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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1></center>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1706)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>E X O D U S</B></FONT>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. XXXVII.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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<P>
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Bezaleel and his workmen are still busy, making
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I. The ark with the mercy-seat and the cherubim,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+37:1-9">ver. 1-9</A>.
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II. The table with its vessels,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+37:10-16">ver. 10-16</A>.
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III. The candlestick with its appurtenances,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+37:17-24">ver. 17-24</A>.
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IV. The golden altar for incense,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+37:25-28">ver. 25-28</A>.
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V. The holy oil and incense,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+37:29">ver. 29</A>.
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The particular appointment concerning each of which we had before the
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+25:1-40,30:1-38">25th and 30th chapters</A>.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="Ex37_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex37_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex37_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex37_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex37_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex37_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex37_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex37_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex37_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Tabernacle and Its Furniture.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1491.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 And Bezaleel made the ark <I>of</I> shittim wood: two cubits and a
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half <I>was</I> the length of it, and a cubit and a half the breadth
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of it, and a cubit and a half the height of it:
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2 And he overlaid it with pure gold within and without, and
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made a crown of gold to it round about.
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3 And he cast for it four rings of gold, <I>to be set</I> by the
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four corners of it; even two rings upon the one side of it, and
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two rings upon the other side of it.
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4 And he made staves <I>of</I> shittim wood, and overlaid them with
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gold.
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5 And he put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark,
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to bear the ark.
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6 And he made the mercy seat <I>of</I> pure gold: two cubits and a
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half <I>was</I> the length thereof, and one cubit and a half the
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breadth thereof.
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7 And he made two cherubims <I>of</I> gold, beaten out of one piece
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made he them, on the two ends of the mercy seat;
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8 One cherub on the end on this side, and another cherub on the
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<I>other</I> end on that side: out of the mercy seat made he the
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cherubims on the two ends thereof.
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9 And the cherubims spread out <I>their</I> wings on high, <I>and</I>
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covered with their wings over the mercy seat, with their faces
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one to another; <I>even</I> to the mercy seatward were the faces of
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the cherubims.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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I. It may be thought strange that Moses, when he had recorded so fully
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the instructions given him upon the mount for the making of all these
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things, should here record as particularly the making of them, when it
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might have sufficed only to have said, in a few words, that each of
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these things was made exactly according to the directions before
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recited. We are sure that Moses, when he wrote by divine inspiration,
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used no vain repetitions; there are no idle words in scripture. Why
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then are so many chapters taken up with this narrative, which we are
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tempted to think needless and tedious? But we must consider,
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1. That Moses wrote primarily for the people of Israel, to whom it
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would be of great use to read and hear often of these divine and sacred
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treasures with which they were entrusted. These several ornaments
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wherewith the tabernacle was furnished they were not admitted to see,
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but the priests only, and therefore it was requisite that they should
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be thus largely described particularly to them. That which they ought
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to read again (lest they should fail of doing it) is written again and
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again: thus many of the same passages of the history of Christ are in
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the New Testament related by two or three, and some by four of the
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evangelists, for the same reason. The great things of God's law and
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gospel we need to have inculcated upon us again and again. To write the
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same (says St. Paul) to me <I>is not grievous, but for you it is
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safe,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Php+3:1">Phil. iii. 1</A>.
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2. Moses would thus show the great care which he and his workmen took
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to make every thing exactly according to the pattern shown him in the
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mount. Having before given us the original, he here givers us the copy,
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that we may compare them, and observe how exactly they agree. Thus he
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appeals to every reader concerning his fidelity to him that appointed
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him, in all his house, and in all the particulars of it,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+3:5">Heb. iii. 5</A>.
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And thus he teaches us to have respect to all God's commandments, even
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to every iota and tittle of them.
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3. It is intimated hereby that God takes delight in the sincere
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obedience of his people, and keeps an exact account of it, which shall
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be produced to their honour in the resurrection of the just. None can
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be so punctual in their duty, but God will be as punctual in his
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notices of it. He is <I>not unrighteous to forget the work and labour
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of love,</I> in any instance of it,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+6:10">Heb. vi. 10</A>.
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4. The spiritual riches and beauties of the gospel tabernacle are
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hereby recommended to our frequent and serious consideration. Go walk
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about this Zion, view it and review it: the more you contemplate the
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glories of the church, the more you will admire them and be in love
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with them. The charter of its privileges, and the account of its
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constitution, will very well bear a second reading.</P>
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<P>
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II. In these verses we have an account of the making of the ark, with
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its glorious and most significant appurtenances, the mercy-seat and the
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cherubim. Consider these three together, and they represent the glory
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of a holy god, the sincerity of a holy heart, and the communion that is
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between them, in and by a Mediator.
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1. It is the glory of a holy god that he dwells between the cherubim;
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that is, is continually attended and adored by the blessed angels,
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whose swiftness was signified by their faces being one towards another.
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2. It is the character of an upright heart that, like the ark of the
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testimony, it has the law of God hid and kept in it.
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3. By Jesus Christ, the great propitiation, there is reconciliation
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made, and a communion settled, between us and God: he interposes
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between us and God's displeasure; and not only so, but through him we
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become entitled to God's favour. If he write his law in our heart, he
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will be to us a God and we shall be to him a people. From the
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mercy-seat he will teach us, there he will accept us, and show himself
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merciful to our unrighteousness; and under the shadow of his wings we
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shall be safe and easy.</P>
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<A NAME="Ex37_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex37_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex37_12"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex37_13"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex37_14"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex37_15"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex37_16"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex37_17"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex37_18"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex37_19"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex37_20"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex37_21"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex37_22"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex37_23"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex37_24"> </A>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>10 And he made the table <I>of</I> shittim wood: two cubits <I>was</I>
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the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit
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and a half the height thereof:
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11 And he overlaid it with pure gold, and made thereunto a
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crown of gold round about.
