Exodus 27

Exodus 27: The Tabernacle: The altar, the courtyard, and oil for the lampstand

Synopsis

This chapter continues the instructions for the tabernacle, and related items.

• The Altar of Burnt Offering
  • The altar was to be 1.3 metres high, 2.3 metres long, and 2.3 metres wide. It was to be made of acacia wood, overlayed with bronze. (All of the utensils for the altar were also to be made of bronze.
  • There were to be horns made for the altar, on each of the four corners, of one piece with the rest of the altar.
  • As with some of the other implements in the tabernacle, the Israelites were to build poles for carrying the altar—out of acacia wood overlayed with bronze—and rings were to be built into the altar, where the poles would be inserted.
  • The altar was to be hollow, not solid wood and bronze. I’m wondering if this is because the Israelites had to carry it, and bronze is fairly heavy, but that’s just a guess on my part.
• The Courtyard
  • The courtyard was to be 46 metres long on the South and North sides, and 23 metres long on the West and East sides.
  • Curtains were to be made for each side, out of finely twisted linen, with posts, bronze bases for the posts, and silver hooks and bands on the posts, for hanging the curtains. I’m not sure if the posts themselves were supposed to be bronze; otherwise, I’m not sure what they were to be made of. There were to be twenty posts and bases for the South and North sides, and ten posts and bases for the East and West sides.
  • The entrance was to have an embroidered curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and finely twisted linen. It was to have four posts and bases.
• Oil for the Lampstand
  • Pressed olive oil was to be used for the lampstand.
  • Aaron and his descendents were to keep the lampstand burning from evening until morning. It’s specified that this is to be “a lasting ordinance among the Israelites for the generations to come” (verse 21).

Thoughts

I don’t have anything to say about this chapter, that I can think of. I’ll probably think of something right after I hit Submit…