1So, BeSeleEl, EliAb, and all those who were wise and knowledgeable, were given the wisdom, knowledge, and necessary [skills] to do everything that had to be done for the holy offices, in the way that Jehovah had instructed. 2Then Moses called BeSeleEl, EliAb, and all the wise who had received the needed skills from God, as well as everyone who was willing to come and donate their work, to get the job done. 3And Moses gave them everything that the children of Israel brought to build the Holy Place. So they continued to receive the gifts each morning, 4and wise people with many different skills kept showing up to work at the Holy Place. 5Then one of them said to Moses, ‘The people are bringing in too many of the things that Jehovah told them to bring!’ 6So, Moses sent a proclamation throughout the camp, saying, ‘No more men or women should come to work or to bring offerings to the Holy Place.’ So, they had to prevent the people from bringing any more. 7Why, they had enough material to make all the furnishings, with more left over. 8Skilled craftsmen made the robes for the Holy Place that would belong to Aaron the Priest, just as the Lord had instructed Moses. 9They made the vests of gold, blue [thread], purple [yarn], spun scarlet [cloth], and fine-twisted linen. 10Then each of the sections was connected with gold thread that was interwoven with blue [thread], purple [yarn], spun scarlet [cloth], and fine-twisted linen, so they were all woven together. 11Then, both sides of the shoulder pieces were connected by weaving each of the parts together. 12They were made of the same material as the rest (gold, blue [thread], purple [yarn], spun scarlet [cloth], and fine-twisted linen), just as the Lord had told Moses. 13Then they mounted two emeralds that had the names of the children of Israel engraved on them into carved gold clasps, 14and connected them to the shoulder pieces of the vest. This was done in memory of the children of Israel, as Jehovah had instructed Moses. 15Then they embroidered the Expression of Judgment the same way as they did the vest (of gold, blue [thread], purple [yarn], spun scarlet [cloth], and fine-twisted linen). 16They made the Expression of Judgment square and doubled, seven inches long and seven inches wide, doubled [over]. 17And woven into it were four columns of gemstones in rows. In the first column there was a ruby, a topaz, and an emerald. 18In the second column there was a carbuncle, a sapphire, and a jasper. 19In the third column there was a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst. 20And in the fourth column there was a peridot, a beryl, and an onyx. They were all mounted in gold settings and fastened with gold. 21And each of the twelve stones was engraved like a seal with the names of the children of Israel, in the order of each of the twelve tribes. 22Thereafter, they mounted twisted wreaths of pure gold on the Expression of Judgment. 23Then they made two small circles of gold and two gold rings. 24They put the two gold rings on the [top] corners of the Expression, 25and then they mounted the gold wreaths over the rings. There were also gold fasteners for each ring, and a wreath was mounted to each fastener. 26They were mounted on the two small circles at the front of each side of the vest, near the shoulders. 27Then they made two gold rings and mounted them on the two projections along the top of the Expression, on the backside facing the vest. 28And they made two more gold rings and mounted them on both shoulders of the vest, in front of and above the vest’s connectors. 29And the Expression was then fastened to the vest by its rings and the rings on the vest, and then it was sewed to the woven material on the vest with blue [thread], so the Expression couldn’t come loose, just as the Lord had instructed Moses. 30Then they made the tunic of spun blue [thread], which was to be worn under the vest. 31It was tightly woven, so it wouldn’t tear, and it opened in the front, with fringes around the opening. 32At the bottom of the tunic [they put a decorative fringe] of pomegranate flowers that were made from blue [thread], purple [yarn], spun scarlet [cloth], and fine-twisted linen. 33It also had gold bells. They put the bells all the way around the tunic, between the pomegranates 34(a gold bell then a pomegranate), all along the border, to be part of the service, just as the Lord commanded Moses. 35Then they made the [rest of the] outfits of fine woven linen for Aaron and his sons. 36The head coverings and the turbans were made of fine linen, the shorts were made of fine-twisted linen, 37and their sashes were made of fine linen with blue [thread], purple [yarn], and spun-scarlet [cloth] embroidered into them, just as the Lord had instructed Moses. 38Then they made the gold plate (for forgiveness in the Holy Place) of pure gold. 39It was engraved in raised lettering, with the words ‘Jehovah is Holy.’ 40They mounted it on top of the turban with a blue background, just as the Lord had instructed Moses.
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.