Exodus 35 commentary

EXODUS 35 COMME TARY
EDITED BY GLE PEASE
I TRODUCTIO
PETER PETT, Introduction
"The Work On Building The Dwellingplace Begins And Is Satisfactorily Completed
In Accordance with Yahweh’s Command (Exodus 35:4 to Exodus 38:31).
The preparations for the Dwellingplace and its furniture include gathering all the
necessary materials, sewing material together, skilful workmanship and planning in
order to make use of the available personnel, with the most skilful work being done
by the experts.
It may be asked, why was it necessary for the details of the Dwellingplace and its
contents to be repeated twice, firstly in the giving of the instructions (Exodus 25 ff)
and then in its actual construction? We may suggest the answer is as follows. Firstly
there was a great emphasis on the need for all to be constructed exactly in
accordance with the pattern shown to Moses in the Mount (Exodus 25:9; Exodus
25:40; umbers 8:4; Hebrews 8:5; Hebrews 9:23). Thus it was necessary to
demonstrate first, that the pattern was given by God, and then second that it was
followed.
But why was the pattern so important? That brings us to the second reason. The
double stress on the construction of the Dwellingplace was evidence of the
importance of the lessons that could be drawn from it. It was a twofold witness. And
there were two complementary reasons why the pattern was important, one was so
as to ensure that no taint of false ideas entered into the Dwellingplace lest it fail to
portray the truth about God as precisely as possible and thus lead Israel astray
(how easily they were led astray at every opportunity), and second because it
revealed heavenly truths that could be revealed in no other way (Hebrews 9:23).
To sum up but some of those truths; it revealed that they worshipped the invisible
God; it revealed that He was their merciful King; it revealed that His light was
constantly shed on them; it revealed that they were His people and that He would
constantly feed them; it revealed that He could be approached and would offer
mercy; it warned that He was holy and must not be approached lightly; it made
clear that although He was there among them there was a huge difference between
man and God, and between creation and its Creator; and it revealed that constantly
sinful man needed constant atonement. These are equally lessons that we need to
recognise today when many approach God too lightly and overlook His holiness. It

is true that Christ has made for us a way into God’s presence more wonderful than
the Dwellingplace, and that through Him we can approach Heaven itself, but let us
not forget that that is because of the greatness of Who He is, the greatness of the
sacrifice He offered, and the wonder of His intercession for us. It is not because we
are less sinful, but because of Who He is and What He has done for us. And as we
thus study the details of the Dwellingplace let us learn that we approach a holy God,
which we can only do without fear because of the wonder of what Christ has done
for us. Without Him we would shrivel up in God’s presence.
We may analyse this whole section as follows;
a The gathering of the materials (Exodus 35:4-29).
b Bezalel is filled with the Spirit of God, and he and Oholiab, the skilled overseers,
are filled with wisdom and all manner of workmanship for the task (Exodus 35:30-
35).
c The skilled overseers with the skilled men go about the work (Exodus 36:1-4).
d The generosity of the people is such that the collecting of materials has to cease
(Exodus 36:5-7).
c The wisehearted make the curtains and frames, and the veil and screen (Exodus
36:8-38).
b Bezalel (no doubt with assistance from Oholiab and the skilled workmen) makes
the furniture (Exodus 37:1 to Exodus 38:20).
a The sum of the gold, silver and brazen copper described (Exodus 38:21-31).
Thus we note that in ‘a’ the materials are gathered, and in the parallel the precious
metals used are described. In ‘b’ Bezalel is filled with the Spirit of God for the task
of making the furniture and in the parallel he ‘makes’ all the sacred furniture. In ‘c’
the ‘skilled overseers’ go about the work, and in the parallel the ‘wisehearted’ make
the curtains and frames. And central to all in ‘d’ the people’s generosity overflows.
So the overall picture it that the materials are gathered, the overseers and skilled
workmen are given wisdom by God and go about their work, the gifts overflow and
become too many, the skilful workmen make the framework and curtains, and the
skilful overseer the furniture, and the precious metals obtained and used are then
assessed. But all this is given in detail because of the importance of the work and to
enable all to see their part in it.
For us the message comes over how important are all aspects of the work of God.
We must now look at the detail.
PETT, "Verses 1-3
The Command Comes To Keep The Sabbath (Exodus 35:1-3).
Whilst at first this command appears to be on its own and not connected with the
context its positioning is in fact very important. For at last after the to-ing and fro-
ing of the past days, work could begin on the Dwellingplace. The people were now
firmly back as Yahweh’s people and in Yahweh’s favour, and they would show their
gratitude accordingly. But they first needed to be reminded that with all their

enthusiasm, and with all the sacredness of what they were about to do, the Sabbath
rest must be maintained. o work was to be done on the Sabbath, even that of
constructing the Dwellingplace, and no fire was to be kindled, even for the purpose
of forging sacred things. The Sabbath must be kept sacrosanct.
The ecessity to Keep the Sabbath (Exodus 35:1-3).
This can be analysed briefly as:
a The words which Yahweh has commanded are that work shall be done for
six days (Exodus 35:1-2 a).
b The seventh is to be a holy day, a sabbath of solemn rest to Yahweh (Exodus
35:2 b)
b Whoever does any work in it shall be put to death (Exodus 35:2 c).
a You shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations on the sabbath day
(Exodus 35:3).
This can be seen as both a progression and a chiasmus. In ‘a’ work is to be done for
six days so that in the parallel any one who makes a fire on the seventh day is in the
wrong. In ‘b’ The seventh is a solemn rest so that in the parallel anyone who works
on it will be put to death.
Exodus 35:1-3
‘And Moses assembled all the congregation of the children of Israel, and said to
them, “These are the words which Yahweh has commanded, that you should do
them. Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you a
holy day, a sabbath of solemn rest to Yahweh, whoever does any work in it shall be
put to death. You shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations on the sabbath
day.” ’
The importance of the Sabbath day is again highlighted. Men should work for six
days, but the Sabbath was a day of solemn rest. Whoever worked on it would be put
to death, and this even included the making of a fire. Making a fire actually
involved considerable labour, for unless some means of lighting it was to hand, such
as a lighted torch, or burning coals, it had to be lit by twirling one stick in a
depression on a board, or by rubbing two sticks together. This would include fires
for cooking, for it would not be required for heating, and fires for forging what was
required for the Dwellingplace. The former was already in principle forbidden
(Exodus 16:23). Thus work on the Dwellingplace must also not take place on the
Sabbath.
Sabbath Regulations

1 Moses assembled the whole Israelite community
and said to them, “These are the things the Lord
has commanded you to do:
BAR ES, "The narrative of what relates to the construction of the sanctuary is now
resumed from Exo_31:18.
CLARKE, "And Moses gathered - The principal subjects in this chapter have been
already largely considered in the notes on chapters 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, and 31, and to
those the reader is particularly desired to refer, together with the parallel texts in the
margin.
GILL, "And Moses gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel
together,.... According to Jarchi, on the morrow after the day of atonement; that is, the
next day after his descent from the mount, being desirous of setting about the building
of the tabernacle, and making all things appertaining to it as soon as possible; which had
been retarded through the sin of the golden calf, and making reconciliation for that:
and said unto them, these are the words which the Lord hath commanded,
that ye should do them; namely, the law of the sabbath, as it had a peculiar relation
to the making of the tabernacle, and the freewill offerings to be made on that account;
for as for the commands, or other ordinances, whether ceremonial or judicial, the people
had been made acquainted with them before.
HE RY, "It was said in general (Exo_34:32), Moses gave them in commandment all
that the Lord has spoken with him. But, the erecting and furnishing of the tabernacle
being the work to which they were now immediately to apply themselves, there is
particular mention of the orders given concerning it.
I. All the congregation is summoned to attend (Exo_35:1); that is, the heads and rulers
of the congregation, the representatives of the several tribes, who must receive
instructions from Moses as he had received them from the Lord, and must communicate
them to the people. Thus John, being commanded to write to the seven churches what
had been revealed to him, writes it to the angels, or ministers, of the churches.
II. Moses gave them in charge all that (and that only) which God had commanded
him; thus he approved himself faithful both to God and Israel, between whom he was a
messenger or mediator. If he had added, altered, or diminished, he would have been
false to both. But, both sides having reposed a trust in him, he was true to the trust; yet
he was faithful as a servant only, but Christ as a Son, Heb_3:5, Heb_3:6.

JAMISO , "Exo_35:1-35. Contributions to the Tabernacle.
Moses gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel, etc. — On the
occasion referred to in the opening of this chapter, the Israelites were specially reminded
of the design to erect a magnificent tabernacle for the regular worship of God, as well as
of the leading articles that were required to furnish that sacred edifice [Exo_35:11-19].
(See on Exo_25:1-40; see on Exo_27:1-21; see on Exodus 30:1-31:18).
K&D 1-24, "Preliminaries to the Work. - Ex 35:1-29. After the restoration of the
covenant, Moses announced to the people the divine commands with reference to the
holy place of the tabernacle which was to be built. He repeated first of all (Exo_35:1-3)
the law of the Sabbath according to Exo_31:13-17, and strengthened it by the
announcement, that on the Sabbath no fire was to be kindled in their dwelling, because
this rule was to be observed even in connection with the work to be done for the
tabernacle. (For a fuller comment, see at Exo_20:9.). Then, in accordance with the
command of Jehovah, he first of all summoned the whole nation to present freewill-
offerings for the holy things to be prepared (Exo_35:4, Exo_35:5), mentioning one by
one all the materials that would be required (Exo_35:5-9, as in Exo_25:3-7); and after
that he called upon those who were endowed with understanding to prepare the
different articles, as prescribed in ch. 25-30, mentioning these also one by one (Exo_
35:11-19), even down to the pegs of the dwelling and court (Exo_27:19), and “their
cords,” i.e., the cords required to fasten the tent and the hangings round the court to the
pegs that were driven into the ground, which had not been mentioned before, being
altogether subordinate things. (On the “cloths of service,” Exo_35:19, see at Exo_31:10.)
In Exo_35:20-29 we have an account of the fulfilment of this command. The people
went from Moses, i.e., from the place where they were assembled round Moses, away to
their tents, and willingly offered the things required as a heave-offering for Jehovah;
every one “whom his heart lifted up,” i.e., who felt himself inclined and stirred up in his
heart to do this. The men along with (‫ל‬ ַ‫ע‬ as in Gen_32:12; see Ewald, §217) the women
brought with a willing heart all kinds of golden rings and jewellery: chak, lit., hook, here
a clasp or ring; nezem, an ear or nose-ring (Gen_35:4; Gen_24:47); tabbaath, a finger-
ring; cumaz, globulus aureus, probably little golden balls strung together like beads,
which were worn by the Israelites and Midianites (Num_31:50) as an ornament round
the wrist and neck, as Diod. Sic. relates that they were by the Arabians (3, 44). “All kinds
of golden jewellery, and every one who had waved (dedicated) a wave (offering) of
gold to Jehovah,” sc., offered it for the work of the tabernacle. The meaning is, that in
addition to the many varieties of golden ornaments, which were willingly offered for the
work to be performed, every one brought whatever gold he had set apart as a wave-
offering (a sacrificial gift) for Jehovah. ‫יף‬ִ‫נ‬ ֵ‫ה‬ to wave, lit., to swing or move to and fro, is
used in connection with the sacrificial ritual to denote a peculiar ceremony, through
which certain portions of a sacrifice, which were not intended for burning upon the altar,
but for the maintenance of the priests (Num_18:11), were consecrated to the Lord, or
given up to Him in a symbolical manner (see at Lev_7:30). Tenuphah, the wave-offering,
accordingly denoted primarily those portions of the sacrificial animal which were
allotted to the priests as their share of the sacrifices; and then, in a more general sense,
every gift or offering that was consecrated to the Lord for the establishment and

