1Und es tat Bezaleel und Oholiab und alle Männer weisen Herzens, denen Jehovah Weisheit und Einsicht gegeben, um zu wissen, wie sie jegliche Arbeit zum Dienste des Heiligtums nach allem, was Jehovah geboten hatte, machen sollten. 2Und Mose rief Bezaleel und Oholiab und jeglichen Mann weisen Herzens, denen Jehovah Weisheit ins Herz gegeben hatte, jeden, den sein Herz erhob, sich zu nahen zur Arbeit, um sie zu tun. 3Und sie holten sich von Mose alle Hebe, welche die Söhne Israels brachten, zu machen die Arbeit zum Dienste des Heiligtums; und sie brachten ihm von Morgen zu Morgen noch freiwillige Gaben. 4Und es kamen alle Weisen, die alle Arbeit des Heiligtums machten, Mann für Mann von seinem Werk, das er machte. 5Und sprachen zu Mose und sagten: Das Volk bringt mehr denn genug zum Dienst der Arbeit, die Jehovah geboten hat zu machen. 6Und Mose gebot, daß man eine Stimme im Lager hinziehen lasse und sage: Mann und Weib soll keine Arbeit weitermachen für die Hebe des Heiligtums. Und das Volk wurde abgehalten vom Bringen. 7Denn der Arbeit war genug für jegliche Arbeit, die getan werden sollte, und war übrig. 8Und alle, die weisen Herzens waren, machten mit denen, welche die Arbeit taten, die Wohnung aus zehn Teppichen von gezwirntem Byssus und blauem und rotem Purpur und Scharlach, doppelt gefärbt, mit Cheruben, ein Werk des Künstlers machte man sie. 9Die Länge des einen Teppichs war achtundzwanzig Ellen und vier Ellen die Breite eines Teppichs; alle Teppiche hatten ein Maß. 10Und er fügte fünf Teppiche zusammen, je einen an den andern, und fügte fünf Teppiche zusammen, eins an das andere. 11Und machte Schleifen von blauem Purpur an den Saum des einen Teppichs am Ende der Zusammenfügung. So tat er am Saume des äußersten Teppichs bei der zweiten Zusammenfügung. 12Fünfzig Schleifen machte er an den einen Teppich und fünfzig Schleifen machte er an das Ende des Teppichs an der zweiten Zusammenfügung, so daß die Schleifen einander gegenüber waren; 13Und er machte fünfzig goldene Haken, und durch die Haken fügte er die Teppiche zusammen, einen an den anderen, so daß die Wohnung eins wurde. 14Und er machte Teppiche von Ziegenhaar für das Zelt über die Wohnung, elf Teppiche machte er sie. 15Die Länge eines Teppichs war dreißig Ellen, und vier Ellen die Breite des einen Teppichs. Die elf Teppiche hatten ein Maß. 16Und er fügte fünf Teppiche zusammen besonders, und sechs Teppiche besonders; 17Und machte fünfzig Schleifen an den Saum des äußersten Teppichs an die Zusammenfügung, und fünfzig Schleifen machte er an den Saum des Teppichs an der zweiten Zusammenfügung. 18Und er machte fünfzig Haken von Erz, um das Zelt zusammenzufügen, daß es eins wurde. 19Und machte eine Decke für das Zelt von roten Widderfellen, und eine Decke von Dachsfellen darüber. 20Und er machte Bretter von Schittimholz für die Wohnung; aufrecht zu stehen. 21Zehn Ellen die Länge des Brettes, und eine Elle und eine halbe Elle die Breite eines Brettes. 22Zwei Zapfen für ein Brett fügend das eine an das andere machte er an allen Brettern der Wohnung. 23Und er machte die Bretter für die Wohnung, zwanzig Bretter für die Ecke gegen Mittag südwärts. 24Und vierzig silberne Untersätze machte er unter die zwanzig Bretter, zwei Untersätze unter ein Brett für seine zwei Zapfen, und zwei Untersätze unter das andere Brett für seine zwei Zapfen. 25Und für die zweite Seitenwand der Wohnung in die Ecke gegen Mitternacht machte er zwanzig Bretter. 26Und ihre vierzig Untersätze von Silber, zwei Untersätze unter das eine Brett und zwei Untersätze unter das eine Brett. 