The Second Book of Moses: Exodus

⭑ Catholic Public Domain Version 2009 ⭑

- Chapter 38 -

(Exodus 27:1–8)

He also made the altar of holocaust from setim wood: five cubits square, and three in height,

the horns of which proceeded from the corners. And he covered it with layers of brass.

And for its uses, he prepared diverse vessels out of brass: kettles, forceps, little hooks, larger hooks, and receptacles for the fire.(a)

And he made its grating of brass, in the manner of a net, and under it, in the midst of the altar, its base,

casting four rings at the four ends of the net in order to set the bars, so as to carry it.

These bars he also made of setim wood, and he covered them with layers of brass.

And he drew them through the rings, which projected from the sides of the altar. But the altar itself was not solid, but hollow, made from panels and empty inside.

The Bronze Basin

(Exodus 30:17–21)

He also made the washtub of brass, with its base made from the mirrors of the women who kept watch at the door of the tabernacle.(b)

The Courtyard

(Exodus 27:9–19)

He also made the atrium, at the south side of which were hangings of fine twisted linen of one hundred cubits and

twenty columns of brass with their bases. The heads of the columns and all of the engraving work were of silver.

Equally, at the northern area, the hangings, the columns, and the bases and heads of the columns were of the same measure and work and metal.

Yet truly, on that side which looks out toward the west, there were hangings of fifty cubits, and ten columns with their bases of brass. And the heads of the columns and all of the engraving work were of silver.

Furthermore, toward the east, he prepared hangings of fifty cubits:

of which, there were fifteen cubits, among three columns with their bases, holding up one side,

and on the other side, (for between the two he made the entrance of the tabernacle) there were equally hangings of fifteen cubits, and three pillars, and the same number of bases.(c)

All the hangings of the atrium were woven from fine twisted linen.

The bases of the columns were of brass, but their heads with all of their engravings were of silver. Now he also overlaid the columns of the atrium themselves with silver.

And he made, at its entrance, a hanging, wrought with embroidery, of hyacinth, purple, vermillion, and fine twisted linen, which held twenty cubits in length, yet truly it was five cubits in height, as with the measure of all the hangings of the atrium.

Now the columns at the entrance were four, with bases of brass, and their heads and engravings were of silver.

Likewise, the tent pegs of the tabernacle and the atrium all around he made of brass.

An Inventory of Materials

(Ezra 2:68–70; Nehemiah 7:70–73)

These are the instruments of the tabernacle of the testimony, which were enumerated according to the instruction of Moses, with the ceremonies of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest,

which Bezalel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur from the tribe of Judah, had completed, just as the Lord decreed through Moses.

He was joined by his associate, Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, from the tribe of Dan, who himself was also an exceptional artisan of wood, and of weaving, as well as of embroidery, with hyacinth, purple, vermillion, and fine linen.

All of the gold that was expended in the work of the Sanctuary, and that was offered in donation, was twenty-nine talents and seven hundred thirty shekels, according to the measure of the Sanctuary.(d)

Now it was offered by those who were past the numbering of twenty years and above: from six hundred and three thousand, five hundred and fifty men able to bear arms.

There were, beyond that, one hundred talents of silver, from which were cast the bases for the Sanctuary and for the entrance where the veil hangs.

One hundred bases were made from one hundred talents, a single talent being counted for each base.

But from one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five, he made the heads of the columns, which he also clothed with silver.(e)

Likewise, of brass, there was offered seventy-two thousand talents, and four hundred more shekels,

from which were cast the bases at the entrance of the tabernacle of the testimony, and the altar of brass with its grating, and the vessels which pertain to its use,

and the bases of the atrium, as much at the circumference as at its entrance, and the tent pegs of the tabernacle and of the atrium all round.

Footnotes

(a)38:3 The word ‘fuscinulas’ refers to smaller hooks, sometimes with three hooks joined; the word ‘uncinos’ refers to a single larger hook.(Conte)

(b)38:8 The women at the door of the tabernacle had mirrors with them, probably so that they could look into the tabernacle. They were not allowed to enter the tabernacle. This may have been the Tabernacle that was being worked on, for the parts would have to be assembled to assure that they were made to the correct specifications. Or it may have been the existing tent which held the ark and the tablets of the testimony prior to the building of the Tabernacle.(Conte)

(c)38:15 The Temple of Jerusalem was a symbol and foreshadowing of the Christ. The Tabernacle that prepared for the Temple was a symbol and foreshadowing of the Virgin Mary.(Conte)

(d)38:24 This was about 2,000 pounds of gold. Almost all of this gold came from the Egyptians (who gave it to the Israelites as they were leaving), for the Israelites possessed very little during their servitude in Egypt.(Conte)

(e)38:28 It is not clear whether this weight refers to talents or to shekels. If the silver refers only to the silver at the heads of the columns, then it would be shekels.(Conte)