maintenance of the sanctuary and its worship. In this wider sense the term tenuphah
(wave-offering) is applied both here and in Exo_38:24, Exo_38:29 to the gold and
copper presented by the congregation for the building of the tabernacle. So that it does
not really differ from terumah, a lift of heave-offering, as every gift intended for the
erection and maintenance of the sanctuary was called, inasmuch as the offerer lifted it
off from his own property, to dedicate it to the Lord for the purposes of His worship.
Accordingly, in Exo_35:24 the freewill-offerings of the people in silver and gold for the
erection of the tabernacle are called terumah; and in Exo_36:6, all the gifts of metal,
wood, leather, and woven materials, presented by the people for the erection of the
tabernacle, are called ‫שׁ‬ ֶ‫ּד‬‫ק‬ ‫ת‬ ַ‫רוּמ‬ ְ . (On heaving and the heave-offering, see at Exo_25:2 and
Lev_2:9.)
COFFMA , "Verses 1-35
Exodus 35-40 gives the account of the construction of the tabernacle; and these six
chapters, in the principal part, are an almost verbatim repetition of the instructions
given earlier in Exodus. Of course, the imperatives are changed to the declaratives,
and the tenses from future to past. "The contents of these chapters (Exodus 35-40)
simply reproduce with minor variations the contents of Exodus 25-31."[1]
Much has been said about the extensive repetition that confronts us in these
chapters, but, as Gordon accurately noted, "The repetition of lengthy passages
without modification is characteristic of ear Eastern Literature in general."[2] It is
also characteristic of the Bible. Bible critics are apparently ignorant of this, and
some of them have "discovered" variable sources, different authors, or
combinations by editors and/or redactors, but there is no proof whatever related to
any such theories. Cassuto, a highly-respected commentator frequently quoted by
modern writers, stated categorically that all such theories "are based on ignorance
of the methods employed in the composition of books in the Ancient East."[3] It is
the conviction of this writer that all destructive criticism aimed at the Bible is
fundamentally due to ignorance!
An example of the characteristic mentioned by Cassuto is that of the epic Ugaritic
poem regarding the Dream of King Keret (about 1400 B.C.) who received ninety
lines of instruction regarding a number of things, including the mustering of an
army; "The following ninety lines are a repetition, with certain small changes,
describing how King Keret did exactly as his god had instructed him in the
dream!"[4] obody has ever suggested "multiple sources" for that epic poem. "The
idea of two different sources would be sensible perhaps if Exodus was a modern
book, but such an idea does not fit in with the methods and style of ancient
writers."[5] Unger's comment on the divine reason for the repetition here states
that, "It emphasized the importance of the tabernacle and its ritual in the history of
redemption as foreshadowing the person and work of the coming Redeemer."[6]
In our discussion of these final chapters, we shall vary our form, giving the sacred
text of each chapter in unbroken sequence, with any comments in the form of

footnotes to the text, instead of footnotes to the comments.
(PARALLEL PASSAGES: Exodus 35:1-3; O SABBATH: Exodus 20:8-11; Exodus
35:4-9,20-29; O OFFERI G; Exodus 25:1-7; Exodus 35:10-19 O CRAFTSME :
Exodus 31:1-11).
Exodus 35:1-35 -
"And Moses assembled all the congregation of the children of Israel, and said unto
them, These are the words which Jehovah hath commanded, that ye should do them.
Six days shall work be done; but on the seventh day there shall be to you a holy day,
[7] a sabbath of solemn rest to Jehovah: whosoever doeth any work therein shall be
put to death. Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath
day.[8]
"And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, This is
the thing which Jehovah commanded, saying, Take ye from among you an offering
unto Jehovah; whoseover is of a willing heart, let him bring it, Jehovah's offering:
gold, and silver, and brass, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and
goats' hair, and rams' skins dyed red, and sealskins, and acacia wood, and oil for
the light, and spices for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense, and onyx stones
to be set, for the ephod, and for the breastplate.
"And let every wise-hearted[9] man among you come, and make all that Jehovah
hath commanded: the tabernacle, its tent and its covering, its clasps, and its boards,
its bars, its pillars, and its sockets; the ark, and the staves thereof, the mercy-seat,
and the veil of the screen; the table, and its staves, and all its vessels, and the
showbread; the candlestick also for the light, and its vessels, and its lamps, and the
oil for the light; and the altar of incense, and its staves, and the anointing oil, and
the sweet incense, and the screen for the door, at the door of the tabernacle; the
altar of burnt-offering, with its grating of brass, its staves, and all its vessels, the
laver and its base; the hangings of the court, the pillars thereof, and their sockets,
and the screen for the gate of the court; the pins of the tabernacle,Exodus 35:11
(Fields, op. cit., p. 775). 'The pins' here were not mentioned previously; but
Josephus' Antiquities, b. 3chapter 6,2 describes them.">[10] and the pins of the
court, and their cords; the finely wrought garments, for ministering in the holy
place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to
minister in the priest's 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, and every one whom
his spirit made willing, and brought Jehovah's offering, for the work of the tent of
meeting, and for all the services thereof, and for the holy garments. And they came,
both men and women, as many as were willing-hearted,[11] and brought brooches,
and ear-rings, and signet-rings, and armlets, all jewels of gold; even every man that
offered an offering of gold unto Jehovah. And every man, with whom was found
blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair, and rams' skins dyed

red, and sealskins, brought them. Every one that did offer an offering of silver and
brass brought Jehovah's offering; and every man, with whom was found acacia
wood 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, the blue,
and the purple, and the scarlet, and the fine linen.
"And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun the goats' hair.
And the rulers brought the onyx stones, and the stones to be set, for the ephod, and
for the breastplate; and the spice, and the oil for the light, and for the anointing oil,
and for the sweet incense. The children of Israel brought a freewill-offering unto
Jehovah; every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all the
work, which Jehovah had commanded to be made by Moses.[12]
"And Moses said unto the children of Israel, See, Jehovah hath called by name
Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; and he hath filled him
with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all
manner of workmanship; and to devise skillful works, to work in gold, and in silver,
and in brass, and in cutting of stones for setting, and in carving of wood, to work in
all manner of skillful workmanship. And he hath put in his heart that he may teach,
both he, and Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. Them hath he filled
with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of workmanship, of the engraver, and of
the skillful workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, and in scarlet,
and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any workmanship, and of
those that devise skillful works."
COKE, "Exodus 35:1. And Moses gathered, &c.— The narrative, having been
interrupted by the affair of the calf, is here resumed; so that, from the 32nd to the
present chapter, the whole may be considered as a digression, and read as in a
parenthesis. We need not, I judge, give ourselves or our reader the trouble of
referring to the former chapters, wherein the several particulars mentioned in this
and the following chapters are explained. We need not be surprised at this
repetition, since it is known to have been the usual method with the writers of those
times: Homer frequently uses it; and it is the taste of the Orientals to this day.
CO STABLE, "Verses 1-7
1. Preparations for construction35:1-36:7
Following the restoration of the covenant, Moses announced God"s directions for
the construction of the tabernacle. In building it the Israelites were to work only six
days a week. They were to rest on the Sabbath ( Exodus 35:2-3).
"Kindling a fire receives special attention here because the people thought that
kindling a fire was not a work, but only a preparation for some kind of work. But
the Law makes sure that this too was not done." [ ote: The ET Bible note on35:3.]
Moses invited the people to bring their contributions for the construction ( Exodus

