In this chapter an account is given of the persons whom God had chosen, and qualified for the work of building the tabernacle, and all things relating to it, and for the direction and oversight thereof, Ex.

And the Lord spake unto Moses After the Lord had given Moses instructions about building a tabernacle, the model of which he had shown him, and what should be the furniture of it, who should minister in it, and what clothes they should wear, he acquaints him that he had provided artificers for this…

See, I have called by name Bezaleel Had pitched upon, chosen, and distinguished him particularly from all other men to be the architect or chief master builder of the tabernacle, and to be the director and overseer of the whole work relating to it: the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem paraphrase…

And I have filled him with the Spirit of God Not with the special graces of the Spirit, or with spiritual gifts fitting for spiritual service in the knowledge of spiritual things, and the instruction of men in them, though, no doubt, he might have them; but with the gifts of ingenuity and skill in…

To devise cunning works To invent, contrive, and draw patterns, for the weavers particularly, for the making of the curtains of the tabernacle, the vail of the most holy place, the ephod, and the curious girdle of it, which were made of cunning work, curiously wrought by the weaver; and so Jarchi…

And in cutting of stones to set them Not of marble stones, or of any common stones used in building, and the cutting and hewing of them to be laid therein, for of those there was no use in the tabernacle; but of precious stones, and the cutting of them, and setting of them in their ouches or…

And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan To be a partner with him, and to assist in the direction and oversight of the work of the tabernacle; which was done that there might appear to be a sufficiency in the direction, and that too much honour might…

The tabernacle of the congregation That is, they had wisdom given to make that according to the pattern showed to Moses, and under the direction of the two above persons, to whom Moses communicated it; and from henceforward, in this and some following verses, mention is made of the various things…

And the table and his furniture The shewbread table, with its dishes, spoons, and bowls, and the pure candlestick with all his furniture; called “pure”, because made of pure gold, and was to be kept pure and clean by the priests, and in which pure oil olive was burnt, and gave a clear light; its…

And the altar of burnt offering with all his furniture Which was made of shittim wood covered with brass; its furniture were its pans, shovels, basins and the laver and his foot; for the priests to wash their hands and feet at, .

And the clothes of service Either those the priests ministered in in the time of service, and which they never wore but when in it, and so might with propriety be so called, and what they were the following words explain; or else these were clothes of blue, purple, and scarlet, and coverings of…

And the anointing oil, and sweet incense for the holy place Of the composition of both which, see according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do: not only make all the said things, but make them exactly according to the form and pattern given to Moses, communicated to Bezaleel and…

And the Lord spake unto Moses After he had described to him the place of worship, and appointed the priests that should minister in it, and ordered the making of all things appertaining to it, and the workmen that should be concerned therein, he repeats the law of the sabbath, and puts in mind of…

Speak thou also unto the children of Israel Notwithstanding all that has been said and ordered concerning making the tabernacle and all things belonging to it; yet this was not to be understood to the violation of the sabbath, or the neglect of that, in which no work was to be done, no, not any…

Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore Strictly observe it, according to the rules given concerning it: for it is holy unto you; a day that was set apart of God for holy exercises, peculiarly on their account: everyone that defileth it; by doing any servile work upon it, or not observing it in a…

Six days may work be done; &c.] Allowed to be done by an Israelite, if he would; for this is not a command to work, but a permission or grant to do it; and therefore, seeing they had so many days granted them for their use, it could not be thought hard and unreasonable that God should claim one day…

Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, &c.] On whom the sabbath of the seventh day was only enjoined, as well as that of the seventh and of the fiftieth years, being all ceremonial and shadowy: to observe the sabbath throughout their generations; so long as the Mosaic dispensation…

It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever In like sense as the land of Canaan was given them for an everlasting possession; and the covenant of circumcision, and the ordinance of the passover, and the fast on the day of atonement, were for ever; that is, unto the end of the Jewish…

And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him on Mount Sinai After all those laws, orders, and instructions before related, which having done, he ceased to converse with him any longer in that manner he had, and at parting gave him two tables of testimony; the two tables of…