Exodus 40.1-38 / Exodus Wrap-Up

The Tabernacle Erected and Its Equipment Installed / The Cloud and the Glory / Exodus Wrap-up

The Tabernacle Erected and Its Equipment Installed: Exodus 40.1-33

The completed construction of the tabernacle represents the beginning of a new era in the history of the Israelites. The tabernacle is to be set up on the first day of the first month (of the second year). The new year symbolizes a new beginning, a new iteration of life for the Israelites. Instead of the various altars before, they now have a single place from which to serve God. More importantly, God is always with them, his earthly dwelling always carried from one location to the next. Though they seek the promised land, they are continually in God's presence. This does not make them ritually holy, but it does set them apart from the other peoples inhabiting the wilderness and, in fact, the people of the past, who were not constantly in God's presence. To be constantly in the presence of God creates a different way of living that had never been seen. Yet the close proximity will not ensure an end to dialectical tensions. In fact, it will highlight them in chapters to come.

God commands Moses to set up and anoint the tabernacle and everything in it. Aaron and his sons shall then wash themselves and be dressed as prescribed.

Moses does all this apparently by himself, on the first day of the first month of the second year.

The Cloud and the Glory: Exodus 40.34-38

The cloud comes to cover the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord fills the tabernacle. This cloud is the same cloud that covered Mount Sinai, where it was for a time "homeless" until the construction of the tabernacle and the mercy seat, where the divine presence could reside. The divine presence is so strong, so holy, that even Moses is not able to enter the tent of meeting (the innermost tent) when the cloud settles upon it.

The cloud is related to the pillar of cloud and fire that initially led the Israelites out of Egypt; just as the pillar of cloud becomes a pillar of fire at night, the cloud is filled with fire at night. Also, the Israelites follow signs from the cloud, just as they followed the pillar. The cloud leaving the tabernacle is a sign that the Israelites should be moving on. This is the angel of the Lord that God has promised would lead them.

Exodus Wrap-up

Exodus ends with movement, a suitable (and almost cinematic) ending to a story of escape and preparation to be led through the wilderness. We are in year two of the forty year wandering.

The dialectical tensions between the Lord and the Israelites are brought into the foreground in this chapter more than in Genesis. Genesis does contain the greatest of all dialectical tensions, the first display of human desire defying God's commandments. And there is no doubt that many people die in Genesis because of their actions contrary to God's will. Exodus, however, narrows the focus to God's own people, and the situation becomes more complicated. It is one thing for Abram to plead for the salvation of Lot's family in Sodom and quite another thing for Moses to plead with God to continue leading God's people to the promised land. The Israelites will not survive without God, but they lack faith in God. More troubling is the golden calf incident, in which another god replaces the true God so quickly after their leader disappears, seemingly taking his god with him. Here the Israelites seem to want their own God, rather than the one they were born with. But without faith in God, the Israelites will struggle.

Isn't that interesting? The more the Israelites need God, the more they need to trust in God, but the less likely they are to have that trust because they are in need. That is the scene played over and over throughout Exodus - one of its strongest themes.

The next book, Leviticus is a book largely comprised of instructions for the priests - its early rabbinic name was "Priest's Manual." It is an instruction manual stuck in the middle of a story. But there is literature in it yet!

Ex. 35.1-39.43

We return now to more laws and instructions. Actually, the laws and instructions are nearly the same as the ones that God gave to Moses - Moses is just reiterating them for the Israelites and Bezalel is building the tabernacle as instructed. I am just going to go over these briefly because I am really itching to get to Leviticus, which, of course, will be filled with more laws and instructions. So here, in brief, are the laws and Bezalel's construction of the tabernacle. They are rather formulaic, and I attempt to echo this with my own style.

Sabbath Regulations / Preparations for Making the Tabernacle / Offerings of the Tabernacle / Bezalel and Oholiab / Construction of the Tabernacle / Making the Ark of the Covenant / Making the Table for the Bread of the Presence / Making the Lampstand / Making the Altar of Incense / Making the Anointing Oil and the Incense / Making Altar of Burnt Offering (and Basin) / Making the Court of the Tabernacle / Materials for the Tabernacle / Making the Vestments for the Priesthood / The Work Completed

Moses assembles the congregation of the Israelites and tells them...