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12 Also he made thereunto a border of an handbreadth round
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about; and made a crown of gold for the border thereof round
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about.
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13 And he cast for it four rings of gold, and put the rings
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upon the four corners that <I>were</I> in the four feet thereof.
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14 Over against the border were the rings, the places for the
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staves to bear the table.
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15 And he made the staves <I>of</I> shittim wood, and overlaid them
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with gold, to bear the table.
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16 And he made the vessels which <I>were</I> upon the table, his
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dishes, and his spoons, and his bowls, and his covers to cover
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withal, <I>of</I> pure gold.
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17 And he made the candlestick <I>of</I> pure gold: <I>of</I> beaten work
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made he the candlestick; his shaft, and his branch, his bowls,
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his knops, and his flowers, were of the same:
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18 And six branches going out of the sides thereof; three
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branches of the candlestick out of the one side thereof, and
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three branches of the candlestick out of the other side thereof:
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19 Three bowls made after the fashion of almonds in one branch,
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a knop and a flower; and three bowls made like almonds in another
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branch, a knop and a flower: so throughout the six branches going
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out of the candlestick.
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20 And in the candlestick <I>were</I> four bowls made like almonds,
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his knops, and his flowers:
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21 And a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under
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two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the
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same, according to the six branches going out of it.
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22 Their knops and their branches were of the same: all of it
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<I>was</I> one beaten work <I>of</I> pure gold.
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23 And he made his seven lamps, and his snuffers, and his
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snuffdishes, <I>of</I> pure gold.
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24 <I>Of</I> a talent of pure gold made he it, and all the vessels
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thereof.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Here is,
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1. The making of the table on which the show-bread was to be
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continually placed. God is a good householder, that always keeps a
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plentiful table. Is the world his tabernacle? His providence in it
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spreads a table for all the creatures: he <I>provides food for all
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flesh.</I> Is the church his tabernacle? His grace in it spreads a
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table for all believers, furnished with the bread of life. But observe
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how much the dispensation of the gospel exceeds that of the law. Though
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here was a table furnished, it was only with <I>show-bread,</I> bread
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to be looked upon, not to be fed upon, while it was on this table, and
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afterwards only by the priests; but to the table which Christ has
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spread in the new covenant all real Christians are invited guests; and
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to them it is said, <I>Eat, O friends, come eat of my bread.</I> What
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the law gave but a sight of at a distance, the gospel gives the
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enjoyment of, and a hearty welcome to.
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2. The making of the candlestick, which was not of wood overlaid with
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gold, but all beaten work of pure gold only,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+37:17,22"><I>v.</I> 17, 22</A>.
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This signified that light of divine revelation with which God's church
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upon earth (which is his tabernacle among men) has always been
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enlightened, being always supplied with fresh oil from Christ the good
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Olive,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Zec+4:2,3">Zech. iv. 2, 3</A>.
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God's manifestations of himself in this world are but candle-light
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compared with the daylight of the future state. The Bible is a golden
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candlestick; it is of pure gold,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+19:10">Ps. xix. 10</A>.
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From it light is diffused to every part of God's tabernacle, that by it
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his spiritual priests may see to minister unto the Lord, and to do the
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service of his sanctuary. This candlestick has not only its bowls for
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necessary use, but its knops and flowers for ornament; there are many
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things which God saw fit to beautify his word with which we can no more
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give a reason for than for these knops and flowers, and yet we are sure
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that they were added for a good purpose. Let us bless God for this
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candlestick, have an eye to it continually, and dread the removal of it
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out of its place.</P>
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<A NAME="Ex37_25"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex37_26"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex37_27"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex37_28"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex37_29"> </A>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>25 And he made the incense altar <I>of</I> shittim wood: the length
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of it <I>was</I> a cubit, and the breadth of it a cubit; <I>it was</I>
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foursquare; and two cubits <I>was</I> the height of it; the horns
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thereof were of the same.
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26 And he overlaid it with pure gold, <I>both</I> the top of it, and
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the sides thereof round about, and the horns of it: also he made
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unto it a crown of gold round about.
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27 And he made two rings of gold for it under the crown
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thereof, by the two corners of it, upon the two sides thereof, to
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be places for the staves to bear it withal.
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28 And he made the staves <I>of</I> shittim wood, and overlaid them
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with gold.
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29 And he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure incense of
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sweet spices, according to the work of the apothecary.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Here is,
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1. The making of the golden altar, on which incense was to be burnt
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daily, which signified both the prayers of saints and the intercession
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of Christ, to which are owing the acceptableness and success of those
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prayers. The rings and staves, and all the appurtenances of this altar,
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were overlaid with gold, as all the vessels of the table and
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candlestick were of gold, for these were used in the holy place. God is
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the best, and we must serve him with the best we have; but the best we
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can serve him with in his courts on earth is but as brass, compared
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with the gold, the sinless and spotless perfection, with which his
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saints shall serve him in his holy place above.
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2. The preparing of the incense which was to be burnt upon this altar,
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and with it the holy anointing oil
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+37:29"><I>v.</I> 29</A>),
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according to the dispensatory,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+30:22-38"><I>ch.</I> xxx. 22</A>,
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&c. God taught Bezaleel this art also; so that though he was not before
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acquainted with it yet he made up these things according to the work of
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the apothecary, as dexterously and exactly as if he had been bred up to
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the trade. Where God gives wisdom and grace, it will make the man of
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God <I>perfect, thoroughly furnished to every good work.</I></P>
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