Exodus has a series of instructions on how to build the sanctuary which housed the Ark of the Covenant, containing the covenant treaty between Yahweh and Moses. Yahweh was very precise when he gave Moses these instructions about how big things were to be and what kind of covering and materials should be used. These priestly details concern the kind of clothing that Aaron and his sons should wear as they exercised their role as priests. Incidentally, Moses and his sons were not considered as priests, only Aaron and his sons and the other Levites. After getting these instructions, there was another section which repeated the instructions of how to do things, while saying that things were done exactly the right way. They took up a great collection where they got too much stuff. Special artisans were assigned to complete these tasks as Yahweh had spoken to Moses. The details are almost mind boggling with exact sizes and specific mention of acacia wood, gold, silver, bronze, yarns, and linens. Finally, all was completed and the sanctuary established in the desert. Yahweh took possession of the sanctuary put together by Moses and the various artisans. Clearly Moses was the central figure, the mediator and the intercessor between Yahweh and his people. Moses personally consecrated the new tabernacle since Aaron fell out of favor as a leader. Yet Aaron became more important as the worship leader or high priest. The completion of the sanctuary meant that Yahweh could be with the Israelites as a cloud by day and in the fire by night. This was an attempt to show how Yahweh had set up prescriptions for how the temple should be built. The priestly writers were trying to justify their position within the Israelite society. Have you ever tried to build a holy place?
Month: October 2023
The Exodus story
Exodus presents the story of how Moses and Aaron performed wonders, tricks, or miracles to convince the hard-hearted Pharaoh to let the Israelites leave Egypt. They generally used a magic staff to show what they are doing. Yahweh protected them and showed his mighty hand in the ten plagues that occurred to the Egyptians, as the Israelites were exempt from these plagues. However, the last plague became the Passover of the Israelites. Yahweh killed all the first-born Egyptian children and livestock, all those who did not have blood on their door post. Finally, Pharaoh and his officials told the Israelites to leave. However, the Pharaoh changed his mind, as usual, and went after them until he overtook them before they got to the Red Sea. The great Yahweh-Mosaic miracle was the parting of the Red Sea to let the Israelites pass through the dried-up water. When the Egyptians tried to follow, they were wiped out by the water as they tried to cross the Red Sea. The Israelite victory chant set the stage for things to come. They headed southeast until they reached Mount Sinai. There Moses received the Ten Commandments and the “Mosaic Law” from Yahweh. At one point, Moses spent forty days and forty nights on the mountain top with Yahweh as they became better friends. There were a series of laws that outlined what they were to do and what was wrong in society. Various sins offended God and their neighbors. There was a long list of cultic elements about the Ark of the Covenant, and the tabernacle. After a few misunderstandings, Aaron, the brother of Moses, created a golden calf so that the Israelites could worship something, while Moses was with Yahweh at the top of the mountain. Moses and Yahweh both got angry. Moses convinced Yahweh to save the children of Israel. Anyway, Moses broke the tablets of the covenant. Yahweh rewrote the covenant on both sides of new tablets. Moses came down and wrote all the ordinances for the people. The Israelites all agreed to follow these laws. However, Aaron began to take on a lesser role as Joshua seemed to be more involved in things. Nevertheless, Aaron and his sons took on a major role in the cultic worship as chief priests. Are you familiar with the story of how the Israelites left Egypt?