Sabbath Regulations: Exodus 35.1-3

Keep the sabbath on the seventh day. Those who work should be put to death. Do not kindle fire in your house on the sabbath.

Preparations for Making the Tabernacle: Exodus 35.4-19

Moses collects an offering of essential materials for the tabernacle. The skillful are called to construct all its elements.

Offerings of the Tabernacle: Exodus 35.20-29

The people withdraw to collect their offerings, spin yarns for the curtains, etc. Everyone who feels compelled to do so makes this freewill offering to the Lord.

Building the Tabernacle

Bezalel and Oholiab: Exodus 35.30-36.7

[For more on these two character, see the post on Exodus 31.] Moses tells the Israelites that God has filled Bezalel and Oholiab with the divine spirit, making them skilled craftsmen in every craft.

Moses then calls the two men and "every skillful one to whom the Lord has given skill and understanding" to construct the sanctuary (Ex. 36.1). Moses gives them the materials he has collected, but every morning people bring more, so much so that the workers tell Moses that the Israelites are bringing too much. Moses actually has to command that no one else is to make an offering - what they had already brought it enough.

Construction of the Tabernacle: Exodus 36.8-38

The tabernacle is made in accordance with God's instructions [see Exodus 26 for the specifics, or click on "Exodus 36.8-38 above]. The biblical author does not explicate exactly who constructs it. Exodus 36.8-9 indicates that many skilled workers participate, but Exodus 36.10 onwards simply uses the pronoun "he." Since the narrative seems to focus on Bezalel, I would venture to say the pronoun refers to him. The next chapter seems to confirm this.

Making the Ark of the Covenant: Exodus 37.1-9

Bezalel makes the ark of the covenant and mercy seat, complete with cherubim, according to the divine instructions.

Making the Table for the Bread of the Presence: Exodus 37.10-16

Bezalel makes the table for the bread of the presence as well as its vessels, plates, dishes, bowls, and flagons of pure gold.

Making the Lampstand: Exodus 37.17-24

Bezalel makes the lampstand according to the divine instructions.

Making the Altar of Incense: Exodus 37.25-28

Bezalel makes the altar of incense according to the divine instructions.

Making the Anointing Oil and the Incense: Exodus 37.29

Bezalel makes the anointing oil and incense according to the divine instructions.

Making Altar of Burnt Offering (and Basin): Exodus 38.1-8

Bezalel makes the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils according to the divine instructions. And then something different:

He made the basin of bronze, with its stand of bronze, from the mirrors of the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
(Ex. 38.8)

Making the Court of the Tabernacle: Exodus 38.9-20

Bezalel makes the court of the tabernacle according to the divine instructions.

An Inventory

Yes, the bible is much more than stories. It is also comprised of building instructions, laws, history, and apparently inventories. One of these inventories appear here.

Materials for the Tabernacle: Exodus 38.21-31
The inventory is introduced:

These are the records of the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the covenant, which were drawn up at the commandment of Moses, the work of the Levites being under the direction of Ithamar son of the priest Aaron. Bezalel son of Uri son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the Lord commanded Moses; and with him was Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, engraver, designer, and embroiderer in blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and in fine linen.
(Ex. 38.21-23)

Ithamar is introduced here, and Oholiab is given a greater emphasis. Before Oholiab was simply a man who helped Bezalel. Here his resume is given.

Here is the inventory of materials used:
Gold: 29 talents, 730 shekels
Silver: 100 talents, 1,775 shekels

This is half a shekel for everyone counted in the census (which, actually, has not taken place yet): 603,550 men. A talent of silver was used for each of the hundred bases of the curtain. The 1,775 shekels of silver were used to make hooks.

Bronze: 70 talents, 2,400 shekels

The bronze was used to make the bases for the entrance of the tent of meeting, the bronze altar and grating and utensils, the bases around the court, the bases of the gat, the pegs of the court, and the pegs of the tabernacle.

