the People; at leaſt, it was ſo in David's time, as the places above-mentioned prove. And in the Temple of Solomon we read plainly of more Courts than one, 1 Kings 6.36. VII. 12. 2 Chron. IV. 9. XXXIII. 5. viz. the Court of the Prieſts, and the Court of the People. Unto which, in the Temple of Herod, after the Captivity, was added a third, the Court of the Women.
For the ſouthſide, ſouthward.] It was to have two large ſides, as the Tabernacle had; whoſe South-ſide being firſt ordered to be made (XXVI. 18.) ſo is the ſame ſide of the Court.
There ſhall be hangings for the Court of fine twined Linen.] What fine Linen and twined were, ſee XXV. 5. XXVIII. 6. Theſe Hangings were not curiouſly embroidered with Flowers, as thoſe of the Tabernacle were (XXVI. 1.) but were made of ſimple fine Six-threded Linen.
Of an hundred Cubits long, for one ſide.] By this it appears that the length of the Court was an hundred Cubits, or fifty Yards; though of Yards longer than ours, as I have ſaid before XXV. 10. See v. 18.
Ver. 10. And the twenty Pillars thereof.] Theſe are thought by moſt to be made of Shittim-wood.
And their twenty ſockets ſhall be of braſs.] The Pillars were placed, five Cubits diſtant from each other, upon Baſes of Braſs: which were more firm and laſting than Wood.
The hooks of the Pillars.] Theſe were like our Tenters, to hang the Curtains of the Court upon. See XXVI. 32. concerning the word Vave.
And their fillets ſhall be of ſilver.] The Hebrew word Chaſchuk properly ſignifies a Circle: but whether theſe were thin hoops of Silver, or only fillets, (as we tranſlate it) or ſilver twist, is uncertain. Yet it ſeems to be plain from the XXXVIIIth Chapter, that the Heads of the Pillars, into which the Hooks were faſtned, were ſilvered over.
Ver. 11. And likewiſe for the north-ſide, &c.] Here are the very ſame directions given for the Hangings, Pillars, Baſes, &c. of this ſide of the Court; which are nothing different from the former.
Ver. 12. And for the breadth of the Court, on the weſtſide, ſhall be hangings of fifty Cubits, &c.] By this it appears that the Court was as long again, as it was wide; there being Hangings but of half the length for the Weſt-end, and only half ſo many Pillars and Sockets.
Ver. 13. The breadth of the Court on the eaſt-ſide, &c.] This end was of the ſame dimenſions with the Weſt-end.
Ver. 14. The hangings of one ſide of the gate, ſhall be fifteen Cubits, &c.] The Hangings of this end of the Court were divided, becauſe there was to be a Gate; the entrance into the Court being at the Eaſt-end. Each ſide of the Gate conſiſted of fifteen Cubits; and accordingly the Hangings were of that length, upon three Pillars on each ſide; as this Verſe and the next directs.
Ver. 16. And for the gate of the Court ſhall be an hanging of twenty Cubits.] The entrance being twenty Cubits wide, if we add to them the fifteen Cubits which were on each ſide of the Entrance, they make in all fifty Cubits; which was the breadth of this Eaſt-end of the Court, as well as of the Weſt, v. 12, 13.
Of blue, and purple, and ſcarlet, &c.] Concerning all this ſee XXV. 5. and here only obſerve, that the Hangings of the Gate were far richer, than of the reſt of the Court: which were meerly of fine twined Linen, v. 9. but theſe of ſeveral other beautiful Colours, and adorned, with that work which they called Rokem, which we tranſlate Needle-work. What that was ſee XXXVIII. 39.
And their pillars ſhall be four, and their ſockets four.] Proportionable to thoſe on each ſide of the Gate; which were three for Hangings of fifteen Cubits, (v. 14, 15.) as theſe were four for Hangings of twenty.
Ver. 17. All the Pillars round about the Court ſhall be filletted with ſilver.] Thoſe at the Eaſt and Weſt-end, as well as thoſe on the South and North-ſides.
Their hooks ſhall be of ſilver, and their ſockets of braſs.] As was before directed v. 10, 11.
Ver. 18. The length of the Court, &c.] Here all the Dimenſions of the Court are put together: the length and breadth of which might be inferred from the Hangings (v. 9, 12, &c.) but here are expreſly determined; together with the height, which was not at all intimated before; and now appointed to be five Cubits, l. e. two yards and an half, of larger meaſure than ours. So that the Tabernacle might be plainly ſeen by the People; for it was as high again as the Walls (if I may ſo call them) that incompaſſed it.
Of twined Linen, and their ſockets of braſs.] This ſeems to be a brief repetition of what was ſaid before concerning the Hangings, and the Pillars which ſtood on Baſes of Braſs.
Ver. 19. All the Veſſels of the Tabernacle in all the ſervice thereof.] This is alſo a repetition in general of what was ſaid before particularly (v. 3.) for all the Veſſels belonging to the Tabernacle it ſelf, were of Gold, as we read in the XXVth Chapter.
And all the pins thereof.] The Tabernacle had nothing of Braſs in the Fabrick of it, but the Baſes of the Pillars at the Entrance, XXVI. 37. and therefore theſe Pins, I ſuppoſe, belong to them, whereby the Pillars were faſtned in their Sockets.
And all the pins of the Court ſhall be of braſs.] Theſe brazen Pins were ſtruck into the ground (as Dr. Lightfoot underſtands it) that the Hangings, which were tied to them by Cords, might be kept from flying up at the bottom.
Ver. 20. And thou ſhalt command the Children of Iſrael, that they bring thee pure Oyl-olive beaten.] Not ſqueezed out by a Preſs, or by a Mill, (for ſuch was full of Sediment and Dregs) but which run freely from the Olives, being bruiſed with a Peſtel.
For the light.] In the golden Candleſtick, XXV. 37.
To cauſe the Lamp to burn always.] Sufficient to keep the Lamp always burning. Some imagine, that it did not burn day and night, but being lighted every Evening, went out in the Morning. And there are ſome places which ſeem to favour this Opinion, particularly 1 Sam. III. 3. where mention is made of the Lamp going out, viz. in the Morning. See alſo 2 Chron. XIII. 11. where we read of ſetting the Lamps to burn every Evening: which ſeems to ſigniſie that they did not burn in the Day. But Joſephus, who was a Prieſt, and could not but know, and had no reaſon to tell a lie, ſaith they burnt Day and Night. And indeed it was but neceſſary; for otherwiſe the Prieſts muſt have miniſtred in the dark, at the Altar of Incenſe, before the Divine Majeſty. Who kept a Table in the Sanctuary, which required light; for no Body feaſts in darkneſs. And therefore R. Levi of Barcelona (Praecept. XCVIII.) ſaith, God commanded a Lamp ſhould always burn in the Sanctuary, for the Honour and Majeſty of it; there being no Light conveyed to it otherways. But it is highly probable, there were not ſo many of the Lamps burning in the Day, as in the Night, when all the ſeven Lamps were lighted: ſome of which were put out in the Morning, and lighted again in the Evening. So Joſephus ſaith expreſly, L. III. Antiq. c. 9. Three burnt all Day before the LORD, and the rest were lighted in the Evening.
Ver. 21. In the Tabernacle of the Congregation without the Vail.] That is, the ſecond Vail, which was before the moſt Holy Place.
Which is before the Teſtimony.] That is, the Ark of the Teſtimony. See XXV. 21, 22.
Aaron and his ſons ſhall order it from evening to morning before the LORD.] As direction is more fully given XXX. 7, 8.
It ſhall be a Statute for over, &c.] See XXXVIII. 43.