Chapter Text
The Altar of Burnt Offering
And he made the altar of burnt offering of shittim wood: five cubits was the length thereof, and five cubits the breadth thereof; it was foursquare; and three cubits the height thereof.
2And he made the horns thereof on the four corners of it; the horns thereof were of the same: and he overlaid it with brass.
3And he made all the vessels of the altar, the pots, and the shovels, and the basons, and the fleshhooks, and the firepans: all the vessels thereof made he of brass.
4And he made for the altar a brasen grate of network under the compass thereof beneath unto the midst of it.
5And he cast four rings for the four ends of the grate of brass, to be places for the staves.
6And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with brass.
7And he put the staves into the rings on the sides of the altar, to bear it withal; he made the altar hollow with boards.
The Bronze Basin
8And he made the laver of brass, and the foot of it of brass, of the lookingglasses of the women assembling, which assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
The Courtyard
9And he made the court: on the south side southward the hangings of the court were of fine twined linen, an hundred cubits:
10Their pillars were twenty, and their brasen sockets twenty; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver.
11And for the north side the hangings were an hundred cubits, their pillars were twenty, and their sockets of brass twenty; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver.
12And for the west side were hangings of fifty cubits, their pillars ten, and their sockets ten; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver.
13And for the east side eastward fifty cubits.
14The hangings of the one side of the gate were fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.
15And for the other side of the court gate, on this hand and that hand, were hangings of fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.
16All the hangings of the court round about were of fine twined linen.
17And the sockets for the pillars were of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver; and the overlaying of their chapiters of silver; and all the pillars of the court were filleted with silver.
18And the hanging for the gate of the court was needlework , of blue, and purple, and scarlet , and fine twined linen: and twenty cubits was the length, and the height in the breadth was five cubits, answerable to the hangings of the court.
19And their pillars were four, and their sockets of brass four; their hooks of silver, and the overlaying of their chapiters and their fillets of silver.
20And all the pins of the tabernacle, and of the court round about, were of brass.
Materials Used
21This is the sum of the tabernacle, even of the tabernacle of testimony, as it was counted, according to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, son to Aaron the priest.
22And Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the LORD commanded Moses.
23And with him was Aholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver, and a cunning workman, and an embroiderer in blue, and in purple, and in scarlet , and fine linen.
24All the gold that was occupied for the work in all the work of the holy place, even the gold of the offering, was twenty and nine talents, and seven hundred and thirty shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary.
25And the silver of them that were numbered of the congregation was an hundred talents, and a thousand seven hundred and threescore and fifteen shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:
26A bekah for every man, that is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for every one that went to be numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty men.
27And of the hundred talents of silver were cast the sockets of the sanctuary, and the sockets of the vail; an hundred sockets of the hundred talents, a talent for a socket.
28And of the thousand seven hundred seventy and five shekels he made hooks for the pillars, and overlaid their chapiters, and filleted them.
29And the brass of the offering was seventy talents, and two thousand and four hundred shekels.
30And therewith he made the sockets to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the brasen altar, and the brasen grate for it, and all the vessels of the altar,
31And the sockets of the court round about, and the sockets of the court gate, and all the pins of the tabernacle, and all the pins of the court round about.
Summary
Bezaleel constructs the altar of burnt offering from acacia wood overlaid with bronze, with horns at each corner and all utensils of bronze. He makes the bronze laver from the mirrors of the serving women who assembled at the Tabernacle door. The court is erected with fine linen hangings on bronze pillars in bronze sockets, with silver hooks and fillets. A summary of all materials is given: nearly a ton of gold, over three tons of silver (from the atonement money of 603,550 men), and about two and a half tons of bronze.
Meaning
The bronze laver made from women's mirrors carries beautiful symbolism. Mirrors that once served vanity are transformed into the vessel of cleansing — self-reflection surrendered for purification. This teaches that what once served the flesh can be consecrated for holy purposes.
The precise accounting demonstrates stewardship and transparency in the use of sacred offerings. The silver sockets from atonement money mean the entire Tabernacle literally stands upon the foundation of redemption. Every contribution is tracked and honored.