35:4-19; cf. Exodus 25:1-9). These materials would have been the Israelites" own
goods. Some were items the Egyptians had given them when they left Egypt and
possessions they had obtained from traders they had met during their travels since
leaving Egypt.
The people began to bring what the builders needed ( Exodus 35:20-29). Moses
again recognized Bezalel and Oholiab as skillful artisans whom God had gifted and
appointed to lead the construction work ( Exodus 35:30 to Exodus 36:2). This
provision by God inspired the people to give even more, so much so that Moses had
to tell the people to stop giving ( Exodus 31:3-7). The people proved their
commitment to the covenant and to Yahweh by their generous contributions to the
project that He had ordered. [ ote: See Dwayne H. Adams, "The Building Program
that Works ( Exodus 25:4-36:7, 31:1-11])," Exegesis and Exposition1:1
(Fall1986):82-92.]
ELLICOTT, "Verses 1-3
ITERATIO OF THE LAW CO CER I G THE SABBATH.
(1-3) Moses, being about to require the people to engage in the work, first, of
constructing the materials for the Tabernacle, and then of uprearing the Tabernacle
itself, prefaced his requirements by a renewed promulgation of the law of the
Sabbath, with additional particularity, and with a new sanction. The necessity of
such a re-promulgation had been indicated to him in the last injunctions received
before his first descent from Sinai (Exodus 31:12-17), and in acting as he now did,
he must be viewed as carrying out those injunctions. The words here put on record
are probably not the whole that he said to the people on the subject, but only some
main points of his speech. He can scarcely have omitted to tell them that the
Sabbath was to be henceforth “a sign” between God and His people (Exodus 31:17).
EXPOSITOR'S BIBLE COMME TARY, "THE CO CLUSIO .
Exodus 35:1-35 - Exodus 40:1-38.
The remainder of the narrative sets forth in terms almost identical with the
directions already given, the manner in which the Divine injunctions were obeyed.
The people, purified in heart by danger, chastisement and shame, brought much
more than was required. A quarter of a million would poorly represent the value of
the shrine in which, at the last, Moses and Aaron approached their God, while the
cloud covered the tent and the glory filled the tabernacle, and Moses failed to
overcome his awe and enter.
Thenceforth the cloud was the guide of their halting and their march. Many a time
they grieved their God in the wilderness, yet the cloud was on the tabernacle by day,
and there was fire therein by night, throughout all their journeyings.
That cloud is seen no longer; but One has said, "Lo, I am with you all the days." If

the presence is less material, it is because we ought to be more spiritual.
* * * * *
Looking back upon the story, we can discern more clearly what was asserted when
we began--the forming and training of a nation.
They are called from shameful servitude by the devotion of a patriot and a hero,
who has learned in failure and exile the difference between self-confidence and
faith. The new name of God, and His remembrance of their fathers, inspire them at
the same time with awe and hope and nationality. They see the hollowness of earthly
force, and of superstitious worships, in the abasement and ruin of Egypt. They are
taught by the Paschal sacrifice to confess that the Divine favour is a gift and not a
right, that their lives also are justly forfeited. The overthrow of Pharaoh's army and
the passage of the Sea brings them into a new and utterly strange life, in an
atmosphere and amid scenes well calculated to expand and deepen their emotions, to
develop their sense of freedom and self-respect, and yet to oblige them to depend
wholly on their God. Privation at Marah chastens them. The attack of Amalek
introduces them to war, and forbids their dependence to sink into abject softness.
The awful scene of Horeb burns and brands his littleness into man. The covenant
shows them that, however little in themselves, they may enter into communion with
the Eternal. It also crushes out what is selfish and individualising, by making them
feel the superiority of what they all share over anything that is peculiar to one of
them. The Decalogue reveals a holiness at once simple and profound, and forms a
type of character such as will make any nation great. The sacrificial system tells
them at once of the pardon and the heinousness of sin. Religion is both exalted
above the world and infused into it, so that all is consecrated. The priesthood and
the shrine tell them of sin and pardon, exclusion and hope; but that hope is a
common heritage, which none may appropriate without his brother.
The especial sanctity of a sacred calling is balanced by an immediate assertion of the
sacredness of toil, and the Divine Spirit is recognised even in the gift of handicraft.
A tragic and shameful failure teaches them, more painfully than any symbolic
system of curtains and secret chambers, how little fitted they are for the immediate
intercourse of heaven. And yet the ever-present cloud, and the shrine in the heart of
their encampment, assure them that God is with them of a truth.
PULPIT, "Verses 1-3
THE CO STRUCTIO A D UPREARI G OF THE TABER ACLE.
EXPOSITIO
ITERATIO OF THE LAW CO CER I G THE SABBATH. The work
commanded during the time of Moses' first stay upon Sinai (ch. 25-31.), and
hindered first by the infraction (Exodus 32:1-35.), and then by the renewal (Exodus

33:1-23; Exodus 34:1-35.) of the covenant, was now about to commence under the
direction of Moses, who alone knew what was to be constructed. Before giving his
orders upon the matter, he assembled the people (Exodus 35:1) and once more
recited to them in a solemn manner the law of the sabbath (Exodus 35:2), adding to
the general law a special injunction concerning the kindling of fire (Exodus 35:3),
which may have been required by some recent breach of the law in this respect. The
iteration of a command, already so often enjoined upon the people (Exodus
16:2,Exodus 16:3-30; Exodus 20:8-11; Exodus 23:12; Exodus 31:13-17), is best
accounted for by the consideration, that a caution was needed, lest the people, in
their zeal to hurry on the work of the tabernacle, and regarding that work as a
sacred one, and so exceptional, might be tempted to infractions of the law, or even to
an entire neglect of it, while the work was in progress.
Exodus 35:1
All the congregation. All the Israelites were to be allowed the privilege of making
offerings for the tabernacle (Exodus 25:2-7), and all who were competent might take
part in the spinning and the weaving of the materials for the curtains and the holy
vestments (Exodus 28:3; Exodus 35:10, Exodus 35:25; Exodus 36:4, etc.). All
therefore had to be summoned, to learn what was required. These are the words,
etc.—i.e; "These are the injunctions especially 'laid' upon you at this time."
Exodus 35:2
Is almost a repetition of Exodus 31:15.
Exodus 35:3
Ye shall kindle no fire. The kindling of fire in early times involved considerable
labour. It was ordinarily affected by rubbing two sticks together, or twisting one
round rapidly between the two palms in a depression upon a board. Fire only came
after a long time. Moreover, as in the warm climate of Arabia and Palestine
artificial warmth was not needed, fire could only have been kindled there for
cooking purposes, which involved further unnecessary work, and had already been
forbidden (Exodus 16:23). The Karaite Jews still maintain the observance of this
precept to the letter, even in cold climates, as in that of the Crimea, and allow
neither fire nor light in their houses on the sabbath day; but the Jews generally view
the precept as having had only a temporary force, and have lights and fires, like
other persons, even in Palestine. Strict Jews, however, still cook no food on the
sabbath day.
HOMILETICS
Exodus 35:1, Exodus 35:2
The sabbath rest not to be broken even for sacred work.

ote here a difference. Some work is rendered necessary by the very nature of that
public worship which is especially commanded on the sabbath. "On the sabbath
days the priests in the temple," says our Lord, "profane the sabbath day and are
blameless "(Matthew 12:5). Offering sacrifice was a heavy work—cleansing the
altar and its precincts after sacrifice was perhaps a heavier one—reading aloud,
teaching, preaching are works, the last-named to many a most exhausting work.
Against such kinds of work there is no law. But physical toil, not needed for Divine
worship, and so not necessary to be undergone on the sabbath day, stands on a
different footing, and was forbidden, at any rate to the Jews. The spinning, weaving,
dying, embroidering, carpentering, metallurgy, which occupied hundreds during
the rest of the week, were to cease upon the sabbath. Men were not to consider that
the fact of the purpose whereto the fabrics were about to be applied so sanctified the
making of them as to render that a fit occupation for the "day of holy rest"—of
"rest to the Lord."
Application.—Christians will do well to apply the lesson to themselves, and not
allow themselves in occupations, on their "day of holy rest," which are really
secular, because it may be argued that they have, in some respects, a sacred aspect.
To play sacred music, for the excitation of devotional feelings in themselves and
others, is a fitting Sunday occupation; but to practise Handel as an exercise, for the
acquirement of skill in execution, would be no better than to practise Rossini or
Auber. To write articles for the press on Sundays, if otherwise wrong, is not
justified by the fact that they are written for a "religious" newspaper. To cast up
accounts does not become a right act because they are the accounts of a charity.
Whatever our rule of Sunday observance, let us beware of evading it under the
excuse that our employment has a connection with religion when it is essentially
secular in its character.
2 For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh
day shall be your holy day, a day of sabbath rest
to the Lord. Whoever does any work on it is to be
put to death.
GILL, "Six days shall work be done,.... Or "may be done" (u); everyone might do
what work he pleased, or the business of his calling, on the six days of the weeks; he had

liberty granted him of God, and might make use of it for the advantage of himself and his
family; unless this can be thought to have a peculiar respect, as this repetition and
renewal of this law seems to have, to the building of the tabernacle; and so is an order for
working at it closely and constantly all the six days of the week, and in things belonging
to it, until the whole was finished:
but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day; or "holiness" (w);
wholly holy, and be separated and devoted to holy service and religious duties,
abstaining from all manner of work, even from the work of the tabernacle; for though
that was designed for the worship of God, and required dispatch, yet the sabbath was not
to be violated on account of it: and, as Jarchi observes, this admonition concerning the
sabbath was given previous to the command of building the tabernacle; to show that that
did not drive away the sabbath, or that the sabbath was not to give way to it, or to be
broken for the sake of it, it being
a sabbath of rest to the Lord; in which the Israelites were to rest from bodily labour,
and spend the day in the service of God, and to his honour and glory:
whosoever doeth work therein: even though it might be in anything belonging to
the tabernacle:
shall be put to death; the Targum of Jonathan adds, by casting stones, stoning being
the punishment of sabbath breakers, Num_15:35.
HE RY, " He begins with the law of the sabbath, because that was much insisted on
in the instructions he had received (Exo_35:2, Exo_35:3): Six days shall work be done,
work for the tabernacle, the work of the day that was now to be done in its day; and they
had little else to do here in the wilderness, where they had neither husbandry nor
merchandise, neither food to get nor clothes to make: but on the seventh day you must
not strike a stroke, no, not at the tabernacle-work; the honour of the sabbath was above
that of the sanctuary, more ancient and more lasting; that must be to you a holy day,
devoted to God, and not be spent in common business. It is a sabbath of rest. It is a
sabbath of sabbaths (so some read it), more honourable and excellent than any of the
other feasts, and should survive them all. A sabbath of sabbatism, so others read it,
being typical of that sabbatism or rest, both spiritual and eternal, which remains for the
people of God, Heb_4:9. It is a sabbath of rest, that is, in which a rest from all worldly
labour must be very carefully and strictly observed. It is a sabbath and a little sabbath, so
some of the Jews would have it read; not only observing the whole day as a sabbath, but
an hour before the beginning of it, and an hour after the ending of it, which they throw
in over and above out of their own time, and call a little sabbath, to show how glad they
are of the approach of the sabbath and how loth to part with it. It is a sabbath of rest, but
it is rest to the Lord, to whose honour it must be devoted. A penalty is here annexed to
the breach of it: Whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death. Also a particular
prohibition of kindling fires on the sabbath day for any servile work, as smith's work, or
plumbers, etc.