Mythical Moses
Exodus is about one mythic character, Moses, who directed the Israelites out of Egypt into the desert. He led the sons of Israel, the Israelites, through the desert after their deliverance from Egypt. Three main events dominate this book, the Passover from Egypt, the Ten Commandments covenant, and the building of the tabernacle for the Ark of the Covenant with all the trapping that go with it. Moses was involved with all three events. These events became the heart and soul of Israel. Later they became important for the followers of Jesus Christ, the Christians. Moses, the reluctant leader, led the descendants of the sons of Jacob towards the Promised Land. During the many years in the wilderness, the covenant between Yahweh and Moses was sealed with the famous Ten Commandments. Moses was unaware of his role, until in his eighties, when Yahweh spoke to him from a burning bush. He was called by Yahweh to speak to the King of Egypt, the Pharaoh, who always remained nameless. Moses at first refused this role because he was a bad speaker, but Aaron his brother helped him. We know very little about the childhood of either Moses or his brother Aaron. We really do not know much about his life before the age of eighty and his call from Yahweh. In fact, there is very little historical evidence for his existence at all. However, Exodus, indicates that Moses was the leader who helped the Israelites to get out of Egypt with the help of Yahweh. Thus, Moses is a bigger than life mythical hero, helped in the 20th century by the movie the Ten Commandments, and his portrayal by Charlton Heston. Every American child, whether Jewish or Christian has heard the stories about Moses. He dominates the early religious training for most American religious people. Do you remember hearing about Moses when you were a child?
Yahweh takes possession of the tabernacle
In Exodus, chapter 40:34-38, the Book of Exodus ended as Yahweh took possession of his tabernacle. Mission accomplished. The cloud of Yahweh and his glory settled on the tabernacle. Thus, Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled upon it. The glory of Yahweh filled the tabernacle. Yahweh would be with them on their journey. Whenever the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, the Israelites would set out on each stage of their journey. If the cloud stayed, they did not move. By day it was a cloud, but at night there was fire in the cloud. They continued their journey in stages. At the end of this book, they had not reached the Promised Land. Although they had Yahweh with them, they still had a long way to go. Thus, there was a happy ending to this story even if they had not reached their goal. Is Yahweh with you?
The erection and consecration of the tabernacle
In Exodus, chapter 40:1-33, Yahweh spoke to Moses. He told him that on the first day of the first month Moses should set up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. Then he was to put the Ark of the Covenant in the tabernacle with the screen curtain, the table, and its settings, the lamp stand, and its lamps, the golden altar for incense before the Ark of the Covenant. Finally, he was to set up the screen for the entrance of the tabernacle. The altar of burnt offering was to go before the entrance of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting with the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, with water in it. Then, Moses should set up the court all around, and hang up the screen for the gate of the court. Moses had explicit instructions from Yahweh. Moses was to take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle and all that was in it. He would consecrate it and all its furniture, so that it would become holy. Moses was to anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils. He consecrated this altar, so that the altar itself would be holy. Then Moses had to anoint and consecrate the basin and its stand. After all these anointings and consecrations, Moses was to bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting. Moses was to wash them with water, and put on Aaron’s sacred vestments. Moses was to anoint and consecrate Aaron, so that he might serve Yahweh as a priest. Then Moses should do the same to Aaron’s sons. He should put tunics on them and anoint them, as he anointed their father, so that they might serve Yahweh as priests. Their anointing would admit them to a perpetual priesthood throughout all generations to come. These priests were as sacred as the items in the tabernacle. Moses did everything just as Yahweh had commanded him on the assigned day. Moses set up the tabernacle. He laid its bases, set up its frames, and put in its poles. He raised up its pillars and spread the tent over the tabernacle. He put the covering of the tent over it just as Yahweh had commanded him. Obviously, he would have needed some help. Then Moses personally took the covenant and put it into the Ark. He put the poles on the ark and set the mercy seat above the Ark. Then he brought the Ark into the tabernacle, set up the curtain for screening, and screened the Ark of the Covenant. He put the table in the tent of meeting, on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the curtain. He set the bread in order on it before Yahweh. He put the lamp stand in the tent of meeting, opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle. He set up the lamps before Yahweh. He put the golden altar in the tent of meeting before the curtain, and offered fragrant incense on it. He also put in place the screen for the entrance of the tabernacle. He set up the altar of burnt offering at the entrance of the tabernacle. He was the first to offer upon it a burnt offering and a grain offering. He set the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar. He put water in it for washing. Moses, Aaron, and his sons washed their hands and their feet, when they went into the tent of meeting, and when they approached the altar. Moses set up the court around the tabernacle and the altar. He put up the screen at the gate of the court. Thus, Moses finished the work. The deed was done. Moses, not Yahweh, had blessed and consecrated everything, even Aaron and his sons. The sanctuary was complete and mobile with carrying poles for many of these items. Have you ever seen a consecration of a church?