27Und für die Hinterseite der Wohnung gegen das Meer hin machte er sechs Bretter; 28Und zwei Bretter machte er für die Eckstücke der Wohnung an der Hinterseite. 29Und sie waren zweifach von unten an und zugleich ganz bis an die Spitze, an dem einen Ring. So tat er es mit beiden, an den beiden Eckstücken. 30Und acht Bretter waren es, und ihre Untersätze von Silber, sechzehn Untersätze, zwei Untersätze und zwei Untersätze unter einem Brett. 31Und er machte Riegel von Schittimholz, fünf für die Bretter einer Seitenwand der Wohnung; 32Und fünf Riegel für die Bretter der zweiten Seitenwand der Wohnung, und fünf Riegel für die Bretter der Wohnung auf der Hinterseite gegen das Meer. 33Und den mittleren Riegel machte er so, daß er von Ende zu Ende mitten hinlief an den Brettern. 34Und die Bretter überzog er mit Gold und machte ihre Ringe von Gold, als Behälter für die Riegel, und die Riegel überzog er mit Gold. 35Und den Vorhang machte er von blauem und rotem Purpur und Scharlach, doppelt gefärbt und gezwirntem Byssus. Als Werk des Kunstwirkers machte er es mit Cheruben; 36Und machte dafür vier Säulen von Schittimholz und überzog sie mit Gold; ihre Nägel waren von Gold, und vier silberne Untersätze goß er für sie. 37Und für den Eingang zum Zelt machte er eine Decke von blauem und rotem Purpur und Scharlach, doppelt gefärbt und gezwirntem Byssus, das Werk eines Buntwirkers; 38Und ihre fünf Säulen und ihre Nägel; und überzog ihre Köpfe und Umgürtungen mit Gold, und ihre fünf Untersätze waren von Erz.
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary 1 I. The workmen set in without delay. Then they wrought,
Exod 36:1. When God had qualified them for the work, then they applied themselves to it. Note, The talents we are entrusted with must not be laid up, but laid out; not hid in a napkin, but traded with. What have we all our gifts for, but to do good with them? They began when Moses called them,
Exod 36:2. Even those whom God has qualified for, and inclined to, the service of the tabernacle, yet must wait for a regular call to it, either extraordinary, as that of prophets and apostles, or ordinary, as that of pastors and teachers. And observe who they were that Moses called: Those
in whose heart God had put wisdom for this purpose, beyond their natural capacity, and
whose heart stirred them up to come to the work in good earnest. Note, Those are to be called to the building of the gospel tabernacle whom God has by his grace made in some measure fit for the work and free to engage in it. Ability and willingness (with resolution) are the two things to be regarded in the call of ministers. Has God given them not only knowledge, but wisdom? (for those that would win souls must be wise, and have their hearts stirred up to come to the work, and not to the honour only; to do it, and not to talk of it only), let them come to it with full purpose of heart to go through with it. The materials which the people had contributed were delivered by Moses to the workmen,
Exod 36:3. They could not create a tabernacle, that is, make it out of nothing, nor work, unless they had something to work upon; the people therefore brought the materials and Moses put them into their hands. Precious souls are the materials of the gospel tabernacle; they are
built up a spiritual house, 1Pet 2:5. To this end they are to offer themselves a free-will offering to the Lord, for his service (
Roma 15:16), and they are then committed to the care of his ministers, as builders, to be framed and wrought upon by their edification and increase in holiness, till they all come, like the curtains of the tabernacle,
in the unity of the faith, to be a holy temple, Ephes 2:21,
Ephes 2:22;
Ephes 4:12,
Ephes 4:13.
