Exodus Chapter 25
1 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
2 "Speak to the children of Israel, that they take an offering for me. From everyone whose heart makes him willing you shall take my offering.
3 This is the offering which you shall take from them: gold, silver, bronze,
4 blue, purple, scarlet, fine linen, goats' hair,
5 rams' skins dyed red, sea cow hides, acacia wood,
6 oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense,
7 onyx stones, and stones to be set for the ephod and for the breastplate.
8 Let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell amongst them.
9 According to all that I show you, the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all of its furniture, even so you shall make it.
10 "They shall make an ark of acacia wood. Its length shall be two and a half cubits, its width a cubit and a half, and a cubit and a half its height.
11 You shall overlay it with pure gold. You shall overlay it inside and outside, and you shall make a gold moulding around it.
12 You shall cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in its four feet. Two rings shall be on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it.
13 You shall make poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold.
14 You shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark.
15 The poles shall be in the rings of the ark. They shall not be taken from it.
16 You shall put the covenant which I shall give you into the ark.
17 You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold. Two and a half cubits shall be its length, and a cubit and a half its width.
18 You shall make two cherubim of hammered gold. You shall make them at the two ends of the mercy seat.
19 Make one cherub at the one end, and one cherub at the other end. You shall make the cherubim on its two ends of one piece with the mercy seat.
20 The cherubim shall spread out their wings upward, covering the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces towards one another. The faces of the cherubim shall be towards the mercy seat.
21 You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the covenant that I will give you.
22 There I will meet with you, and I will tell you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the covenant, all that I command you for the children of Israel.
23 "You shall make a table of acacia wood. Its length shall be two cubits, and its width a cubit, and its height one and a half cubits.
24 You shall overlay it with pure gold, and make a gold moulding around it.
25 You shall make a rim of a hand width around it. You shall make a golden moulding on its rim around it.
26 You shall make four rings of gold for it, and put the rings in the four corners that are on its four feet.
27 the rings shall be close to the rim, for places for the poles to carry the table.
28 You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be carried with them.
29 You shall make its dishes, its spoons, its ladles, and its bowls to pour out offerings with. You shall make them of pure gold.
30 You shall set bread of the presence on the table before me always.
31 "You shall make a lamp stand of pure gold. The lamp stand shall be made of hammered work. Its base, its shaft, its cups, its buds, and its flowers shall be of one piece with it.
32 There shall be six branches going out of its sides: three branches of the lamp stand out of its one side, and three branches of the lamp stand out of its other side;
33 three cups made like almond blossoms in one branch, a bud and a flower; and three cups made like almond blossoms in the other branch, a bud and a flower, so for the six branches going out of the lamp stand;
34 and in the lamp stand four cups made like almond blossoms, its buds and its flowers;
35 and a bud under two branches of one piece with it, and a bud under two branches of one piece with it, and a bud under two branches of one piece with it, for the six branches going out of the lamp stand.
36 Their buds and their branches shall be of one piece with it, all of it one beaten work of pure gold.
37 You shall make its lamps seven, and they shall light its lamps to give light to the space in front of it.
38 Its snuffers and its snuff dishes shall be of pure gold.
39 It shall be made of a talent of pure gold, with all these accessories.
40 See that you make them after their pattern, which has been shown to you on the mountain.
Footnotes
- Verse 5 (cow hides)
- or, fine leather
- Verse 10 (Cubit)
- A cubit is the length from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow on a man's arm, or about 18 inches or 46 centimetres.
- Verse 39 (Talent)
- A talent is about 30 kilograms or 66 pounds or 965 Troy ounces
Version: World English Bible
- About World English Bible (WEB)
- WEB Glossary
- WEB Web Site (source documents)
- Bible on one web page
- Download WEB (for MS Word)
Audio
To Listen to this Chapter
The mp3 Audio File should start to play in a new Tab. Then return to this Tab to follow the text whilst listening.
Exodus Chapter 25 Guide
Here we begin consideration of the transactions of the forty days. Moses received instruction concerning a place of worship for the nation. It is important that we attempt to understand what this meant to the people at the time. The great underlying principles are all realized and fulfilled in Christianity.