3 Do not light a fire in any of your dwellings on
the Sabbath day.”
BAR ES, "This prohibition is here first distinctly expressed, but it is implied Exo_
16:23.
CLARKE, "Ye shall kindle no fire - The Jews understand this precept as
forbidding the kindling of fire only for the purpose of doing work or dressing victuals;
but to give them light and heat, they judge it lawful to light a fire on the Sabbath day,
though themselves rarely kindle it-they get Christians to do this work for them.
GILL, "Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath
day. This law seems to be a temporary one, and not to be continued, nor is it said to be
throughout their generations as elsewhere, where the law of the sabbath is given or
repeated; it is to be restrained to the building of the tabernacle, and while that was
about, to which it is prefaced; and it is designed to prevent all public or private working
on the sabbath day, in anything belonging to that; having no fire to heat their tools or
melt their metal, or do any thing for which that was necessary; for it can hardly be
thought that this is to be taken in the strictest sense, as an entire prohibition of kindling
a fire and the use of it on that day, which is so absolutely useful, and needful in various
cases, and where acts of mercy and necessity require it; as in cold seasons of the year, for
the warming and comforting of persons who otherwise would be unfit for religious
exercises, and on the account of infants and aged persons, who could not subsist without
it; and in cases of sickness, and various disorders which necessarily require it; and even
for the preparation of food, which must be had on that day as on others, the sabbath
being not a fast, but rather a festival, as it is with the Jews; and yet this law is interpreted
by them in the most rigorous sense: they put kindling a fire among the principal works
forbidden on that day (x), and that not only to bake bread and boil flesh, as Aben Ezra
interprets it here, but to warm themselves with; nay, they think it unlawful to touch an
hearth, or a coal of fire, or a firebrand, or anything that may give them any warmth in a
cold season; and if, for the sake of infants or aged persons, there is need of a fire or
heating a stove, they hire a Christian to do it, or so prepare and order matters the day
before that it kindle of itself (y); and so Leo Modena (z) says,"they do not meddle with
any fire, nor touch any wood that is on fire, nor kindle any, nor put it out; nor do they so
much as light a candle on the sabbath day: and if the place be cold where they dwell,
except they have any stoves, or hot houses, or else have some one that is no Jew to kindle
a fire for them; or had so ordered the matter before hand that the fire should kindle of
itself at such a time; they must even be content to sit in the cold all that day:''but here
they nicely distinguish and observe, that it is said:
throughout your habitations; their private dwellings, but not the habitation of the
Lord, or the house of the sanctuary; and on this score they allow of kindling a fire in Beth

Moked (a), an apartment in the temple, where a fire was constantly kept for the priests
that kept watch to warm themselves at.
BE SO , "Exodus 35:3. Ye shall kindle no fire — For any servile work;
throughout your habitations — o, not for the service of the tabernacle, as for the
heating of tools, or the melting of metals, or other things belonging to it; which
being made for God’s service, and deserving and requiring all expedition, they
might probably conceive that such work might be done upon that day. And here
also, as often elsewhere, under one kind of work, lighting a fire, every other kind is
comprehended and forbidden. It is justly observed by Mr. Scott here, “If the
kindling of fires in general on the sabbath days be here understood to be prohibited,
it must either be viewed as a mere temporary institution, to continue only during the
time when the people were miraculously provided for in the wilderness; or that
some exceptions were allowed in favour of the sick, infirm, and children, who must
suffer extremely, at some seasons, even in warm climates, for want of fire; or that a
fire which was burning might be kept up, though a fresh one might not be kindled.”
It is remarkable that “the subsequent parts of Scripture give no light on this
subject,” further than that, “among the various instances recorded of the Israelites
being reproved, and individuals punished, for neglecting to sanctify the sabbath,
this is not once mentioned. The modern Jews understand the prohibition literally,
yet they use fires in various ways on the sabbath, but employ other persons to kindle
them, or to keep them up.”
COKE, "Exodus 35:3. Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations— This
seems only to be a specification of the general prohibition, Thou shalt do no manner
of work: importing, that all menial offices should cease on the sabbath; that the
servants, as well as others, might enjoy the blessings of religious rest.
BI, "Ye shall kindle no fire.
The unkindled fire
In the old time it was a law that each night, at a prescribed hour, a bell should be rung,
on hearing which the people were to put out their fires. This a law not about putting fires
out each day, but against lighting a fire on one particular day. Why this law?
I. To show that on the Sabbath, especially, men should attend to the interests of the soul
rather than to the comports of the body.
II. To remove frivolous excuses for non-attendance on religious worship.
III. To guard the time of females or servants from unrighteous invasion; and teach men
that women had religious rights and duties equally with themselves.
IV. To inculcate in all the duty of self-sacrifice in matters relating to the soul and God.
(Biblical Museum.)
The rest of plants
All creation seems to possess the instinct of rest. We well know how eagerly the human

heart sighs for rest. But it is not so well known that even plants sleep. Their strange
sleep, says Figuier, vaguely recalls to us the sleep of animals. In its sleep the leaf seems
by its disposition to approach the age of infancy. It folds itself up, nearly as it lay folded
in the bud before it opened, when it slept the lethargic sleep of winter, sheltered under
the robust and hardy scales, or shut up in its warm down. We may say that the plant
seeks every night to resume the position which it occupied in its early days, just as the
animal rolls itself up, lying as if it lay in its mother’s bosom. All the world seems to
express the sentiment contained in the words uttered by one of old, who desired the
wings of a dove in order to seek and obtain rest. (Scientific Illustrations.)
Sabbath breaking condemned
Dr. Beecher was seen one Monday morning leaving his house with a basket in his hand
which he was carrying to the fish-market, and in which he intended to carry home a fish
for the family table. Unknown to him, a young man of undecided religious principles was
following and watching him. The minister soon came to the fish-market. Here Dr.
Beecher picked up a fine-looking fish, and asked the fisherman if it was fresh and sweet.
“Certainly,” replied the man, “for I caught it myself yesterday,” which was the Sabbath.
Dr. Beecher at once dropped the fish, saying, “Then I don’t want it,” and went on without
another word. We are not informed whether the preacher obtained his fish, but when the
young man who was following him that morning related his experience some time
afterwards on his admission to the Christian Church, he stated that Dr. Beecher’s
consistency evinced in the fish-market had been the turning-point in his career. It
convinced him of the power of religion in life, had induced him to attend the ministry of
the man who had won his respect, and he was converted.
Materials for the Tabernacle
4 Moses said to the whole Israelite community,
“This is what the Lord has commanded:
GILL, "And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of
Israel,.... Continued his speech to them, being convened by him, after by way of preface
he had repeated the law of the sabbath, with an additional circumstance to it, "pro
tempore":

saying, this is the thing which the Lord commanded; ordered Moses to inform
them of as his will, when he was with him upon the mount the first time; but through
their idolatry, and time spent in making up matters between God and them, he had not
had till now an opportunity of acquainting them with it:
saying; as follows.
THE PEOPLE I VITED TO OFFER THE MATERIALS OF THE
TABER ACLE, A D TO ASSIST I THE WORK.
(4-9) And Moses spake.—This passage is the sequence and counterpart of Exodus
25:1-7, and follows exactly the same order in the enumeration of the required
offerings. Both passages equally declare the sine quâ non of an acceptable offering
to be “a willing heart” (Exodus 25:2; Exodus 35:5).
PETT, "Verses 4-9
The Request For The Freewill Offerings of the People (Exodus 35:4-29).
This passage can be analysed as:
a Yahweh has commanded that they make a willing offering to Yahweh (Exodus
35:4-5 a)
b List of requirements: precious metals, cloth, wood, oil and spices, jewels, and
especially oil and spices and the stones for the ephod and the breastpouch (Exodus
35:5-9).
c Every skilled (‘wise-hearted’) man among then was to come and make all that
Yahweh has commanded - tent, ark, veil, table, lampstand, oil, incense altar,
anointing oil, incense, screen, brazen altar, laver, hangings of the court, pegs,
priestly garments (Exodus 35:10-19).
d All the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses.
And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his
spirit made willing, and brought Yahweh’s offering, for the work of the Tent of
Meeting, and for all its service, and for the holy garments. And they came, both men
and women, as many as were willing-hearted, and brought brooches, and earrings,
and signet-rings, and armlets, all jewels of gold; even every man that offered an
offering of gold to Yahweh. (Exodus 35:20-22).
d Every man, with whom was found bluey-violet, and purpley-red, and scarlet, and
fine linen, and goats' hair, and rams' skins dyed red, and dolphin skins, brought
them. Every one who offered an offering of silver and bonze brought Yahweh’s
offering; and every man, with whom was found acacia wood for any work of the
service, brought it (Exodus 35:23-24).
c And all the women who were skilled (‘wise-hearted’) span with their hands, and
brought what they had spun, the bluey-violet, and the purpley-red, the scarlet, and
the fine linen. And all the women whose heart stirred them up in skilfulness spun
the goats' hair.’ (Exodus 35:25-26).

b And the rulers brought the onyx stones, and the stones to be set, for the ephod,
and for the breastpouch; and the spice, and the oil; for the light, and for the
anointing oil, and for the sweet incense (Exodus 35:27-28).
a The children of Israel brought a freewill-offering to Yahweh; every man and
woman, whose heart made them willing to bring, for all the work which Yahweh
had commanded to be made through Moses. (Exodus 35:29).
Thus in ‘a’ the command came out for freewill offerings, and in the parallel freewill
offerings are brought. In ‘b we are told what was required, and in the parallel what
the rulers brought is listed. In ‘c’ the skilled men came and made what Yahweh
commanded, while in the parallel it was the skilled women. In ‘d’ the details can be
switched around as we like between the two. The point is that the people departed
and then brought their gifts.
Exodus 35:4-9
‘And Moses spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, “This is
the thing which Yahweh commanded, saying, “Take from among you an offering to
Yahweh. Whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, Yahweh’s offering: gold,
and silver, and bronze, and bluey violet, and purpley-red, and scarlet, and fine
linen, and goats' hair, and rams' skins dyed red, and dolphin skins, and acacia
wood, and oil for the light, and spices for the anointing oil, and for the sweet
incense, and onyx stones, and stones to be set, for the ephod, and for the
breastpouch.’
Compare here Exodus 25:3-7 to which this is very similar. A list of requirements for
constructing the Dwellingplace are given, and the people told to make their offering
to Yahweh from a willing heart. God wants nothing that is not willingly given. But
he who gives to God will not lose by it. It included the precious metals, the different
dyed cloth and skins, the acacia wood, the oil and spices, and the jewels required for
the ephod and breastpouch. For more detailed exposition see on Exodus 25:1-7.
5 From what you have, take an offering for the
Lord. Everyone who is willing is to bring to the
Lord an offering of gold, silver and bronze;
CLARKE, "An offering - A terumah or heave-offering; see Lev_7:1, etc.
Exodus 35:, Exo_35:6

