These are the amounts of materials used for the tabernacle, even the Tabernacle of the Testimony, as they were counted, according to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest.
Parallel Translations
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These are the amounts of materials used for the tabernacle, even the Tabernacle of the Testimony, as they were counted, according to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest.
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This is the sum of the tabernacle, even of the tabernacle of testimony, as it was counted, according to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, son to Aaron the priest.
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These are the accounts of the tabernacle, even the tabernacle of the testimony, as they were rendered according to the commandment of Moses, through the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest. —
Cross-references (28)
Passages linked to Exodus 38:21 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Acts 7:44 “Our fathers had the tabernacle of the testimony in the wilderness, even as he who spoke to Moses commanded him to make it according to the pattern that he had seen;
- Numbers 1:50 but appoint the Levites over the Tabernacle of the Testimony, and over all its furnishings, and over all that belongs to it. They shall carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings; and they shall take care of it, and shall encamp around it.
- Numbers 1:53 But the Levites shall encamp around the Tabernacle of the Testimony, that there may be no wrath on the congregation of the children of Israel. The Levites shall be responsible for the Tabernacle of the Testimony.”
- Numbers 9:15 On the day that the tabernacle was raised up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, even the Tent of the Testimony. At evening it was over the tabernacle, as it were the appearance of fire, until morning.
- Numbers 10:11 In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle of the covenant.
- 2 Chronicles 24:6 The king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said to him, “Why haven’t you required of the Levites to bring in the tax of Moses the servant of Yahweh, and of the assembly of Israel, out of Judah and out of Jerusalem, for the Tent of the Testimony?”
- Exodus 6:23 Aaron took Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab, the sister of Nahshon, as his wife; and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
- Numbers 17:7-8 Moses laid up the rods before Yahweh in the Tent of the Testimony. On the next day, Moses went into the Tent of the Testimony; and behold, Aaron’s rod for the house of Levi had sprouted, budded, produced blossoms, and bore ripe almonds.
- Numbers 18:2 Bring your brothers also, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, near with you, that they may be joined to you, and minister to you; but you and your sons with you shall be before the Tent of the Testimony.
- Exodus 25:16 You shall put the covenant which I shall give you into the ark.
- Exodus 26:33 You shall hang up the veil under the clasps, and shall bring the ark of the covenant in there within the veil. The veil shall separate the holy place from the most holy for you.
- Exodus 40:3 You shall put the ark of the covenant in it, and you shall screen the ark with the veil.
- Numbers 4:28-33 This is the service of the families of the sons of the Gershonites in the Tent of Meeting. Their duty shall be under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. “As for the sons of Merari, you shall count them by their families, by their fathers’ houses; you shall count them from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old—everyone who enters on the service, to do the work of the Tent of Meeting. This is the duty of their burden, according to all their service in the Tent of Meeting: the tabernacle’s boards, its bars, its pillars, its sockets, the pillars of the court around it, their sockets, their pins, their cords, with all their instruments, and with all their service. You shall appoint the instruments of the duty of their burden to them by name. This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all their service in the Tent of Meeting, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.”
- Numbers 24:5 How goodly are your tents, Jacob, and your dwellings, Israel!
- 1 Chronicles 6:3 The children of Amram: Aaron, Moses, and Miriam. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
- Ezra 8:26-30 I weighed into their hand six hundred fifty talents of silver, one hundred talents of silver vessels; one hundred talents of gold, twenty bowls of gold weighing one thousand darics; and two vessels of fine bright bronze, precious as gold. I said to them, “You are holy to Yahweh, and the vessels are holy. The silver and the gold are a free will offering to Yahweh, the God of your fathers. Watch and keep them, until you weigh them before the chiefs of the priests and the Levites, and the princes of the fathers’ households of Israel, at Jerusalem, in the rooms of Yahweh’s house.” So the priests and the Levites received the weight of the silver and the gold, and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem to the house of our God.
- Job 11:4 For you say, ‘My doctrine is pure. I am clean in your eyes.’
- Job 22:23 If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up, if you put away unrighteousness far from your tents.
- Job 26:1 Then Job answered,
- Psalms 15:1 Yahweh, who shall dwell in your sanctuary? Who shall live on your holy hill?
- Matthew 17:4 Peter answered, and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you want, let’s make three tents here: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
- 2 Corinthians 5:1 For we know that if the earthly house of our tent is dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens.
- Hebrews 8:2 a servant of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man.
- Hebrews 9:2-3 For a tabernacle was prepared. In the first part were the lamp stand, the table, and the show bread; which is called the Holy Place. After the second veil was the tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies,
- Hebrews 9:11 But Christ having come as a high priest of the coming good things, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation,
- 2 Peter 1:13 I think it right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you,
- Revelation 11:19 God’s temple that is in heaven was opened, and the ark of the Lord’s covenant was seen in his temple. Lightnings, sounds, thunders, an earthquake, and great hail followed.