The work was done
In Exodus, chapter 39:32-43, they had finished all the work of the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, and the priestly vestments, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses. The job was complete so they brought everything to Moses. They brought the tabernacle, the tent and all its utensils, its hooks, its frames, its bars, its pillars, and its bases. They brought the covering of tanned rams’ skins and the covering of fine leather, and the curtain for the screen. They brought the Ark of the Covenant with its poles and the mercy seat. They brought the table with all its utensils, and the Bread of the Presence. They brought the pure gold lamp stand with its lamps with the lamps set on it and all its utensils, and the oil for the light. They brought the golden altar, the anointing oil and the fragrant incense, and the screen for the entrance of the tent. They brought the bronze altar, and its grating of bronze, its poles, and all its utensils. They brought the basin with its stand. They bought the hangings of the court, its pillars, and its bases, and the screen for the gate of the court, its cords, and its pegs. They brought all the utensils for the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of meeting. They brought the finely worked vestments for ministering in the holy place, the sacred vestments for the priest Aaron, and the vestments of his sons to serve as priests. The Israelites had done all the work just as Yahweh had commanded Moses. When Moses saw that they had done all the work just as Yahweh had commanded, he blessed them. Everything seems to have been brought to him like a giant jig saw puzzle. Who was going to put all this together? Do you like doing jig saw puzzles?
The other priestly vestments
In Exodus, chapter 39:22-31, once again, they did what Yahweh had commanded Moses to do in chapter 28:31-43. They made an all-blue ephod robe, but with a bound opening in the middle. The lower hem of the skirts of this robe had colorful blue, purple, and scarlet pomegranates, alternating between golden bells all around the hem. Thus, they could tell when someone wearing this robe was coming. Following as Yahweh had commanded Moses in chapter 28, they also made the tunics woven of fine linen, for Aaron and his sons. They made the turban of fine linen, the headdresses of fine linen, and the linen undergarments of fine twined linen. They made the sash of fine twined linen and of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, embroidered with needlework, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses. They also made the golden holy diadem and wrote on it an inscription. Like an engraving of a signet ring, it said “Holy to Yahweh.” They used a blue cord to tie it to the turban. What do you know about priestly vestments?
The ephod and the breastplate
In Exodus, chapter 39:1:21, they made the ephod and breastplate for Aaron and his sons as Yahweh had commanded Moses in chapter 28:5-30. The ephod was made of gold, with the colorful yarns and linen of blue, purple, and crimson. Gold leaf was hammered out and cut into threads in a skilled design. They also made the shoulder pieces of the same materials and workmanship, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses. Two shoulder pieces were joined together, with two onyx stones, like a golden signet or cameo, engraved with the names of the twelve tribes, as a remembrance. This was a very colorful piece of clothing that Yahweh had commanded Moses to make. Here they speak in the plural, as many artisans may have been involved in making the breastplate just as Yahweh had commanded Moses to do in chapter 28:15-30. They made the breastplate with skilled work just like the ephod with gold, blue, purple, and crimson. This breastplate was square with four rows of three precious stones, just like in chapter 28:17-21, corresponding to the twelve tribes of Israel with signet engravings. There also were chains of golden twisted cords. The breastplate was tied to the ephod with a blue cord in the two rings on its edges of his breastplate so that it would not come loose from the ephod. Have you ever seen an ephod or a jeweled breastplate?