See, on these metals and colors, Exo_25:3 (note), Exo_25:4 (note), etc.
GILL, "Take ye from amongst you an offering unto the Lord,.... That is, they
were to take a part of their substance, of what they were possessed of, every man
according to his ability, out of what he had in his hand that was suitable, and present it
as a freewill offering to the Lord, for the use of the tabernacle to be built, and the service
of it:
whosoever is of a willing heart; that is, of a generous and liberal disposition:
let him bring it, an offering of the Lord; or an offering to him, otherwise not; if
brought niggardly and grudgingly it would not be acceptable, for God loves a willing and
cheerful giver:
gold, silver, and brass: here and in the four following verses, the several things are
particularly mentioned, which would be wanted in building the tabernacle, and in the
service of it, and therefore would be acceptable; and they being exactly the same, and
delivered in the same words and in the same order as in Exo_25:3 the reader is referred
to the notes there. See Gill on Exo_25:3. See Gill on Exo_25:4. See Gill on Exo_25:5. See
Gill on Exo_25:6. See Gill on Exo_25:7.
HE RY, " He orders preparation to be made for the setting up of the tabernacle. Two
things were to be done: -
1. All that were able must contribute: Take you from among you an offering, Exo_
35:5. The tabernacle was to be dedicated to the honour of God, and used in his service;
and therefore what was brought for the setting up and furnishing of that was an offering
to the Lord. Our goodness extends not to God, but what is laid out for the support of his
kingdom and interest among men he is pleased to accept as an offering to himself; and
he requires such acknowledgements of our receiving our all from him and such instances
of our dedicating our all to him. The rule is, Whosoever is of a willing heart let him
bring. It was not to be a tax imposed upon them, but a benevolence or voluntary
contribution, to intimate to us, (1.) That God has not made our yoke heavy. He is a
prince that does not burden his subjects with taxes, nor make them to serve with an
offering, but draws with the cords of a man, and leaves it to ourselves to judge what is
right; his is a government that there is no cause to complain of, for he does not rule with
rigour. (2.) That God loves a cheerful giver, and is best pleased with the free-will
offering. Those services are acceptable to him that come from the willing heart of a
willing people, Psa_110:3.
CALVI , "5.Take ye from among you an offering. I have introduced a passage
from chapter 35, wherein Moses again requires what he had before prescribed; but
he goes more into detail, and treats at greater length of the parts of the tabernacle.
In the former passage he employed a verb, where he here uses a noun, “willing or
voluntary of heart.” There is, however, no ambiguity in the meaning; since in both
places God requires a cheerful zeal, so that they may not only contribute
abundantly, but willingly. He will afterwards use a different form of expression,
viz., that they did their duty, whose heart roused, or stirred them up, so as to

distinguish them from the indifferent and slow. — 5:21.
PULPIT, "THE PEOPLE I VITED TO BRI G GIFTS, A D ASSIST I THE
WORK OF THE TABER ACLE. Having warned the Israelites against breaches of
the sabbath, Moses proceeded to enumerate the offerings which God had said that
they might bring (Exodus 35:4-9), and the works which he had required to be
constructed (Exodus 35:10-19). In the former enumeration, he follows exactly the
order and wording of the Divine command to himself, as recorded in Exodus 25:3-7;
in the latter, he changes the order, mentioning first the building, with its component
parts (Exodus 25:11), then the contents of the building (Exodus 25:12-15), then the
court with its contents (Exodus 25:16, Exodus 25:17) together with some details
which had been omitted in the former account (Exodus 25:18), and finally the holy
garments (Exodus 25:19). After hearing him, the people returned to their several
tents (Exodus 25:20).
Exodus 35:5-10
Correspond to Exodus 25:2-7, the correspondence in the list of offerings being exact.
6 blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen;
goat hair;
7 ram skins dyed red and another type of durable
leather[a]; acacia wood;
8 olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil
and for the fragrant incense;
9 and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted
on the ephod and breastpiece.
10 “All who are skilled among you are to come
and make everything the Lord has commanded:

GILL, "And every wise hearted among you shall come,.... Every ingenious man,
that is skilful in any mechanic art and business, who has a peculiar turn of mind, and
employs his thoughts to improve, in a curious manner, in whatsoever manufactory he is
concerned, every such an one is invited by Moses to come to him:
and make all the Lord hath commanded, the particulars of which follow.
HE RY, "All that were skilful must work: Every wise-hearted among you shall
come, and make, Exo_35:10. See how God dispenses his gifts variously; and, as every
man hath received the gift, so he must minister, 1Pe_4:10. Those that were rich must
bring in materials to work on; those that were ingenious must serve the tabernacle with
their ingenuity; as they needed one another, so the tabernacle needed them both, 1Co_
12:7-21. The work was likely to go on when some helped with their purses, others with
their hands, and both with a willing heart. Moses, as he had told them what must be
given (Exo_35:5-9), so he gives them the general heads of what must be made (Exo_
35:11-19), that, seeing how much work was before them, they might apply themselves to
it the more vigorously, and every hand might be busy; and it gave them such an idea of
the fabric designed that they could not but long to see it finished.
CALVI , "10.And every wise-hearted among you. Thus he denominates the
artificers, who excelled in shrewdness of intellect, and so, after having commanded
them severally of their private means to supply the materials, he now exhorts others
to contribute their industry for shaping and joining them together. He then briefly
enumerates the parts of the Tabernacle, a longer explanation of which will be seen
in chapter 26. This is, therefore, a kind of epitome of all those things, of which he
before spoke more in full, since it was necessary to spur them on afresh to the
performance of what they had been clearly instructed in. For we know that
instruction is very often coldly received without the addition of exhortations. It
might indeed seem strange, (133) how so much wealth could be possessed by a
miserably pillaged people, and long driven to servile work; unless it may be inferred
from the abundance which is here described, that they were incredibly enriched at
their departure from Egypt by the booty which God gave them. The kingdom of
Egypt was very wealthy; and its people, as we know, had always been devoted to
pleasures and luxuries. What, then, they had accumulated by their rapacity in many
years, flowed away from them by the secret influence of God, when they were
suddenly made prodigal. But, just as He had blinded the Egyptians, that they should
profusely give all they had, so He now directed the minds and hearts of His people,
that, mindful of so great a benefit, they should willingly expend, at His command,
what they had obtained of His mere grace.

(10-19) And every wise hearted among you.—The first appeal is to all; all may
contribute something towards the materials of the sacred structure. But the second
appeal is to some only. The “wise-hearted” alone can take part in the actual
construction, and “make all that the Lord hath commanded.” On the expression
“wise – hearted,” see ote on Exodus 28:3. It includes skill of various kinds and
degrees, even that of poor women, who “did spin with their hands, and brought that
which they had spun, both of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine linen”
(Exodus 35:25). In enumerating the things to be constructed, Moses follows, not the
order of the revelations made to him, but what may be called the natural order:
first, the Tabernacle as a whole; then its various parts (Exodus 35:11); after this, its
contents—those of the Holy of Holies (Exodus 35:12), of the Holy Place (Exodus
35:13-15), and of the Court (Exodus 35:16-18); finally, the dress to be worn by those
who conducted the services (Exodus 35:19). On the Tabernacle and its parts, see
Exodus 26:1-37; on the Ark, the staves, and the mercy-seat, Exodus 25:10-15; on the
“veil of the covering,” Exodus 26:31; on the table and the candlestick, Exodus 25:23-
30; on the incense altar, Exodus 30:1-10; on the anointing oil, Exodus 30:23-25; on
the sweet incense, Exodus 30:34-35; on the hanging for the door, Exodus 26:36; on
the altar of burnt offering, Exodus 27:1-8; on the laver and its foot, Exodus 30:17-
21; on the hangings of the Court, its pillars, sockets, pins, &c., Exodus 27:9-19; and
on “the cloths of service,” Exodus 28:2-42. (On the true meaning of the expression,
“cloths of service,” see ote on Exodus 31:10.)
PETT, "Verses 10-19
The Skilled Workmen Are Called To Assist (Exodus 35:10-19).
Exodus 35:10-19
‘And let every skilled (‘wise-hearted’) man among you come, and make all that
Yahweh has commanded, the Dwellingplace, its tent, and its covering, its clasps, and
its frames, its bars, its pillars, and its sockets; the Ark, and its staves, the mercy-seat,
and the Veil of the screen; the Table, and its staves, and all its vessels, and the
showbread; the Lampstand also for the light, and its vessels, and its lamps, and the
oil for the light; and the altar of incense, and its staves; and the anointing oil, and
the sweet incense; and the screen for the door, at the door of the Dwellingplace; the
altar of burnt-offering, with its grating of brass, it staves, and all its vessels; the
laver and its base; the hangings of the court, its pillars and their sockets, and the
screen for the gate of the court; the pegs of the Dwellingplace, and the pegs of the
court, and their cords; the finely wrought garments, for ministering in the holy
place, the holy garments for Aaron ‘the priest’, and the garments of his sons, to
minister in the priest's office.’
The skilled craftsmen were to bring their skills freely and make the different
furniture and components of the Dwellingplace which Yahweh had commanded.
For details of these see on Exodus 25:10 to Exodus 28:43. ote that the order in
which they are mentioned goes from the Holy of Holies to the outer court depending
on the level of holiness. This order differs from that in Exodus 25-30 because the
intention is different. There the aim was to present first the details of the means by
which Yahweh approached His people, followed then by the means by which they

approached Yahweh. Here it is in levels of holiness. We should note that in making
this furniture they were not following their own likes and dislikes, but only
concerned to do His will.
11 the tabernacle with its tent and its covering,
clasps, frames, crossbars, posts and bases;
BAR ES, "See Exo. 26:1-37. It has been already observed Exo_25:10 that in the
instructions for making the sanctuary, the ark of the covenant, as the principal thing
belonging to it, is mentioned first; but in the practical order of the work, as it is here
arranged, the tabernacle with its tent and covering come first.
CLARKE, "The tabernacle - See Exo_25:8.
GILL, "The tabernacle,.... Which is not a general name for the whole, the court, the
holy place, and the holy of holies; but designs the ten fine linen curtains curiously
wrought; or the under curtains, as Jarchi expresses it, which were within:
his tent; the curtains of goats' hair, which were a covering over the others, and were
made for a roof of the tabernacle, as the same writer observes:
and his covering; the covering for the tent, which was made of rams' skins, and
badgers' skins:
his taches; which clasped, coupled the curtains together, both the one and the other;
the one sort were of silver, and the other of brass:
and his boards, his bars, his pillars; which were all of shittim wood; the boards
were the walls of the tabernacle, the bars which kept them tight together, and the pillars
were those on which the hanging of the door of the tent, and on which the vail that
divided between the holy of holies, were hung; of all which, see Exo_26:1 &c. to end of
chapter:
and his sockets; which were of silver, into which the boards were let and fastened, see
Exo_26:19, &c.