- Revelation 21:3 I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with people, and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (16 sources)
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain That the Levites might have the charge thereof, and…
That the Levites might have the charge thereof, and minister in the same, as did Eleazar and Ithamar, Num. 3:4.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain This doth not belong to the following account of…
This doth not belong to the following account of gold and silver, but to the foregoing particulars of holy things relating to the tabernacle, for these only were committed to the care of the Levites, as it here follows, but this gold and silver was put into other hands.
For the service of the Levites, i.e. for those holy uses and services which the Levites administered.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Matthew Henry 1710 · Public Domain Here we have a breviat of the account which,…
Here we have a breviat of the account which, by Moses's appointment, the Levites took and kept of the gold, silver, and brass, that was brought in for the tabernacle's use, and how it was employed. Ithamar the son of Aaron was appointed to draw up this account, and was thus by less services trained up and fitted for greater, Exo 38:21. Bezaleel and Aholiab must bring in the account (Exo 38:22, Exo 38:23), and Ithamar must audit it, and give it in to Moses. And it was thus: - 1. All the gold was a free-will offering; every man brought as he could and would, and it amounted to twenty-nine talents, and 730 shekels over, which some compute to be about 150,000l. worth of gold, according to the present value of it. Of this were made all the golden furniture and vessels. 2. The silver was levied by way of tax; every man was assessed half a shekel, a kind of poll-money, which amounted in the whole to 100 talents, and 1775 shekels over, Exo 38:25, Exo 38:26. Of this they made the sockets into which the boards of the tabernacle were let, and on which they rested; so that they were as the foundation of the tabernacle, Exo 38:27. The silver amounted to about 34,000l. of our money. The raising of the gold by voluntary contribution, and of the silver by way of tribute, shows that either way may be taken for the defraying of public expenses, provided that nothing be done with partiality. 3. The brass, though less valuable, was of use not only for the brazen altar, but for the sockets of the court, which probably in other tents were of wood: but it is promised (Isa 60:17), For wood I will bring brass. See how liberal the people were and how faithful the workmen were, in both which respects their good example ought to be followed.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And with him was Aholiab, son of Ahisamach, of…
And with him was Aholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan,.... Of him see Exo 31:6.
an engraver; of precious stones, as those in the ephod and breastplate:
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and a cunning workman; in devising and working curious figured works, either in weaving or with the needle:
and an embroiderer in blue, and purple, and in scarlet, and in fine linen; which were used in the curtains and hangings of the tabernacle, and in the priests' garments.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain By the hand of Ithamar - Here we have…
By the hand of Ithamar - Here we have a breviate of the account which by Moses's appointment the Levites took and kept of the gold, silver, and brass, that was brought in for the tabernacle's use, and how it was employed. Ithamar the son of Aaron was appointed to draw up this account. All the gold amounted to twenty nine talents, and seven hundred and thirty shekels over; Which some compute to be about one hundred and fifty thousand pounds worth of gold, according to the present value of it. The silver amounted to about thirty-four thousand pounds of our money. The raising of the gold by voluntary contribution, and of the silver by way of tribute, shews that either way may be taken for the defraying of public expences, provided that nothing be done with partiality.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 21. This is the sum of the tabernacle.]…
Verse 21. This is the sum of the tabernacle.] That is, The foregoing account contains a detail of all the articles which Bezaleel and Aholiab were commanded to make; and which were reckoned up by the Levites, over whom Ithamar, the son of Aaron, presided.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Exo 38:21. This is the sum of the tabernacle…
Exo 38:21. This is the sum of the tabernacle — That is, this is the charge of the foregoing work of the tabernacle, under the direction of the two chief workmen. For the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar — The particle for is not in the original, and therefore it may be better rendered, By the ministry of the Levites, under the conduct of Ithamar. By Moses’s appointment the Levites took and kept an account of the gold, silver, and brass, that was brought in for the use of the tabernacle, and how it was employed. Ithamar, the son of Aaron, was appointed to draw up this account. The gold amounted to twenty-nine talents, and seven hundred and thirty shekels, which sum of gold, at the rate of f5,250 to a talent, and f1.
