The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 2 — Section 236

EXPOSITION. Ven;. 10-22.-Tw!: PATTERN OF THE Allll:. in a procession, a.nd had commonly rings at the -Moses is first shown, not the pattern of the side, through which poles were passed on such tabernacle, but the patterns of those things occasions. It must be freely admitted, that the general idea of the "Ark," as well as cer- which it was to contain-the ark, the table tain points in its ornamentation, was adopted of sbew-bread, and the seven-branched candle- from the Egyptian religion. Egyptian arks stick, or lamp-stAnd, with its appurtenances. were commonly of sycamore wood. Two The ark, as the very most essential po.rt of the oubit& and a half, etc. As there is no reason entire construction, is described first. to believe that the Hebrew cubit differed seriously from the cubits of Greece and Rome, Ver. 10.-Thou 1balt make &D. ark of we may safely regard tbe Ark of the Covenant ahittim wood. Ark!; were an ordinary j>e.rl of as a chest or box, three feet nine inches long, the religious furniture of temples in Egypt, two feet three inches wide, and two feet three and were greatly venerated. They uswilly inches deep. cuntained a figure or emblem. of some deity. Ver. ll.-Thou ■balt overlay it with pure Occa.sionally tbe_v were in the shape of boats; gold. Or, "cover it with pure gold." Ail Lu1 tLe roost ordinary form was that of "' cup- gilding was well known in Egypt long before l.,c,arrl or chest. The_v were especially con- the time of the exodus, it i8 fjUitc possil,le ll.J"ijcled for the purpuse of Leing cu.rried about thill the chest wa.:; bllllply gilt without IWU en. xxv. 11-lA.] Trm nooK OF EXODUS.