PULPIT, "On the tabernacle, see Exodus 26:1-6; on the tent, Exodus 26:7-13; on the
covering, Exodus 26:14; the boards, Exodus 26:15-25; the bars, Exodus 26:26-29;
the pillars, Exodus 26:32-37; and the sockets, Exodus 26:19, Exodus 26:21, Exodus
26:25, Exodus 26:32, and Exodus 26:37. The enumeration comprises all the main
parts of which the tabernacle consisted.
12 the ark with its poles and the atonement cover
and the curtain that shields it;
BAR ES, "The covering - This is not the same as the covering of Exo_35:11, which
denotes the covering of the tent (see Exo_26:14): the word is used here for the entrance
curtains (see Exo_26:36; Exo_27:16).
CLARKE, "The ark - See Exo_25:10-17.
GILL, "The ark and the staves thereof,.... To carry it with, which were all made of
shittim wood:
with the mercy seat; made of pure gold; these were set in the most holy place:
and the vail of the covering; which divided between the holy and the holy of holies;
of these see Exo_25:10.
13 the table with its poles and all its articles and
the bread of the Presence;

CLARKE, "The table - See Exo_25:23-28.
GILL, "The table and his staves, and all his vessels,.... The table of shewbread,
and all things appertaining to it:
and the shewbread; which is mentioned for the sake of the table, and to show what
was intended, and the use of it; for otherwise the shewbread was not yet to be made, nor
by the artificers here called together; and is to be interpreted of the dishes of the
shewbread, in which it was put; and so Junius and Tremellius render it, the instruments
or vessels of the shewbread; of these see Exo_25:23.
COKE, "Exodus 35:13. And the shew-bread— i.e. (By an ellipsis frequent in the
Hebrew language) the plates, or patens, for the shew-bread. The Hebrews often
mention the thing contained for that in which it is contained.
REFLECTIO S.—God now condescending to dwell among them, the tabernacle is
to be erected. Moses delivers all his orders, and is particular on this head. With all
convenient speed they must begin; yet, though the work be urgent, the sabbath must
not be infringed on pain of death: they may not so much as kindle a fire for any
servile work. The sabbath is a day of sacred rest, and to be employed wholly with
and for God. The tabernacle is to be built by voluntary contribution: God will be
served, not by force, but by choice; and they who love the God of the tabernacle will
delight to honour him with their best, and be happy to employ their wealth to so
blessed a purpose. He has no part among the true Israel, who has a niggard heart in
God's service. The wisest must be selected for the work; it is not every man that is fit
for it. It is the shame of many, that when their children are fit for nothing else, they
thrust them into the ministry, and count that shining talents should have a more
gainful employment. But, surely, the greatest parts and most distinguished abilities
can never be so becomingly employed, as in the immediate service of God's church
and kingdom.
14 the lampstand that is for light with its
accessories, lamps and oil for the light;
CLARKE, "The candlestick - See Exo_25:31-39.

GILL, "The candlestick also for the light, and his furniture,.... The tongs and
snuff dishes:
and his lamps, with the oil for the light; the cups, in which were put the oil and the
wicks to burn and give light, as Jarchi interprets them; of these see Exo_25:31.
15 the altar of incense with its poles, the anointing
oil and the fragrant incense; the curtain for the
doorway at the entrance to the tabernacle;
CLARKE, "The incense altar - The golden altar, see Exo_30:1-10.
GILL, "And the incense altar, and his staves,.... Which were overlaid with gold;
hence this altar was called the golden altar, of which see Exo_30:1.
and the anointing oil and sweet incense; each of which were made of various
spices, see Exo_30:23.
and the hanging for the door at the entering in of the tabernacle; at the east
end of it, there being there, as Jarchi observes, neither boards nor curtains; see Exo_
27:16.
PULPIT, "The incense altar. See Exodus 30:1-10. His staves. See Exodus 30:5. The
anointing oil is described in the same chapter, Exodus 30:23-25; the sweet incense in
Exodus 30:34, Exodus 30:35; the hangings for the door in Exodus 26:36.
16 the altar of burnt offering with its bronze
grating, its poles and all its utensils; the bronze
basin with its stand;

CLARKE, "The altar of burnt-offering - The brazen altar, see Exo_27:1-8.
GILL, "The altar of burnt offering with his brazen grate, his staves, and all
his vessels,.... Of which see Exo_27:1.
the laver and his foot; Aben Ezra here observes that it had no staves, and conjectures
it was carried in wagons when removed.
17 the curtains of the courtyard with its posts and
bases, and the curtain for the entrance to the
courtyard;
CLARKE, "The hangings of the court - See Exo_27:9.
GILL, "The hangings of the court,.... Of the tabernacle, the outward court, which
were of fine twined linen, a hundred cubits long on each side, north and south, and fifty
cubits broad, east and west; see Exo_27:9.
his pillars, and their sockets; the pillars were they on which the hangings were
hung; and the sockets were what the pillars were let into and fastened in:
and the hanging for the door of the court; at the east of it, of which see Exo_27:16.
18 the tent pegs for the tabernacle and for the
courtyard, and their ropes;

BAR ES, "The word “tabernacle” ‫משׁכן‬ mıshkān is here used for the full name, the
tabernacle of the tent of meeting. It denotes the entire structure.
GILL, "The pins of the tabernacle,.... Which were to fix and fasten the ends of the
curtains in the ground, that they might not be moved with the wind, as Jarchi observes:
and the pins of the court, and their cords; which were for the same use; see Exo_
27:19.
PULPIT, "The pins of the tabernacle and the court had not been previously
mentioned. They must be regarded as tent-pegs, whereto were attached the cords
which kept taut the covering of the tent over the tabernacle, and which steadied the
pillars whereto the hangings of the court were fastened.
19 the woven garments worn for ministering in
the sanctuary—both the sacred garments for
Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons
when they serve as priests.”
BAR ES, "The cloths of service to do service in the holy place - Rather; the
garments of office to do service in the sanctuary, etc. See Exo_31:10.
CLARKE, "The clothes of service - Probably aprons, towels, and such like, used
in the common service, and different from the vestments for Aaron and his sons. See
these latter described Exo_28:1, etc.
GILL, "The cloths of service, to do service in the holy place,.... To wrap up the
various vessels of the tabernacle, when removed from place to place; see Exo_31:10 or
the priests' vestments, in which they did their service, and therefore it follows, by way of
apposition:
the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to

minister in the priest's office; for which there are particular directions in Exo_28:1.
20 Then the whole Israelite community withdrew
from Moses’ presence,
GILL, "And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the
presence of Moses. After they had heard what Moses was ordered to propose unto
them, they immediately went to their tents, and fetched what they had with them, or
were willing to part with, and brought it directly as a freewill offering to the Lord; as
Exo_35:21 shows: from hence, Aben Ezra observes, we may learn, that the whole
congregation of Israel came to the tabernacle, company after company.
HE RY 20-24, "Moses having made known to them the will of God, they went home
and immediately put in practice what they had heard, Exo_35:20. O that every
congregation would thus depart from the hearing of the word of God, with a full
resolution to be doers of the same! Observe here,
I. The offerings that were brought for the service of the tabernacle (Exo_35:21, etc.),
concerning which many things may be noted. 1. It is intimated that they brought their
offerings immediately; they departed to their tents immediately to fetch their offering,
and did not desire time to consider of it, lest their zeal should be cooled by delays. What
duty God convinces us of, and calls us to, we should set about speedily. No season will be
more convenient than the present season. 2. It is said that their spirits made them
willing (Exo_35:21), and their hearts, Exo_35:29. What they did they did cheerfully,
and from a good principle. They were willing, and it was not any external inducement
that made them so, but their spirits. It was from a principle of love to God and his
service, a desire of his presence with them in his ordinances, gratitude for the great
things he had done for them, faith in his promise of what he would further do (or, at
least, from the present consideration of these things), that they were willing to offer.
What we give and do for God is then acceptable when it comes from a good principle in
the heart and spirit. 3. When it is said that as many as were willing-hearted brought their
offerings (Exo_35:22), it should seem as if there were some who were not, who loved
their gold better than their God, and would not part with it, no, not for the service of the
tabernacle. Such there are, who will be called Israelites, and yet will not be moved by the
equity of the thing, God's expectations from them, and the good examples of those about
them, to part with any thing for the interests of God's kingdom: they are for the true
religion, provided it be cheap and will cost them nothing. 4. The offerings were of divers
kinds, according as they had; those that had gold and precious stones brought them, not
thinking any thing too good and too rich to part with for the honour of God. Those that
had not precious stones to bring brought goats' hair, and rams' skins. If we cannot do as
much as others for God, we must not therefore sit still and do nothing: if the meaner
offerings which are according to our ability gain us not such a reputation among men,

