Exodus 35

AND Moses gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel together, and said unto them, These are the words which the LORD has commanded, that ye should do them.

Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD This command of the sabbath is repeated here, as also Exod. 31. 13. together with the instructions for the building of the Tabernacle and its utensils, to show that they were made for no other use than the service of God, which was to be performed as every day, so in an eminent and peculiar manner upon the sabbath day, and to teach them the absolute necessity of minding that precept in and above all their ceremonial observations.: whosoever does work therein shall be put to death.

Ye shall kindle no fire This command seems to be only temporary and extraordinary during the present season and condition, and not extending to succeeding generations. For 1. There are instances of temporary precepts both in the Old and New Testament, which yet are not in their places said to be so. Such were some of the precepts concerning the Passeover. Exod. 12. 11. as is confessed. And such was that law of abstaining from things strangled and blood, Act. 15. 2. This precept is nakedly proposed, and not called a perpetual statute, nor enjoyned to be observed in their generations, as other precepts are, to whom those or some like clauses are frequently added. 3. The sabbath is rather a feast-day than a fast-day. And the Iews did make feasts and invited guests upon the sabbath-day, which could not probably be without kindling a fire. And, which is more considerable, Christ himself, who fulfilled all righteousness and therefore would not have joined in the violation of the sabbath, went to one of those feasts Luk. 14. And the Corinthians as they received the Lords Supper upon that day, which none question, so they had their feasts, as is confessed, and apparent from 1 Cor. 11. 21, 22, &c. 4. The kindling of a fire was no greater hinderance to the religious observation of the Sabbath than other things which were allowed upon that day, such as the washing and dressing of themselves, eating and drinking, &c. 5. This prohibition does not seem to concern the dressing of meat, as many understand it by comparing this with Exod. 16. 23. (which place I humbly conceive is misunderstood, as I have there intimated, for that was lawful to be done upon their most solemn days, Exod. 12. 16.) but the service of the Tabernacle, which is the subject of this chapter and the occasion of these words, and the sense seems to be this, You shall kindle no fire for any handy-work throughout your habitation, no not for the service of this Tabernacle, for the heating of any tools, or the melting of any metals, or other things belonging to it, which being to be made for Gods service, and deserving and requiring all expedition, they might probably conceive that such work might be done upon that... y. And here also, as oft elsewhere, under one kind all the rest are comprehended and forbidden. throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day.

And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the LORD commanded, saying,

Take ye from amongst you an offering unto the LORD: whosoever is of a willing heart For God values not forced or grudged services, 2 Cor. 9. 7., let him bring it, an offering of the LORD, gold, and silver, and brass,

And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linnen, and goats hair.

And rams skins died red, and badgers skins, and shittim-wood,

And oil for the light, and spices for anointing oil, and for the sweet incense:

And onyx stones, and stones to be set for the ephod, and for the breast-plate.

And every wise-hearted (i. e.) Skilful artist: for though God had prescribed the things yet it required Wisdom and skill to execute what God commanded. among you, shall come, and make all that the LORD has commanded.

The tabernacle (i. e.) The boards or structure of the Tabernacle, as it appears because it is distinguished here from its tent and curtains, whereas elsewhere, the Tabernacle is put for all together., his tent The inward and finer curtains which covered the boards of it., and his covering The outward and courser coverings., his taches, and his boards, his bars, his pillars, and his sockets:

The ark, and the staves thereof, with the mercy-seat, and the vail of the covering (i. e.) Which was hanged before the Ark and Mercyseat..

The table, and his staves, and all his vessels, and the show-bread But neither did God prescribe the making of the shewbread amongst the other utensils, Exod. 25. nor was this made by the workmen here spoken of, but by others. How then comes this to be mentioned here? Ans. 1. The show-bread may be here put for the vessels for the receiving of the show-bread, by an usual Metonymy of the adjunct, the thing contained put for the thing containing, as treasures are put for the place where the treasures are put, Psal. 135. 7. Mat. 2. 11. and 12. 35. and the gifts or offerings of God for the treasury where they were put, Luk. 21. 4. Hence Tremellius renders this place, and the vessels of the show-bread. Obj. All the vessels of the Table are mentioned before, of which this was one. Ans. It is not unusual after a general expression comprehending all distinctly to name one eminent member of that kind, such as this unquestionably was, the table being made principally for this use. Thus Mark 16. 7. Tell my disciples and Peter. Like examples are in 2 Sam. 2. 30. 1 King. 11. 1. Psal. 18. the Title. Act. 1. 14. and in other Authors. And for the particle Vau, and, which may seem to imply that these were things of another kind, and not any vessels of the Table, that is oft put for especially, as Ios. 2. 1. Mark. 16. 7. and so only notes an eminent thing of the same kind, as has been said. Ans. 2. Though God did not prescribe the making of the show-bread, yet he mentions it, together with the table, Exod. 25. 30. and therefore it is conveniently mentioned with the table in this place also, where Moses to show his exactness and fidelity, does punctually repeat the same things to the people which he had received in command from God. In like manner the oil, which fed the light of the lamps, is mentioned here in the next verse, because the lighting of the lamps was prescribed, Exod. 25. 37.:

The candlestick also for the light, and his furniture, and his lamps, with the oil for the light.

And the incense altar, and his staves, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the hanging for the door, at the entring in of the Tabernacle:

The altar of burnt-offering, with his brazen grate, his staves, and all his vessels, the laver and his foot:

The hangings of the court, his pillars, and their sockets, and the hanging for the door of the court:

The pins of the tabernacle, and the pins of the court, and their cords:

The clothes of service, to do service in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons to minister in the priests office.

And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses.

And they came every one whose heart stirred him up (i. e.) Whose heart being desirous and ready to serve God ingaged his hand to offer what he had to his service., and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the LORDS offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments.

And they came both men and women, as many as were willing-hearted, and brought bracelets, and ear-rings Obj. Aaron had go... these from them for the making of the calf, Exod. 32. Ans. Though the generality of the people did then part with their ear-rings, yet there was a considerable number who did not, as being unsatisfied with that Idolatrous design, and it may seem that the women would not part with theirs being more fond of their ornaments than of their Idols. See the notes on Exod. 32. 3., and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold, and every man that offered, offered an offering of gold unto the LORD.

And every man with whom was found blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats hair, and red skins of rams, and badgers skins, brought them.

Every one that did offer an offering of silver and brass, brought the LORDS offering: and every man with whom was found shittimwood for any work of the service, brought it.

And all the women that were wise-hearted, did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, both of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine linnen.

And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom This word seems better to agree with the following than with the foregoing word, they sp... with wisdom, i. e. with skill and art., spun goats hair.

And the rulers brought onyx-stones, and stones to be set for the ephod, and for the breastplate.

And spice, and oil for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense.

The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the LORD, every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work, which the LORD had commanded to be made, by the hand of Moses.

And Moses said unto the children of Israel, See, the LORD has called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.

And he has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship.

And to devise curious works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass;

And in the cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of wood, to make any manner of cunning work.

And he has put in his heart, that he may teach To wit, others to work under him: for the work required many hands: and it is a peculiar gift of God to be apt to teach, which every skilful man has not. both he, and Aholiab the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan.

Them has he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work of the ingraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any work, and of those that devise cunning work.