15s. to a shekel of gold, will be found to have amounted to upward of f150,000 English. As to the silver, there being six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty, who offered each of them half a shekel, as Exo 38:26 informs us, three hundred and one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels were thus raised, which sum amounts to thirty-five thousand two hundred and seven pounds, English. The raising of the gold by voluntary contribution, and silver by way of tribute, shows that either way may be taken for the defraying of public expenses, provided that nothing be done by partiality.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain This is the sum ... - “This is the…
This is the sum ... - “This is the reckoning of the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the Testimony as it was reckoned up according to the commandment of Moses, by the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar,” etc. The weight of the metals was taken by the Levites, under the direction of Ithamar. The tabernacle is called the tabernacle of the testimony, or the depository of the testimony, i. e. the tables of the law Exo 25:16.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Ithamar, some time after this, (Numbers i. 50,) was…
Ithamar, some time after this, (Numbers i. 50,) was appointed to deliver the necessary vessels to the Levites; part of whose duty it was to take down the tabernacle and set it up again, and to keep an account of all things. (Menochius)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain This is the sum of the tabernacle--Having completed his…
This is the sum of the tabernacle--Having completed his description of the component parts of the tabernacle, the inspired historian digresses into a statement respecting the gold and silver employed in it, the computation being made according to an order of Moses--by the Levites, under the direction of Ithamar, Aaron's youngest son.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 21. Superscription. These are the reckonings of (the metals…
21. Superscription. These are the reckonings of (the metals employed for) the Dwelling, (even) the Dwelling of the testimony (so Num_1:50; Num_1:53; Num_10:11; cf. on Exo_25:16), which were reckoned according to the commandment of Moses; (being) the work of the Levites, under the hand, &c. ‘For the service’ is wrong grammatically (for the constr. see G.-K. § 118m); the meaning is not that the reckonings were made for the Levites, but that they were the work of the Levites, done by them under the direction of Ithamar (cf. Num_4:28; Num_4:33; Num_7:8, where the same prep. is rendered under). For Ithamar see on Exo_6:23. ‘Reckoning’ is derived from the verb explained on Exo_30:12, and is cognate with ‘counted’ just below and ‘numbered’ in v. 25.
21–31. Account of the amount of metal employed in the construction of the Tent of Meeting. A ‘very late addition’ to the narrative (Di., in agreement with We. and others): notice (1) in v. 25 f. the census of Numbers 1 (v. 46) is presupposed, although according to P (Num_1:1 compared with Exo_40:17) this did not take place till a whole month after the Tabernacle was completed and erected; (2) the Levites, who are first appointed to their official duties in Numbers 3, are already (cf. Num_4:33) represented as acting under Ithamar’s superintendence; (3) ‘wave-offering’ (vv. 24, 29) appears in the same weakened sense as in Exo_35:22; (4) the writer, while passing over altogether the silver offered voluntarily (Exo_25:3, Exo_35:5 f., 24), to all appearance (comp. v. 26 with Exo_31:13-14) misunderstands Exo_30:11-16, treating the poll-tax there imposed, at the time of a census, in order to form a fund for the maintenance of daily worship, as if it were a contribution of silver in kind, for the construction of the sanctuary.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (21) This is the sum.—Kalisch translates, “These are the…
THE SUM OF THE GOLD, SILVER, AND BRONZE EMPLOYED IN THE TABERNACLE.
(21) This is the sum.—Kalisch translates, “These are the accounts”; Canon Cook, “This is the reckoning.” The expression recurs in Num_26:63.
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The tabernacle of testimony—i.e., the dwelling which was to contain God’s “testimony” against sin—the Ten Commandments.
For the service of the Levites.—Rather, a service of the Levites: i.e., a service which they rendered “by the hand,” or through the instrumentality of Ithamar. Ithamar was the youngest of the sons of Aaron (Exo_6:23).
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Vers. 21-31. THE SUM OF THE TABERNACLE, OR WEIGHT…
Vers. 21-31. THE SUM OF THE TABERNACLE, OR WEIGHT OF THE METALS EMPLOYED IN IT. Before dismissing the subject of the construction of the tabernacle, Moses places on record the sum of the gold, silver and bronze contributed and consumed in the work. At the same time he informs us who was the accountant by whom the sum was made up (ver. 21), and what were the portions of the work formed of each metal (vers. 24, 27, 28, 30, 31). Incidentally he mentions the number of the congregation at this period (ver. 26), and the weight of the "sockets" or "bases" (ver. 27).
This is the sum. Or "numbering". (as in Num_26:63) The tabernacle of testimony. The tabernacle, i.e. , of which the great glory was that it contained "the testimony" or "Two Tables." Compare Exo_25:16. For the service of the Levites. Literally "a service of the Levites by the hand of Ithamar," etc. i.e. "a service which was performed by the Levites at the command of Ithamar." It is somewhat remarkable that the direction of the Levites should be assigned to Ithamar, rather than to Nadab or Abihu.
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HOMILIES BY J. ORR Vers. 21-31. The enumeration of the metals used.
This served a useful purpose
1. As an account rendered to the people of what had been done with theirgifts.
2. As gratifying a very laudable wish of the contributors to know howmuch the sum-total of their contributions amounted to.