yet they shall not fail of acceptance with God, who requires according to what a man
hath, and not according to what he hath not, 2Co_8:12; 2Ki_5:23. Two mites from a
pauper were more pleasing than so many talents from a Dives. God has an eye to the
heart of the giver more than to the value of the gift. 5. Many of the things they offered
were their ornaments, bracelets and rings, and tablets or lockets (Exo_35:22); and even
the women parted with these. Can a maid forget her ornaments? Thus far they forgot
them that they preferred the beautifying of the sanctuary before their own adorning. Let
this teach us, in general, to part with that for God, when he calls for it, which is very dear
to us, which we value, and value ourselves by; and particularly to lay aside our
ornaments, and deny ourselves in them, when either they occasion offence to others or
feed our own pride. If we think those gospel rules concerning our clothing too strict
(1Ti_2:9, 1Ti_2:10; 1Pe_3:3, 1Pe_3:4), I fear we should scarcely have done as these
Israelites did. If they thought their ornaments well bestowed upon the tabernacle, shall
not we think the want of ornaments well made up by the graces of the Spirit? Pro_1:9. 6.
These rich things that they offered, we may suppose, were mostly the spoils of the
Egyptians; for the Israelites in Egypt were kept poor, till they borrowed at parting. And
we may suppose the rulers had better things (Exo_35:27), because, having more
influence among the Egyptians, they borrowed larger sums. Who would have thought
that ever the wealth of Egypt should have been so well employed? but thus God has often
made the earth to help the woman, Rev_12:16. It was by a special providence and
promise of God that the Israelites got all that spoil, and therefore it was highly fit that
they should devote a part of it to the service of that God to whom they owed it all. Let
every man give according as God hath prospered him, 1Co_16:2. Extraordinary
successes should be acknowledged by extraordinary offerings. Apply it to human
learning, arts and sciences, which are borrowed, as it were, from the Egyptians. Those
that are enriched with these must devote them to the service of God and his tabernacle:
they may be used as helps to understand the scriptures, as ornaments or handmaids to
divinity. But then great care must be taken that Egypt's gods mingle not with Egypt's
gold. Moses, though learned in all the learning of the Egyptians, did not therefore
pretend, in the least instance, to correct the pattern shown him in the mount. The
furnishing of the tabernacle with the riches of Egypt was perhaps a good omen to the
Gentiles, who, in the fulness of time, should be brought into the gospel tabernacle, and
their silver and their gold with them (Isa_60:9), and it should be said, Blessed be Egypt
my people, Isa_19:25. 7. We may suppose that the remembrance of the offerings made
for the golden calf made them the more forward in these offerings. Those that had then
parted with their ear-rings would not testify their repentance by giving the rest of their
jewels to the service of God: godly sorrow worketh such a revenge, 2Co_7:11. And those
that had kept themselves pure from that idolatry yet argued with themselves, “Were they
so forward in contributing to an idol, and shall we be backward or sneaking in our
offerings to the Lord?” Thus some good was brought even out of that evil.
JAMISO , "all the congregation of Israel departed from the presence of
Moses — No exciting harangues were made, nor had the people Bibles at home in which
they could compare the requirements of their leader and see if these things were so. But
they had no doubt as to his bearing to them the will of God, and they were impressed
with so strong a sense of its being their duty, that they made a spontaneous offer of the
best and most valuable treasures they possessed.
CALVI , "20.And all the congregation of the children of Israel. There is no reason

why any one should be surprised that the order of the narrative is changed, since it
plainly appears from many passages that the order of time is not always observed by
Moses. Thus he appears here to connect the fall of the people with the foregoing
injunctions, both with respect to the building of the tabernacle, and the rest of the
religious service of God. But I have shewn (292) upon good grounds that the
tabernacle was built before the people fell into idolatry. Therefore Moses now
supplies what had been before omitted, though I have followed the thread of the
narrative in order to render it less difficult.
The sum of this relation is, that whatever was necessary for the building of the
tabernacle was liberally contributed. It must be observed that they had departed
from the presence of Moses: for we gather from this circumstance that, having
severally retired to their tents, they had considered apart by themselves what they
should give. Hence their liberality is deserving of greater praise, because it was
premeditated; for it often happens that when a person has been bountiful from
sudden impulse, he afterwards repents of it. When it is added that “they came, every
one,” it is a question whether he means that the minds of the whole people were
prompt and cheerful in giving, or whether he indirectly rebukes the stinginess and
sordidness of those who meanly neglected their duty. In whichever way we choose to
take it, Moses repeats what we have seen before, that the offerings were not extorted
by force or necessity, but that they proceeded from voluntary and cordial feelings. I
thus construe the words, “They came, every one, as his heart stirred each of them
up,” as if he had said that they were not compelled by any law imposed upon them,
but that every one was his own lawgiver, of his own good-will. This passage is
absurdly twisted by the Papists in proof of free-will; as if men were incited by
themselves to act rightly and well; for Moses, even while praising their spontaneous
feelings, does not mean to exclude the grace of the Spirit, whereby alone our hearts
are inclined to holy affections; but this stirring up is contrasted with the
unwillingness by which ungodly men are withheld and restrained. Those, therefore,
whom the Spirit rules, He does not drag unwillingly by a violent and extrinsic
impulse, as it is called, but He so works within them upon their will, that believers
stir up themselves, and they voluntarily follow His leadings. So that when it is
added, “whose spirit was liberal in himself,” (293) the commencement of well-doing
is not ascribed to men, nor is even their concurrence praised, as if they co-operated
apart from God, but only the internal impulse of their minds, and the sincerity of
their desires·
PARKER, "The Popular Response
Exodus 35:20-29
The first nineteen verses of this chapter contain the speech which Moses delivered to
the congregation of the children of Israel, being the words which the Lord himself
had commanded. These nineteen verses are, indeed, a condensation of all that is
reported in detail in the previous chapters which we have studied with some
particularity. Our immediate concern is the answer of the people. Let the scene

vividly present itself to the eyes of our imagination. Moses has been in secret
conference with the Lord in the mountain; he has received instructions of a very
detailed and critical kind; he has come down and has reported to all Israel what he
has heard in the tabernacle of cloud; the proposition is now fairly before the people.
Wonderful, they seem to make no reply at once. That is scarcely matter of surprise.
ever was speech of the kind made to mortal ears before. It seemed to overlook all
time, all faculty, all opportunity, to vex and distress every line and fibre of the
human soul and the human constitution. The instruction was critical up to the point
of vexatiousness, and exacting up to the point of extortion. It was a frightful claim.
The people seem to have paused awhile—to have gone away from Moses and to have
thought over the whole matter. The twentieth verse is therefore a verse of negation;
we simply read that "all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the
presence of Moses." We have often departed from the altar; we have often left the
church, saying, "Who is sufficient for these things? This altar demands much from
us,—yea, it lays its voracious hand upon our whole life." So thinking, we have left
the threshold of the church, silently, somewhat sullenly, with a great wonder
brooding in the heart, not being certain within ourselves whether we should have
returned to hear speech so exasperating and so all-claiming. Let us be charitable to
the silence of men. Perhaps they may come again not the less enthusiastically that
they have gone away under the silence of a great surprise. Religion is nothing if it is
not great. Were it to come to us with mean petitions, we might go back to it with
meaner prayers; but religion comes claiming all, and therefore entitles us to return
claiming according to the same scale; so the claim of Heaven and the prayer of men
balance one another in sublime and honest equilibrium. The Lord had said long
ago, "Let us make Prayer of Manasseh ," so now he seems to say to Prayer of
Manasseh , "Let us make the tabernacle." As there was a plural in the creation, so
there is a plural in this building. God seeks human cooperation. We forget that the
tabernacle is as much for men as it is for God. We call the church "the house of
God," and so it is; yet there is an obvious and deeply solemn sense in which the
church is also the house of Man. We put the church away from us among the clouds
which conceal the superstitions when we think of it only as the house of God. It is
that first; but it is only God"s house that it may be our house in some tenderer way.
It is our Father"s house. It is the only house in which man can truly see himself. In
other houses he is flattered, but never in the house of God; in other houses man sees
a picture of himself, and wonders at the delicacy of the artist who could so make
colour and form speak so eloquently, but in the house of God man sees himself as he
really Isaiah , and what he is he only knows who has been closeted alone with God.
The ignorant man does not know how ignorant he is; so long as he keeps company
with his equals, the whole earth moves tardily along one low level; but when an
ignorant man comes in contact with intelligence, the intelligence need assume no
attitude of superiority—need speak in no tone of dominance. Ignorance feels itself to
be little, small, contemptible, feeble. Increase the intelligence, and you increase the
humiliation; add to the intelligence, and you deepen the sense of disparity and
unworthiness. What is true intellectually Isaiah , if one might so say, truer still
morally. We know not what we are till we see the holiness of God. The house of God
is the symbolic home; it is the gate of heaven; it stands—insulated by infinite
sacredness, yet approachable through all holy sympathies—between time and

eternity. It is neither here nor there; it overleaps both spaces. God devised the
house; Man built it; the house is built for two and only two,—the one the infinite
God, the other the all but infinite Humanity.
When the people returned they came back with enthusiastic haste,—hearts were
stirred up, hands were wide opened, the whole life had begun, the agony and the
delight of sacrifice. How the answer throbs with love! Can love be mistaken? Is
there not an accent in its voice that can be heard in no other speech? Has it not a
manner of its own? Does it ever cease—saying, "That is enough"? Does it keep back
one bracelet, earring, jewel, skin of ram, or badger-skin? We want less argument
and more love. But love is an argument. We do injustice to enthusiasm when we
depose it from a position amongst the logical powers and authorities. Enthusiasm is
reasoning on fire—ablaze with that ardour which burns but does not consume.
Coldness is the deadliest enemy. Fear the cold man more than the atheist. He sends a
chill through all the regions of the Church; no hymn lifts him into rapture; no view
of Divine truth transfigures him or makes his raiment glisten with sparkles of light;
he is outside the fire of the most burning appeal; yet for some inscrutable reason he
is within the lines of the visible Church. The cold man is not brought up for
excommunication, but he ought to be. We expel the drunkard, as we deem him to be
such, though no drunkard may he be in heart; yet we call the cold man respectable.
Our discipline needs revision. The drunkard—for whom I have no word of
commendation in so far as he has fallen from sobriety—may be the better man of
the two. A cold professor of religion is the deadliest enemy of the Cross. His theology
is formally right; in the letter he is orthodox enough, even to satisfy geometry; but
he is heterodox in soul, he is a heretic in feeling; the temperature of his heart shows
that he may have the form of godliness but not the power. Were it given to me to
appeal to all the ages of time and all the nominal followers of Christ, I think I should
adopt the tone of a man who is afraid of coldness rather than of opposition, of
iciness of feeling rather than of intellectual hostility. Herein the Church is fatally
wrong. She will endorse the cold man and expel the earnest contemplatist and
speculatist; she lays hands on daring yet reverent speculation, and allows the cold
man to lift up his hand of ice in sign of legitimate ecclesiastical authority. Better
have two men in your congregation who are in burning earnest than a houseful of
men whose souls are destitute of enthusiasm. You gain in weight what you lose in
number; you gain in force what you lose in show. The prayer of every devout heart
should be: "Baptise me as with fire."
The answer of the people was marked by the spirit of willinghood. Some form of the
word willing occurs again and again: "Every one whom his spirit made willing";
"As many as were willing-hearted." God will have nothing out of the reluctant
hand. We may throw an offering down, but it is not taken up by Heaven. It
evaporates downwards; it is not received by the condescending and sympathetic
sun. There are people, blessed be God, in every Christian land, who are content to
find their whole joy in doing good. They say they have no higher delight; they are
inventive in beneficence; a smile irradiates the face as with an inner light when they
have hit upon some new method of showing love and loyalty to God. The Church is
large enough for all they are and have, and if its line leave any out side, they will