Construction of the courtyard
In Exodus, chapter 38:9-31, as prescribed in chapter 27,9:19, this Israelite artisan made the court in front of the tabernacle. The south and north side were the same size with hangings of 100 cubits long with 20 bronze pillars and bases with silver hooks. The west side was half that size about 50 cubits or 75 feet, with 10 pillars and bases, so that this courtyard would be about 75 feet by 150 feet, and about 9 feet high, not really that big. This artisan also used twisted linens, silver pillars, bronze bases, and silver hooks. On the east side was the entrance, which was the same size as the covered west side. However, this entrance on the east side was split into two sections, each 15 cubits with 3 pillars and 3 silver bases. This courtyard had a screen embroidered with needlework in blue, purple, and crimson with fine twisted linen, twenty cubits long and five cubits high. There were four silver pillars and four bronze bases with hooks of silver. All the pegs for the tabernacle and for the court all around were bronze. The courtyard was much bigger than the tent with the Ark of the Covenant with no covering. Next this author listed the records about this tabernacle construction. Moses led the construction, but the Levites, under the direction of Ithamar, the son of Aaron, were in charge. The skilled work of Bezalel and Oholiab led to the completion of this task, the building of these holy places, with the embroidery in blue, purple and crimson yarn, and fine linen. Here then was an accounting of the gold, silver, and bronze used in this construction: 29 talents and 730 shekels of gold; 100 talents and 1,775 shekels of silver; 70 talents and 2,400 shekels of bronze. According to the ancient Babylonian scales, a talent was the equivalent to 360 shekels, so that it was the highest value. That was a lot of gold, silver, and bronze. Did these Israelites have that much precious metals with them? The problem was that they were coming from Egypt, and obviously they had no minting process. The beka, or a silver coin of half a shekel was first mentioned in chapter 30:11-16. Somehow, they had taken a census where everyone had to give half a shekel, a beka, or a quarter ounce of silver, probably worth about 20 cents. According to the text, there were 603,550 males all over the age of twenty counted in this census, about the same as the generic 600,000 men who left Egypt in chapter 12:37. I wonder why they needed this beka, since they had too much stuff in offerings in chapter 36:5-7. This author explained that they used the silver and bronze for the bases, hooks, and pegs that they used. There was an accounting for the all the gifts, plus the silver offerings. Would you be able to build all these things in the middle of a desert?
The incense altar and the burnt offering altar
In Exodus, chapter 37:25-38:8, this skilled artisan made the incense altar as prescribed in chapter 30:1-10, out of acacia wood, one cubit square, but two cubits high. It had four horns on it, all connected. He overlaid it with pure gold and a gold molding all around. He also made two golden rings to hold the golden acacia poles on each side. Finally, the perfumer made the holy anointing oil and the pure fragrant incense. Once again, this artisan made another altar, as prescribed in chapter 27:1-8. He made this altar of burnt offerings of acacia wood. I am surprised that it did not burn. It was 5 cubits square, and 3 cubits high. This was much bigger than the incense altar and the golden altar in the tent. This altar was about 8 foot square and about 6 feet off the ground. Each of the four corners had a bronze horn on it. There was an emphasis on everything being bronze instead of gold. He put four rings on the four corners of the bronze grating to hold the poles. He made the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with bronze, not gold. He put the poles through the rings on the sides of the altar, to carry it with them. He made it hollow, with boards. The pots, shovels, basins, forks, fire pans, gratings, rings, and the wooden poles overlay were all made from bronze, not gold. There was also a bronze altar grating, under its ledge about half-way down. This was a real large bronze work table for the burnt offerings. This artisan also made a bronze washing basin and stand, as prescribed in chapter 30:17-21. However, there was a strange mention of where the bronze came from. Apparently, it came from the mirrors of the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting. This was the first mention of mirrors. Who were these ladies and what did they do? From this text it is not clear whether they had any official role or not. Have you ever been near an altar?
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 