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The Pulpit Commentary
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 25:8
Earthly sanctuaries typical of the heavenly dwelling-place. Such habitations as God condescends to acknowledge for his in this earthly sphere, are, all of them, more or less types of the New Jerusalem, the eternal heave…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 25:8
A sanctuary well expresses the Hebrew micdash, which is derived from cadash—"to be holy." It is a name never given to the temples of the heathen deities. That I may dwell among them. Compare Exodus 29:45; Numbers 35:34.…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 25:9
The patterns. Many of the old Jewish commentators supposed, that Moses was shown by God a real material structure, which actually existed in the heavens, far grander than its earthly copy, after which he was to have the…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 25:10-22
The symbolism of the ark of the covenant. The symbolical meaning of the ark of the covenant may be considered, either I. SEPARATELY, AS TO ITS PARTS. These were II. COLLECTIVELY, AS TO THE BEARING OF THE SEVERAL PARTS O…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 25:10-22
EXPOSITION THE PATTERN OF THE ARK.—Moses is first shown, not the pattern of the tabernacle, but the patterns of those things which it was to contain—the ark, the table of shew-bread, and the seven-branched candlestick,…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 25:10
Thou shalt make an ark of shittim wood. Arks were an ordinary part of the religious furniture of temples in Egypt, and were greatly venerated. They usually contained a figure or emblem, of some deity. Occasionally they…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 25:10-40
The ark, the table, and the candlestick. The instructions for the making of these essential parts of the tabernacle furniture occupy the remainder of the chapter. The directions for making the altar of incense are postp…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 25:10-40
What must be found with every soul that is God's dwelling-place I. THE ARK (Exodus 25:10-22). The place where the Lord meets and communes with us. 1. It contained the testimony. The light of the meeting-place with God i…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 25:11
Thou shalt overlay it with pure gold. Or, "cover it with pure gold." As gilding was well known in Egypt long before the time of the exodus, it is quite possible that the chest was simply gilt without and within. It may,…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 25:12
Four rings of gold. These rings were to be fixed, not at the upper, but at the lower corners of the chest, which are called pa'amoth, literally "feet" or "bases." The object was, no doubt, that no part of the chest shou…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 25:13
Staves of shittim wood. Similar staves, or poles, are to be seen in the Egyptian sculptures, attached to arks, thrones, and litters, and resting on the shoulders of the men who carry such objects.
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 25:14
That the ark may be borne with them. The Hebrew ark was not made, like the Egyptian arks, for processions, and was never exhibited in the way of display, as they were. The need of carrying it arose from the fact, that t…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 25:15
The staves, when once inserted into the rings of the ark, were never to be taken from them. The object probably was that there might be no need of touching even the rings, when the ark was set down or taken up. The bear…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 25:16
The testimony which I will give thee, is undoubtedly the Decalogue, or in other words, the two tables of stone, written with the finger of God, and forming his testimony against sin. (Compare Deuteronomy 31:26, Deuteron…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 25:17
Thou shalt make a mercy seat. Modern exegesis has endeavoured to empty the word kapporeth of its true meaning, witnessed to by the Septuagint, as well as by the Epistle to the Hebrews (Hebrews 9:5). It tells us that a k…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 25:18
Two cherubims. The form "cherubims,'' which our translators affect, is abnormal and indefensible. They should have said either "cherubim," or "cherubs." The exact shape of the Temple cherubim was kept a profound secret…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 25:18-21
He maketh the winds his messengers, and his ministers a flame of fire. The cherubim were to be of one piece with the mercy seat, the whole a lid, or guard above the lid, to the ark or chest which contained the tables of…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 25:19
On the one end on the other end … on the two ends. The preposition used is in every case the same as,that of the last clause of Exodus 25:18—viz; min, "from." The idea is that the figures rose from the two ends.
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 25:20
The cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high. Compare Exodus 37:9. It would seem that the two wings of both cherubs were advanced in front of them, and elevated, so as to overshadow the mercy seat. This was a d…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 25:21
Thou shalt put the mercy seat above the ark. Rather, "upon the ark"—"thou shalt cover the ark with it." This had not been expressed previously, though the dimensions (Exodus 25:17), compared with those of the ark (Exodu…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 25:22
And there I will meet with thee. The whole of the foregoing description has been subordinate to this. In all the arrange-meats for the tabernacle God was, primarily and mainly, providing a fit place where he might manif…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 25:23-30
The symbolism of the table of shew-bread. Before the holy of holies, within which was the Divine Presence, dwelling in thick darkness behind the veil, was to be set perpetually this golden table, bearing bread and wine…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 25:23-30
EXPOSITION THE TABLE OF SHEW-BREAD. From the description of the ark, which constituted the sole furniture of the most holy place, God proceeded to describe the furniture of the holy place, or body of the tabernacle, whi…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 25:23
Two cubits shall be the length thereof, etc. The table was to be three feel long, one foot six inches broad, and two feet three inches high. It was thus quite a small table, narrow for its length, and about two inches b…