II. The contributions restrained. The people continued to bring
free offerings every morning, Exod 36:3. Note, We should always make it our morning's work to bring our offerings unto the Lord; even the spiritual offerings of prayer and praise, and a broken heart surrendered entirely to God. This is that which the duty of every day requires. God's compassions are new every morning, and so must our duty to him be. Probably there were some that were backward at first to bring their offering, but their neighbours' forwardness stirred them up and shamed them. The zeal of some provoked many. There are those who will be content to follow who yet do not care for leading in a good work. It is best to be forward, but better late than never. Or perhaps some who had offered at first, having pleasure in reflecting upon it, offered more; so far were they from grudging what they had contributed, that they doubled their contribution. Thus, in charity,
give a portion to seven, and also to eight; having given much, give more. Now observe, 1. The honesty of the workmen. When they had cut out their work, and found how their stuff held out, and that the people were still forward to bring in more, they went in a body to Moses to tell him that there needed no more contributions,
Exod 36:4,
Exod 36:5. Had they sought their own things, they had now a fair opportunity of enriching themselves by the people's gifts; for they might have made up their work, and converted the overplus to their own use, as perquisites of their place. But they were men of integrity, that scorned to do so mean a thing as to sponge upon the people, and enrich themselves with that which was offered to the Lord. Those are the greatest cheats that cheat the public. If to murder many is worse than to murder one, by the same rule to defraud communities, and to rob the church or state, is a much greater crime than to pick the pocket of a single person. But these workmen were not only ready to account for all they received, but were not willing to receive more than they had occasion for, lest they should come either into the temptation or under the suspicion of taking it to themselves. These were men that knew when they had enough. 2. The liberality of the people. Though they saw what an abundance was contributed, yet they continued to offer, till they were forbidden by proclamation,
Exod 36:6,
Exod 36:7. A rare instance! Most need a spur to quicken their charity; few need a bridle to check it, yet these did. Had Moses aimed to enrich himself, he might have suffered them still to bring in their offerings; and when the work was finished might have taken the remainder to himself: but he also preferred the public before his own private interest, and was therein a good example to all in public trusts. It is said (
Exod 36:6),
The people were restrained from bringing; they looked upon it as a restraint upon them not to be allowed to do more for the tabernacle; such was the zeal of those people, who gave
to their power, yea, and beyond their power, praying the collectors
with much entreaty to receive the gift, 2Cor 8:3,
2Cor 8:4. These were the fruits of a first love; in these last-days charity has grown too cold for us to expect such things from it.
8 The first work they set about was the framing of the house, which must be done before the furniture of it was prepared. This house was not made of timber or stone, but of curtains curiously embroidered and coupled together. This served to typify the state of the church in this world, the palace of God's kingdom among men. 1. Though it is upon the earth, yet its foundation is not in the earth, as that of a house is; no, Christ's kingdom is not of this world, nor founded in it. 2. It is mean and mutable, and in a militant state; shepherds dwelt in tents, and God is the Shepherd of Israel; soldiers dwelt in tents, and the Lord is a man of war, and his church marches through an enemy's country, and must fight its way. The kings of the earth enclose themselves in cedar (
Jer 22:15), but the ark of God was lodged in curtains only. 3. Yet there is a beauty in holiness; the curtains were embroidered, so is the church adorned with the gifts and graces of the Spirit, that
raiment of needle-work, Pss 45:14. 4. The several societies of believers are united in one, and, as here, all
become one tabernacle; for there is one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. 14 Here, 1. The shelter and special protection that the church is under are signified by the curtains of hair-cloth, which were spread over the tabernacle, and the covering of rams' skins and badgers' skins over them,
Exod 36:14-
Exod 36:19. God has provided for his people a
shadow from the heat, and a covert from storm and rain, Isa 4:6. They are armed against all weathers; the sun and the moon shall not smite them: and they are protected from the storms of divine wrath, that hail which will
sweep away the refuge of lies, Isa 28:17. Those that dwell in God's house shall find, be the tempest ever so violent, or the dropping ever so continual, it does not rain in. 2. The strength and stability of the church, though it is but a tabernacle, are signified by the boards and bars with which the curtains were borne up,
Exod 36:20-
Exod 36:34. The boards were coupled together and joined by the bars which shot through them; for the union of the church, and the hearty agreement of those that are its stays and supporters, contribute abundantly to its strength and establishment.
35 In the building of a house there is a great deal of work about the doors and partitions. In the tabernacle these were answerable to the rest of the fabric; there were curtains for doors, and veils for partitions. 1. There was a veil made for a partition between the holy place, and the most holy,
Exod 36:35,
Exod 36:36. This signified the darkness and distance of that dispensation, compared with the New Testament, which shows us the glory of God more clearly and invites us to draw near to it; and the darkness and distance of our present state, in comparison with heaven, where we shall be
ever with the Lord and
see him as he is. 2. There was a veil made for the door of the tabernacle,
Exod 36:37,
Exod 36:38. At this door the people assembled, though forbidden to enter; for, while we are in this present state, we must get as near to God as we can.