Making the Vestments for the Priesthood: Exodus 39.1-31
The making of the vestments is described, alternating between the pronouns "he" (presumably Bezalel) and "they" (presumably Bezalel and Oholiab) in referring to the craftsmen.

The Work Completed: Exodus 39.32-43
The Israelites, having completed the construction of the tabernacle and all its parts and adornments as the Lord commanded, present their work to Moses. When Moses sees that the Israelites did their work just as God commanded, he blesses them.

Exodus 25.1-40

Offerings for the Tabernacle / The Ark of the Covenant / The Table for the Bread of the Presence / The Lampstand

The next seven chapters will be rather interesting, all of them establishing how to set up the tabernacle, the mobile dwelling of God while the Israelites are in the wilderness. Frequently it reads like an instruction manual. So at times I will be flirting with structural analysis; please bear with me.

Think of it this way: books like Melville's Moby Dick and Hemingway's Death in the Afternoon contain lengthy descriptions of processes and structures. At times it is like reading an instruction manual. These authors felt some great need to establish perfectly in the reader's mind exactly what they were talking about. The biblical authors felt these need, though probably more keenly. What we have here is an actual instruction manual with detailed descriptions. Melville and Hemingway created a world for their readers by describing the world they knew. The biblical authors created a world for their readers (especially for us, separated by so much time) by describing, in explicit detail, the world they knew.

If you're having any trouble visualizing the tabernacle, check out the model on Bible Places.

Offerings for the Tabernacle: Exodus 25.1-9

God tells Moses that the Israelites are to bring him offerings of the following:

• Metals
• Gold
• Silver
• Bronze
• Yarns and fine linens in the following colors
• Blue
• Purple
• Crimson
• Animal Products
• Goats' hair
• Tanned rams' skins
• Fine leather
• Acacia wood
• Oil for the lamps
• Spices for anointing and incense
• Stones to be set in the ephod for the breast-piece
• Onyx stones
• Gems

The Israelites shall make a sanctuary for God "so that I may dwell among them" (Ex. 25.8). The tabernacle and its furniture will follow the instructions God will give.

The Ark of the Covenant: Exodus 25.10-22

The Ark
The Israelites shall make an ark of acacia wood overlaid inside and out with solid (translates as "pure" but meaning what we would call "solid") gold, with a gold molding all around. Each of the four feet will have a gold ring, through which poles of acacia wood overlaid with gold may be placed in order to carry the ark. The poles should not be removed. The ark is to contain the covenant that God will give to the Israelites

Dimensions (in cubits): 2.5 long x 1.5 wide x 1.5 high. [=3.75' x 2.25' x 2.25'; one cubit = 18 inches]

The Mercy Seat/Cover
A mercy seat/cover of solid gold on which God will sit

Dimensions (in cubits): 2.5 long x 1.5 wide

Two cherubim of hammered gold shall extend from the sides of the mercy seat, one at either end. They should have wings spread and face one another.

The mercy seat shall be placed atop the ark, and God will sit on it and deliver commands.

[Cherubim, according to the HaperCollins Study Bible, are "winged sphinxes with the body of a bull or lion and a human head.]

The Table for the Bread of the Presence: Exodus 25.23-30

Dimensions (in cubits): 2 long x 1 wide x 1.5 high

Overlaid with gold and featuring a gold molding.

The rim should be one handbreadth wide, and should have gold molding around it.

Rings and poles should be created and fastened in the same fashion as the ark for carrying.

Plates and dishes for incense, as well as flagons and bowls for drink offerings, should be made of solid gold.

"You shall set the bread of the Presence on the table before me always" (Ex. 25.30).

The Lampstand: Exodus 25.31-40

The lampstand should be hammered of one talent (3,000 shekels or 170,100 carats or 34 kilograms or 74 pounds) of solid gold (no soldering allowed!).

Its base and shaft hammered, its cups, calyxes and petals all of the same piece of metal.

There should be six branches, three to either side, each branch with three cups shaped like almond blossoms, complete with calyx and petals.

Four cups shape like almond blossoms should adorn the lampstand itself.

Beneath each pair of branches (branches presumably side-by-side) there should be a calyx.

Seven lamps shall be made for it.

Accessories (snuffers and trays) should be made of solid gold.