Background
The serving women at the Tabernacle door appear again in First Samuel, suggesting a recognized role for women in Tabernacle ministry. Their voluntary surrender of bronze mirrors — valuable personal possessions — exemplifies sacrificial giving.
The material inventory served as both a record of faithful stewardship and evidence that the people's generosity had been more than sufficient.
Chapter Outline
- vv. 1-7Construction of the Brazen Altar
- vv. 8The Laver Made from Women's Mirrors
- vv. 9-20Construction of the Tabernacle Court
- vv. 21-23The Builders and Their Oversight
- vv. 24Inventory of Gold Used
- vv. 25-28Inventory of Silver and Its Uses
- vv. 29-31Inventory of Bronze and Its Uses
Key Verses
“And he made the laver of brass, and the foot of it of brass, of the lookingglasses of the women assembling, which assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.”— 38:8
This verse uniquely records the sacrificial giving of the women who donated their bronze mirrors for the laver of cleansing. It stands as a remarkable testimony to personal devotion and the willingness to surrender vanity for sacred purpose.
“This is the sum of the tabernacle, even of the tabernacle of testimony, as it was counted, according to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, son to Aaron the priest.”— 38:21
This verse transitions into the material inventory of the tabernacle, establishing a principle of accountability and stewardship over sacred resources. The tabernacle is here called 'the tabernacle of testimony,' emphasizing its role as witness to God's covenant.
“And Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the LORD commanded Moses.”— 38:22
Bezaleel's obedience in crafting 'all that the LORD commanded' demonstrates that skilled artistry and faithful obedience are not opposed but united in God's service. His lineage from Judah connects the tabernacle's construction to the messianic tribe.
“A bekah for every man, that is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for every one that went to be numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty men.”— 38:26
The half-shekel census offering established the principle that every Israelite had an equal share in the tabernacle's foundation. This redemption price foreshadows the New Testament teaching that all souls are of equal value before God.
People & Places
People
- Bezaleel — Son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; the chief craftsman appointed by God to construct the tabernacle and its furnishings.
- Aholiab — Son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; a skilled engraver, craftsman, and embroiderer who assisted Bezaleel in the tabernacle's construction.
- Ithamar — Son of Aaron the priest, placed in charge of the Levitical inventory and accounting of the tabernacle materials.
- Moses — Leader of Israel who received and transmitted God's commandments for the tabernacle's construction.
- Aaron — The high priest and father of Ithamar, mentioned in connection with the priestly oversight of the tabernacle project.
Places
- The Tabernacle of the Congregation — The portable sanctuary where God met with His people; the central place of worship in the Israelite camp during the wilderness period.
- The Court — The enclosed outer area surrounding the tabernacle, marked by linen hangings supported by pillared posts with bronze sockets.
Prophecy & Fulfillment
The bronze laver made from women's mirrors (v. 8) typologically foreshadows spiritual cleansing through the Word of God (Ephesians 5:26). The half-shekel redemption price paid equally by every man (v. 26) prefigures the universal need for atonement and points toward Christ as the ransom for all (1 Timothy 2:6). The hundred silver sockets forming the tabernacle's foundation (v. 27) picture redemption as the very foundation upon which God's dwelling with man rests.
Devotional
Exodus 38 reveals that worship costs something. The women gave their mirrors — objects of personal value — for the laver of cleansing. True devotion often means surrendering what we treasure for what God purposes.
The meticulous accounting of gold, silver, and bronze reminds us that God values faithful stewardship. Every talent and shekel was recorded. What we give and how we manage it matters to the Lord.
The half-shekel offering leveled all distinction — rich and poor contributed equally to the tabernacle's foundation. Before God, every soul carries the same worth and the same need for redemption.
Literary Style
This chapter is construction narrative blended with administrative inventory. It parallels the instructions of Exodus 27 with their fulfillment, employing repetitive formulaic language ('and he made') that emphasizes precise obedience. The detailed material accounting in verses 21–31 resembles ancient Near Eastern temple records, lending the text a documentary, archival quality.