Moses spends forty days with YHWH on Mount Sinai. There are then seven conversations with Moses. Here is the first.
Exodus 25: 1-7, Offerings for the Tabernacle
The LORD said to Moses, "Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from each man whose heart prompts him to give.
"These are the offerings you are to receive from them: gold, silver and bronze; blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair; ram skins dyed red and hides of sea cows; acacia wood; olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece.
Are these instruction given while Moses is within the cloud?
Gold, silver, bronze and other valuable materials will be used to create a sanctuary, a "tabernacle" that will represent a place that YHWH resides.
NIV footnotes say that "sea cows" could be translated "dugongs". A dugong is a large sea animal similar to the manatee. But Robert Alter argues that the Hebrew word tehashim is close to an Arkadian term for a yellow or orange dye. If this is a loan word from Arkadian, this term fits with the colors and dyes described earlier in the sentence.
Exodus 25: 8-9, Follow the pattern given!
"Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.
There is an emphasis on following these instructions completely. Presumably this structure will be with the people of Israel for centuries.
As we read further in the text, it helps to have an image of the tabernacle before us. A Wikipedia page on the tabernacle includes this sketch.
The main items in the outer courtyard were an altar of burnt offering and a washbasin (here "lavar".) Inside the Holy Place, where only priests could enter, was the altar of incense, the lampstand (here "golden candlestick") and the table of shewbread. In the Holy of Holy, only, was the Ark of the Covenant.
Exodus 25: 10-15, A chest
"Have them make a chest of acacia wood--two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high. Overlay it with pure gold, both inside and out, and make a gold molding around it. Cast four gold rings for it and fasten them to its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other. Then make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. Insert the poles into the rings on the sides of the chest to carry it. The poles are to remain in the rings of this ark; they are not to be removed.
(NIV footnotes translate the measurements in verse 10 as a chest "about 3 3/4 feet long and 2 1/4 feet wide and high.")
It is strange to me to imagine an ancient Hebrew text which is (here) a construction manual!
The poles are to be a permanent part of the ark, so that the ark can be transported. YHWH will not stay on Mt. Sinai but travel with His people.
Exodus 25: 16-22, The ark and cherubim
"Make an atonement cover of pure gold--two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. And make two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. Make one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; make the cherubim of one piece with the cover, at the two ends. The cherubim are to have their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover.
"Place the cover on top of the ark and put in the ark the Testimony, which I will give you. There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the Testimony, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.
This is the most significant part of the tabernacle. This is to be a place where YHWH physically appears to communicate to the Israelites.
What is a cherubim? It is described here briefly: a creature with wings, but that does not give a lot of detail. We are to think back to Genesis 3:24. (Much of these instructions will have echoes of Creation.)
(NIV footnotes: In verse 17, an atonement cover is traditionally called "a mercy seat".)
Exodus 25: 23-30, A table
"Put the bread of the Presence on this table to be before me at all times.
On this beautiful table sits bread (near the lampstand.) The bread of the Presence has traditionally been called the "shewbread".
(NIV footnotes: A "handbreath", verse 25, is about 3 inches.)
Exodus 25: 31-40, The lampstand
"Make a lampstand of pure gold and hammer it out, base and shaft; its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms shall be of one piece with it. Six branches are to extend from the sides of the lampstand--three on one side and three on the other. Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms are to be on one branch, three on the next branch, and the same for all six branches extending from the lampstand.
"And on the lampstand there are to be four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms. One bud shall be under the first pair of branches extending from the lampstand, a second bud under the second pair, and a third bud under the third pair--six branches in all. The buds and branches shall all be of one piece with the lampstand, hammered out of pure gold.
"Then make its seven lamps and set them up on it so that they light the space in front of it. Its wick trimmers and trays are to be of pure gold. A talent of pure gold is to be used for the lampstand and all these accessories.
"See that you make them according to the pattern shown you on the mountain."
This is an elegant lampstand, with crafted branches and buds. (Does this remind us of Day 3 of Creation? See Genesis 1:9-12.) The seven lamps light the space in front of them, possibly lighting the shewbread.
In the New Testament, in Hebrews 8:5, this last verse will be quoted to emphasize the importance of the ancient tabernacle, now replaced by the actions of the Messiah.
(NIV footnotes: in verse 39, a talent is apparently about 75 pounds.)
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