The instructions began, not with the structure, but with its contents. An Ark was to be prepared and its place was to be at the very centre of everything. The Ark with the covering cherubim symbolized that God dwelt among them. The mercy seat above it was a witness to a divine method to God.
The next instructions concerned the table of shewbread. In the East a table was always the symbol of fellowship. Thus the people were reminded of the possibility created of constant communion with God.
Instructions followed concerning the golden candlestick which was a light bearer symbolizing the testimony these people were called on to bear to the outside world. As between themselves and God the propitiatory or mercy seat had made fellowship possible, so between the nation and the world the same provision made testimony a necessity. Light shining in darkness is ever the symbol of holiness and hope. The very form of the candlestick indicated the unity of the people and the diversity of their service and testimony.
These three were the essential pieces of furniture at the centre of the national life and religion: first, a meeting place with God on the basis of propitiation, second, a table for fellowship between God and His people, and, finally, a candlestick indicating the office to which they were called.
From "An Exposition of the Whole Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.
Exodus Chapter 25 Commentary
Chapter Outline
- What the Israelites were to offer for making the tabernacle. -- (1-9)
- The ark. -- (10-22)
- The table, with its furniture. -- (23-30)
- The candlestick. -- (31-40)
Verses 1-9
God chose the people of Israel to be a peculiar people to himself, above all people, and he himself would be their King. He ordered a royal palace to be set up among them for himself, called a sanctuary, or holy place, or habitation. There he showed his presence among them. And because in the wilderness they dwelt in tents, this royal palace was ordered to be a tabernacle, that it might move with them. The people were to furnish Moses with the materials, by their own free will. The best use we can make of our worldly wealth, is to honour God with it in works of piety and charity. We should ask, not only, What must we do? but, What may we do for God? Whatever they gave, they must give it cheerfully, not grudgingly, for God loves a cheerful giver, 2Co 9:7. What is laid out in the service of God, we must reckon well bestowed; and whatsoever is done in God's service, must be done by his direction. (Ex 25:10-22)
Verses 10-22
The ark was a chest, overlaid with gold, in which the two tables of the law were to be kept. These tables are called the testimony; God in them testified his will. This law was a testimony to the Israelites, to direct them in their duty, and would be a testimony against them, if they transgressed. This ark was placed in the holy of holies; the blood of the sacrifices was sprinkled, and the incense burned, before it, by the high priest; and above it appeared the visible glory, which was the symbol of the Divine presence. This was a type of Christ in his sinless nature, which saw no corruption, in personal union with his Divine nature, atoning for our sins against it, by his death. The cherubim of gold looked one towards another, and both looked downward toward the ark. It denotes the angels' attendance on the Redeemer, their readiness to do his will, their presence in the assemblies of saints, and their desire to look into the mysteries of the gospel. It was covered with a covering of gold, called the mercy-seat. God is said to dwell, or sit between the cherubim, on the mercy-seat. There he would give his law, and hear supplicants, as a prince on his throne.
Verses 23-30
A table was to be made of wood, overlaid with gold, to stand in the outer tabernacle, to be always furnished with the shew-bread. This table, with the articles on it, and its use, seems to typify the communion which the Lord holds with his redeemed people in his ordinances, the provisions of his house, the feasts they are favoured with. Also the food for their souls, which they always find when they hunger after it; and the delight he takes in their persons and services, as presented before him in Christ.
Verses 31-40
The candlestick represents the light of God's word and Spirit, in and through Christ Jesus, afforded in this dark world to his believing people, to direct their worship and obedience, and to afford them consolations. The church is still dark, as the tabernacle was, in comparison with what it will be in heaven; but the word of God is a light shining in a dark place, 2Pe 1:19, and a dark place indeed the world would be without it. In ver. #(40) is an express caution to Moses. Nothing was left to his own fancy, or to that of the workmen, or the people; but the will of God must be observed in every particular. Christ's instruction to his disciples, Mt 28:20, is like this, Observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. Let us remember that we are the temples of the Holy Ghost, that we have the law of God in our hearts, that we are to live a life of communion with God, feast on his ordinances, and are the light of the world, if indeed we are followers of Christ. May the Lord help us to try ourselves by this view of religion, and to walk according thereto.
From the "Concise Commentary on the Bible" by Matthew Henry.