3. As giving a just idea of the splendour and costliness of the building.
4. As a testimony to the liberality, willingness, and unstinting self-sacrificeof all classes in the congregation.
5. As specially indicating the destination of the atonement-money themaking of the "sockets" on which the tabernacle was reared (ver. 27).
6. As a lesson of exactitude in church finance. A church is not at liberty todeal in a slovenly manner with its receipts and disbursements. Careful accounts should be kept and published. This
1. Gives confidence in the management;
2. is an encouragement to giving;
3. prevents charges of maladministration;
4. is a prevention against waste. J.O.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain The Summary of Gold, Silver, and Brass
The Summary of Gold, Silver, and Brass
v. 21. This is the sum of the Tabernacle, even of the Tabernacle of Testimony, as it was counted, the enumeration, the summary of the mustered things, the appointments of the Sanctuary, according to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, son to Aaron, the priest. The duty of counting the amount of metal used was committed to the Levites under the direction of Ithamar.
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v. 22. And Bezaleel, as the master artisan, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the Lord commanded Moses.
v. 23. And with him was Aholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver, and a cunning (skilful) workman, and an embroiderer in blue, and in purple, and in scarlet, and fine linen, an artist in all the various crafts that came into consideration.
v. 24. All the gold that was occupied (employed, made use of) for the work in all the work of the Holy Place, even the gold of the offering, the gifts which the people brought voluntarily, was twenty and nine talents, and seven hundred and thirty shekels, after the shekel of the Sanctuary, that is, standard weight. This was 87,730 shekels in gold, or more than $600,000, accepting the lowest estimate, according to which a gold shekel was worth $7. 20. If its value is taken at 9. 60, as some scholars do, the value of the gold used in preparing the Tabernacle was almost $850,000.
v. 25. And the silver of them that were numbered of the congregation was an hundred talents and a thousand seven hundred and threescore and fifteen shekels, after the shekel of the Sanctuary;
v. 26. a bekah for every man, that is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the Sanctuary, for everyone that went to be numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty men. So the standard which was afterward fixed served as a guide in estimating the value of the voluntary contributions, the total amount being 301,775 shekels of silver, or almost $200,000.
v. 27. And of the hundred talents of silver were cast the sockets of the Sanctuary and the sockets of the veil and hundred sockets of the hundred talents, a talent for a socket, that is, almost 118 pounds Troy.
v. 28. And of the thousand seven hundred seventy and five shekels he made hooks for the pillars, and overlaid their chapiters, and filleted them.
v. 29. And the brass of the offering was seventy talents and two thousand and four hundred shekels.
v. 30. And therewith he made, that is, he made out of the copper which was offered or out of its alloy, bronze, the sockets to the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, the pillars of the entrance to the Holy Place having bronze bases, and the brazen altar, and the brazen grate for it, and all the vessels of the altar,
v. 31. and the sockets of the court round about, and the sockets of the court gate, and all the pins of the Tabernacle, and all the pins of the court round about. The example of the children of Israel in sacrificing for their Sanctuary may well inspire enthusiasm of the right kind in the hearts of the believers of the New Testament, making them willing to contribute for the building and the spreading of the Kingdom.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 Connecting Statement:
Connecting Statement:
Bezalel's work crew continues to build the tabernacle and furniture.
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General Information:
(See: How to Translate Names)
as it was taken
This can be stated in active form. AT: "which Moses instructed the Levites to write down" (See: Active or Passive)
Ithamar
This is the name of a man. See how you translated this name in Exodus 6:23. (See: How to Translate Names)
Bezalel son of Uri son of Hur
"Bezalel" and "uri" are the name of men. See how you translated this in Exodus 31:1-2. (See: How to Translate Names)
Yahweh had commanded Moses
"everything that Yahweh told Moses to do"
Oholiab son of Ahisamak
"Oholiab" and "Ahisamak" are names of men. See how you translated this in Exodus 31:6. (See: How to Translate Names)
an engraver, as a skillful workman, and as an embroiderer
"as a skilled engraver and embroiderer"
translationWords
tabernacle
covenant
decree
Moses
works
Levi
Aaron
priest
tribe
Judah
Yahweh
command
Dan
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 38:21-29 The immense amount of metal reported in this…
38:21-29 The immense amount of metal reported in this inventory of materials (more than a ton of gold, almost four tons of silver, and two and a half tons of bronze) reflects the Egyptians’ eagerness to get the Israelites out of Egypt, giving the Israelites anything they asked for in order to hurry them on their way (see 12:35-36).
38:21 Since the Tabernacle contained the Ark of the Covenant, it is called the Tabernacle of the Covenant.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.