Bezalel

October 24, 2014

The descendents of Caleb (1Chr 2:18-2:20)

“Caleb son of Hezron had children by his wife Azubah, and by Jerioth. These were her sons Jesher, Shobab, and Ardon. When Azubah died, Caleb married Ephrath, who bore him Hur. Hur was the father of Uri. Uri was the father of Bezalel.”

Here Caleb is called a son of Hezron, indicating that the Chelubai above may be this Caleb. However, this Caleb is not the Caleb mentioned in Numbers and Joshua since he was the son of Jephunneh. However, this Caleb may have been the great grandfather of that Caleb since he was the father of Hur. Hur might have been the grandfather of Caleb in Numbers. There was another Azubah who was the mother of King Jehoshaphat of Judah. This is the only mention of Jerioth. As for the 3 sons, this is the only mention of Jesher, Shobab, and Ardon. However, King David had a son with Beth-sheba that was also called Shobab. There was a place called Ephrath, the name of the 2nd wife of Caleb. This may have been the name of Bethlehem. The name Hur appeared as the brother-in-law of Aaron, Miriam’s husband, in Exodus. It also was the name of some defeated people in Numbers. Uri was also the name of one of Solomon’s officers. However, this Uri was the father of Bezalel, who was one of the chief architects with a divine spirit that worked on the sanctuary and the Ark of the Covenant in Exodus, chapter 35.

February 12, 2014

Counting the materials (Ex 38:21-38:31)

“These are the records of the tabernacle.  The tabernacle of the Covenant  was drawn up at the commandment of Moses.   The work of the Levites was 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 Yahweh commanded Moses.  With him was Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, engraver, designer and embroiderer in blue, purple and crimson yarn and fine linen.”

We now have the records about the tabernacle. Moses led the construction but the Levites under the directions 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 the holy places.

“All the gold that was used for the work, in all the construction of the sanctuary, the gold from the offering, was twenty-nine talents and seven hundred and thirty shekels, measured by the sanctuary shekel. The silver from those of the congregation who were counted was one hundred talents and one thousand seven hundred seventy-five shekels, measured by the sanctuary shekel.   A beka a head, that is half a shekel, measured by the sanctuary shekel, for everyone who was counted in the census, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred and three thousand, five hundred fifty men. The hundred talents of silver were for casting the bases of the sanctuary, and the bases of the curtain.  One hundred bases were for the hundred talents, a talent for a base.  Of the thousand seven hundred seventy-five shekels he made hooks for the pillars, and overlaid their calyxes and made bands for them.   The bronze that was contributed was seventy talents, and two thousand four hundred shekels.  With it he made the bases for the entrance of the tent of meeting, the bronze altar and the bronze grating for it and all the utensils of the altar, the bases all around the court, and the bases of the gate of the court, all the pegs of the tabernacle, and all the pegs around the court.”

Here then is an accounting of the gold, silver, and bronze used in this construction:

1)      29 talents, 730 shekels of gold;

2)      100 talents,1775 shekels of silver;

3)      70 talents, 2400 shekels of bronze.

According to the ancient Babylonian scales, a talent was the equivalent to 360 shekels, so that it was the highest value.  The problem of course is that they were coming from Egypt, and obviously they had no minting process.  The shekel was a silver coin of about ½ once of silver.  Somehow they took 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 600,000 who left Egypt. I wonder why they needed this beka, since they had too much stuff in offerings in chapter 36.

February 10, 2014

Making the Ark of the Covenant (Ex 37:1-37:9)

“Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood.  It was two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.  He overlaid it with pure gold, inside and outside, and made a molding of gold around it.  He cast for it four rings of gold for its four feet, two rings on its one side and two rings on its other side.  He made poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold.  He put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark.   He made a mercy seat of pure gold.  Two cubits and a half was its length, and a cubit and a half its width.  He made two cherubim of hammered gold.  At the two ends of the mercy seat he made them.  One cherub was at the one end, and one cherub at the other end.  Of one piece with the mercy seat he made the cherubim at its two ends.  The cherubim spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings.  They faced one another.  The faces of the cherubim were turned toward the mercy seat.”

Bezalel is explicitly mentioned here as the individual maker of the Ark of the Covenant.   He followed the instructions that Yahweh gave Moses in chapter 25.  The instructions that Yahweh gave was very clear and exact, according to the priestly tradition.  He made the ark of acacia wood and overlaid it with pure gold, inside and outside and all around it.  Thus we have a small wooden box, not that big, about 5 feet long and about 3 foot high and 3 foot wide, with gold all around inside and outside.  Next, he cast four rings of gold, two rings on each side to act as feet, with two acacia wooden poles, overlaid with gold, in order to carry the ark.  He also made a golden mercy seat about 5’ by 3,’ something like a cover for the ark.  He also made two golden cherubim at the two ends of this mercy seat, facing each other so that their wings overshadowed the mercy seat.

February 9, 2014

The workers at the sanctuary (Ex 35:30-35:35)

“Then Moses said to the Israelites.  ‘See, Yahweh has called by name Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.  He has filled him with the divine spirit, with skill, intelligence, and knowledge in every kind of craft, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, in every kind of craft.  He has inspired him to teach, both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.  He has filled them with skill to do every sort of work done by an artisan or by a designer or by an embroiderer in blue, purple and crimson yarns, and in fine linen, or by a weaver.  This can be done by any sort of artisan or skilled designer.”

Once again, as in chapter 31, two people were chosen to do certain artistic holy work.  The one craftsman for the artistic designs was Bezalel, son of Uri, from the tribe of Judah.  He was filled him with a divine spirit, with ability, intelligence, and knowledge in very kind of craft. The other appointed one was Oholiab, son of Abisamach, of the tribe of Dan.  They were going to teach and make all the things that Yahweh had commanded. Notice they are already in tribes.

February 5, 2014

The skilful sanctuary workers (Ex 31:1-31:11)

“Yahweh spoke to Moses. ‘See, I have called by name Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.  I have filled him with divine spirit, with ability, intelligence, with knowledge in every kind of craft, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, in every kind of craft.  Moreover, I have appointed with him Oholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.  I have given skill to all the skillful workers, so that they may make all that I have commanded you.  That is the tent of meeting, the Ark of the Covenant, the mercy seat that is on it, all the furnishings of the tent, the table and its utensils, the pure lamp stand with all its utensils, the altar of incense, the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, the basin with its stand, the finely worked vestments, the holy vestments for the priest Aaron and the vestments  of his sons, for their service as priests, the anointing oil, and the fragrant incense for the holy place.   They shall do as I have commanded you.’”

Yahweh chose certain people to do certain holy work.  The one craftsman for the artistic designs is Bezalel, son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, who was filled with the divine spirit, as well as ability, intelligence, and knowledge in very kind of craft.  He is a master craftsman.  There is no indication of how he learned these skills. However Yahweh gives skills.  The other appointed one was Oholiab, son of Abisamach, of the tribe of Dan, who was to make all the things that God had commanded.  Notice they are already in tribes.

They build, sew, and prepare all the things mentioned above:

1)      the tent of meeting;

2)      the Ark of the Covenant;

3)      the mercy seat;

4)      all the furnishings of the tent;

5)      the table and its utensils;

6)      the pure lamp stand with all its utensils;

7)      the altar of incense;

8)      the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils;

9)      the basin with its stand;

10)  the finely worked vestments;

11)  the holy vestments for the priest Aaron and his sons;

12)  the anointing oil;

13)  the fragrant incense for the holy place.   .