7 For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much.
16 And he coupled five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves.
18 And he made fifty taches of brass to couple the tent together, that it might be one.
20 And he made boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood, standing up.
21 The length of a board was ten cubits, and the breadth of a board one cubit and a half.
23 And he made boards for the tabernacle; twenty boards for the south side southward:
27 And for the sides of the tabernacle westward he made six boards.
28 And two boards made he for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides.
31 And he made bars of shittim wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle,
33 And he made the middle bar to shoot through the boards from the one end to the other.
The making of the tabernacle The liberality of the people restrained.
- The readiness and zeal with which these builders set about their work, the exactness with which they performed it, and the faithfulness with which they objected to receive more contributions, are worthy of our imitation. Thus should we serve God, and our superiors also, in all things lawful. Thus should all who are in public trusts abhor filthy lucre, and avoid all occasions and temptations to covetousness. Where have we the representation of God's love towards us, that we by love dwell in him and he in us, save in Emmanuel? #Mt 1:23|. This is the sum of the ministry of reconciliation, #2Co 5:18,19|. This was the design of the "tabernacle of witness," a visible testimony of the love of God to the race of men, however they were fallen from their first state. And this love was shown by Christ's taking up his abode on earth; by the Word being made flesh, #Joh 1:14|, wherein, as the original expresses it, he did tabernacle among us.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.
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