extend the Church so as to include all things harmless, beautiful, tender, gracious;
and so the Church roof shall be large as the firmament. This is the ideal towards
which we should work. See what willingness implies. Being intelligent, it means
conviction, saying, if not in words yet in actions, "This is right: this is the road that
leads onward, upward, Godward, and we take it inch by inch,—here very steep,
there almost dangerous; but this is the road." It implies self-denial. There are
men—strange as the sentiment may sound in our ears—abasing all miracles into
commonplaces, who do deny themselves that they may have another coal to put
upon God"s altar. There is no miracle Diviner than that extravagance of
economy;—men who pinch themselves that the child may have another year"s
schooling, women who say nothing of their deprivations that they may add
something to the success of some cause of progress and righteousness. There are
men and women who have concentrated themselves upon what they believe to be a
Divine work, and they are the men and women who make the noblest and brightest
chapters in history. There may even be a touch of superstition in their veneration;
submitted to a very close analysis, what they do may exhibit here and there a
combination and admixture of elements hardly to be approved by an absolutely
accurate chemistry; but the fire that is in them is a wondrous solvent and
disinfectant, and is accepted of God, who is himself fire, as something kindred to his
own eternal nature. Out of such conviction and self-denial there comes a process of
education. We thus become used to certain methods and sacrifices. A habit is begun,
continued, consolidated, and at last it expresses itself in new solidities of character.
We cannot build a tabernacle in a day. The tabernacle is a symbol of life or it is
nothing. This beautiful creation in the desert—something between a thought and a
thing—is a symbol of that nobler tabernacle—human life, spirit, character; and we
know that the element of time has much to do with the perfecting of the building. It
takes a long time to make a fit tabernacle—it will take the time of eternity.
The answer was enthusiastic and expressed willinghood, ana yet it involved work of
every kind. A Church must go to work if it would enjoy the spirit of unity and
peace.
The answer was the deepest and truest cure of all murmuring, The people had been
murmuring again and again, but the moment they began to work they ceased to
complain. A new music steals into the strain of the history; we hear the motion, we
observe the activity, we are astounded by the energy; and what appears to be the
tumult of enthusiasm and passion settles into a deep harmony of consent and
sacrifice. You would murmur less if you worked more. An evil thing is idleness. It
must always sit with coldness, and the two must keep one another in evil
countenance. Yet we have come to such a time in the history of things when the sons
of rich men have nothing to do, and therefore they do mischief with both hands.
Their fathers made the money, rendering work unnecessary, and therefore the sons
rot in corruption or become enfeebled through inaction. It is the same in the
Church: the great wars are all over and "the battle flag is furled." ow we have
come to periods of criticism, dilettanteism, easy and self-comforting speculation; we
have turned theology into a box of toys or into a chest of wooden mysteries which we
open from time to time trying to fit the pieces into some reluctant unity. Persecution

is dead; penalty for conviction is obsolete. We have fallen upon the evil times of
theological exhaustion and luxury. Verily, we are dainty in our taste now; some men
we will not hear,—without knowing them, without so much as having heard their
names, we turn away in implied disgust from their offered ministry. This comes of
living in periods of intellectual and theological confectionery. What is to be done?
Who can tell? It is easy to go with the multitude; it is comfortable to have no
convictions; it is delightful to be relieved of every duty but the pleasant one of
passing criticism upon other people. The tabernacle is built, the temple is finished,
theology is concluded, the last volume has been published, all the standards have
been erected, and we have fallen upon the evil times of having nothing to do. We are
wrong; there is more to be done now than there ever was before; every wall of the
sanctuary is to be heightened,—the foundation we cannot touch, that was laid in
eternity; but what room there is for enlargement, for improvement, for increase of
hospitality, for growth in all noblest wisdom and sympathy! What an opportunity
there is this day for the Church to stand outside her own hospitable walls and say to
the sons of men, "This is your Father"s house, and in it there is bread enough and to
spare"! The Church includes all other houses that are at all good, or that want to be
good. What is the Church to our imagination? Let there be one great central
meeting-place;—but that will not suffice. Round about there must be a thousand
little houses,—outer dependencies having direct connection with the house-fire and
with the house-comfort; so near that the voice of prayer can be overheard; so near
that now and again some gentle tone of celestial appeal can penetrate. All schools, all
asylums that express the spirit of philanthropy, all houses devoted to the education
and the culture of the human soul with all its varied mystery of faculty, should be
included. I would let them all build against the Church, so that the Church should
be one wall of the building; and the time may come when all the outside
dependencies and attachments may be turned inside; then we shall know the
meaning of the doctrine uttered by the sweetest of all voices: "In my Father"s house
are many mansions." The eternal appeal of Heaven is for service. This is the wisdom
of God; he keeps us at work,—work which he lightens with pleasure, which he
intermits by many a Sabbath day"s enjoyment and quietude,—work which brings
its own reward; work which is not service only but payment on the spot; we are
rewarded by the mere doing of it. When we are in the passion of the service we feel
that any other compensation than that given by service itself is unequal to the
sublime occasion; it fills the soul, it enchants the spirit with highest delight; it brings
the worker every eventide into the very peace and security of heaven. The one thing
to be feared is stagnation. That is to be feared with all the terror possible to the
human soul. Fear no opposition, fear no atheism, infidelity, unbelief, controversy,—
hail it; welcome it; your enemies may be turned into your friends; but what can we
do with stagnation? That is the deadliest unbelief;—disbelief as implying intellectual
activity it is not, but unbelief as implying intellectual stagnation and spiritual death
it Isaiah , and therefore it is the worst form of opposition to the demands of Heaven.
Better have a tumult than stagnation. Better that our services should be interrupted
than that they should be conducted perfunctorily, beginning in coldness and ending
in some deadlier chill. Better have war than death. Hear Heaven"s sweet appeal for
service, for sacrifice, and know that the appeal is not the demand of exaggeration,
but that it is inspired by the very spirit of consideration for human feeling, and

expresses the very philosophy of human spiritual education.
PETT, "Verses 20-29
The People Bring Gifts In Abundance (Exodus 35:20-29).
Exodus 35:20-22
‘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, and every one whom
his spirit made willing, and brought Yahweh’s offering, for the work of the Tent of
Meeting, and for all its service, and for the holy garments. And they came, both men
and women, as many as were willing-hearted, and brought brooches, and earrings,
and signet-rings, and armlets, all jewels of gold; even every man that offered an
offering of gold to Yahweh.’
When they heard Moses’ words the people went away, and stirred in heart and
spirit, as many as were made willing brought their offerings to Yahweh of jewellery,
and ornaments and gold. ote that it included men and women. They gladly
sacrificed their ornaments and jewellery. Many of them, of course, they had earlier
abandoned at Yahweh’s command (Exodus 33:5-6). But none of the people were left
out and we may be sure that Yahweh noticed each contribution as He did the
contribution of the widow woman in the Temple in the time of Jesus (Mark 12:42-
43).
21 and everyone who was willing and whose heart
moved them came and brought an offering to the
Lord for the work on the tent of meeting, for all
its service, and for the sacred garments.
CLARKE, "Every one whose heart stirred him up - Literally, whose heart was
lifted up - whose affections were set on the work, being cordially engaged in the service
of God.
GILL, "And they came everyone whose heart stirred him up,.... Who felt an
impulse upon his mind, a strong inclination in him:

and everyone whom his spirit made willing; or was endowed with a free and
liberal spirit, and was heartily willing to bear a part, and cheerfully contribute to this
service; otherwise the willing mind, as well as the ability, were given them of God; see
1Ch_29:14,
and they brought the Lord's offering; an offering to him, and such as he directed
and disposed them to bring, and which was for his worship and service, and the honour
of his name, and was acceptable to him:
to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation; for the making of that, the
several parts of it, and all things in it:
and for all his service; either the service of God, or of his tabernacle, which is the
same:
and for the holy garments; that is, of Aaron and his sons.
JAMISO , "they came, every one whose heart stirred him up — One powerful
element doubtless of this extraordinary open-hearted liberality was the remembrance of
their recent transgression, which made them “zealous of good works” (compare 2Co_
7:11). But along with this motive, there were others of a higher and nobler kind - a
principle of love to God and devotedness to His service, an anxious desire to secure the
benefit of His presence, and gratitude for the tokens of His divine favor: it was under the
combined influence of these considerations that the people were so willing and ready to
pour their contributions into that exchequer of the sanctuary.
every one whom his spirit made willing — Human nature is always the same,
and it is implied that while an extraordinary spirit of pious liberality reigned in the
bosoms of the people at large, there were exceptions - some who were too fond of the
world, who loved their possessions more than their God, and who could not part with
these; no, not for the service of the tabernacle.
BE SO , "Verse 21-22
Exodus 35:21-22. Every one whom his spirit made willing — What they did they did
cheerfully. They were willing; and it was not any external inducement that made
them so, but their spirits. It was from a principle of love to God and his service; a
desire of his presence with them by his ordinances, gratitude for the great things he
had done for them, and faith in his promises of what he would do further.
COKE, "Exodus 35:21. Whose heart stirred him up— In the Hebrew it is, whose
heart lifted him up; and so in Exodus 35:26. othing elevates and exalts the mind so
much as true piety and gratitude to God.
ELLICOTT, "Verse 21
THE ZEAL OF THE PEOPLE I OFFERI G A D ASSISTI G I THE WORK.
(21) They came, every one whose heart stirred him up.—All classes came, “men and
women” (Exodus 35:22), rich and poor, “rulers” (Exodus 35:27), and those whose
only skill was to “spin with their hands” (Exodus 35:25). And the great majority

Exodus 35 commentary

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