EXPOSITION. nacle was to stand Ancient temple.1 were CHAPTER llVIl &I.most universally surrounded by precincu., Ven;. 1-8.-Tu ALTAB or B'DBBT orn:a- which the Greeks called Tf/J,E"'lt whereto a UIG. From the description of the tabemacle, or sacred character attached ; and this was par- ~red tent in which wonhip was to be offered ticularly the case in Egypt, where the temeno, by the priasts, it followed in natural sequence, seems to have been a regular adjonct to the !bat directions should be given concerning the temple (Wilkinson in Rawlinson's Her()(U)tu,, cuwt, er precinct, within which the taber- vol. ii. p. 202, 2nd edition). Among the chief CH. XJVII. 1-8.] TIIE BOOK OF EXODu~. 2LI/ ---- - - - - - - - --- ----- uqes of such an open apace, was the offering Ve!!!!els for receiving the blood or the, victim., of victims on altars, as these could not be con- and from which it WBi! poured on t.he 11lt1tr. veniently consumed elsewhere than in the Compare eh. xxiv. 6. Hi.a 8.Nh hooks. So the Septuagint, and our translators a11:ain ,u open air, on account of the clouds of smoke 1 So.m. ii. 13. They would seem by the ,,., , . ,. and the fumes of the sacrifices. As in the pOBsage to have been three-pronged fork.s. th~ description of the tabernacle, the furniture proper nse of which WBB, no doubt, to arrange was first described, then the structure, so now the varions pieees, into which the victim wOM the altar takes precedence of the court which cut, upon the altar. Ilia flre-pans. The word used is generally translated " censers • was to contain it. (Lev. x. i.; x'fi. 12; Num. iv. H: xvi. 6, 17, Ver. 1. - Thou ahalt make an altar, etc.), but sometimes "snuff-dishes" (eh. xxv Rather, " the altar." God had already de- 38; xxxvii. 23). It here perhaps designates clared that he would have an altar made to the vessels usea for carrying burning embers him in the place where he should "record his from the altar of bumt-offeri11g, to the altar no.me" (eh. xx. 24). And, even apart from of incense on certain occasions (Lev. xvi. 12;. this, an altar would be regarded as so essential Etymologically, it means simply "a. re- an element in Divine worship, that no place ceptacle." .&.11 the veaaele thereof thou shalt of worshi_p could be without one. Of shittim make of br&88. Rather, "of bronze." Bronze wood. God had required (I. s. c.) that his was the nsual material of utensils and imple- altar should be " of earth," or else of nnhewn ments m Egypt (Birch, Guide t,o Briti,h stones (eh. xx. 25). The command now given Museum, pp. 13-21; 28, 29; 35--41; etc.). was to make, not so much an altu, as an altar- Copper was scarcely need without the alloy of case (see ver. 8). There can be no donbt that tin which converts it into bronze; a.nd bras.g Jarchi is right in supposing that, whenever was wholly nnknown. A trace of iron is some• the tabernacle for a time became stationary, times found in Egyptian bronze. the hollow case of the altar was filled up with Ver. 4.-Thou ■halt make for it a grate. earth, and that the victims were burnt upon Rather, "a grating." This was probably a this Jl'our-sqna.re. Altars were commonly protection for the lower part of the altar, and either square or ronnd. An Assyrian trian- prevented it from being touched by the feet gular one was found by Mr. Layard at of the ministrant priests. It was outside the Nineveh ; but even this had a ronnd top. The altar, a.nd had the rings attached to it, by which square shape is the most usual, and was pre- the altar was carried when the Israelites served, probably in all the Temple altars, cer- journeyed. tainly in those of Solomon (2 Clu. iv. 1) and Ver. 5.-Thou ahalt put it under the oom- Herod (Joseph. Bell. Jud. v. 5, § 6). pua. The " compass" ( karkob) is spoken of Ver. 2.-The horns of it. Literally, "its as if it were something well-known ; yet it horns.'" Homs were not nsnal adjuncts of had not been previously mentioned. Etymo- altars ; indeed they seem to have been peculiar logically the word should mean " a cincture '' to those of the Israelites. They were projec- or " band " ronnd the altar ; and thus far tions at the four top comers, probably not un- critics are generally agreed. But its position, like the horns of bulls, whence their no.me. size, and object, are greatly disputed. Some Criminals clnng to them when they took hold that it was a broad bench, or step, on aanctuary (1 K. i. 50 ; ii. 28) ; and the blood which the officiating priests stood at the time of siii-offerings was smeared npon them ( eh. of a sacrifice, and that its position was about xxix. 12; Lev. viii. 15; ix. 9; xvi. 18, etc.). the middle of the altar. Others think that i1. Victims also were sometimes, when about to was a mere border ronnd the top, from which be sacrificed, bonnd to them (Ps. cxviii. 27). the net-work depended, a.nd that the object of According to Kalisch, " The horns were sym- both was to catch anything that might fall from bolical of power, of protection and help ; and the altar. Others again, while placing it at the fie.me time of glory and salvation." mid-way in the altar, regard it as a mere orna- Ria horns ahall be of the aame. Part and ment, only projecting slightly, and forming a parcel of the altar, that is, not extraneous sort of finish to the net-work. This, which is additions. Thou shalt overlay it with brau. the view of Knobel, seems to be, on the whole, A solid plating of bronze is no doubt intended, the most probable one. That the net may be e11ch ae would protect the shittim wood and even to the midst of the altar. If the" com- prevent it from being burnt. p889 " was at the top, the net must have Ver. 3.-Hia pane to reoeive his aehes. extended the11ce to the middle. If it was Literally, "to cleanse it from fat '"-i.e., to mid-way in the altar, the net must have receive what remained after homing the vic- covered the lower half. To us this latter tims, which would be ashes mixed with a good seems the more probable view. Bot the paint deal of fat. His shovels. These would be is uncertain. used in removing the ashes from the altar, and Vers. 6, 7.--Stavea, or poles, were needed depositing them in the pans. Ria basiDB. for the co.rriage of the altar (rom place tQ TUE DOOK OF EXODUS. [rn. XX \"II. 1-8.
plnre. a,: for the erk (eh. xxv. 13) end the Ver. s.~Hollow with boerd1 ■halt thou tahlc of shew-hreed (ih. ver. 2R). 'rhey were m&ke it. See the comment. on ver. l. The tn h~ mserted into the rinp mentioned in term here used for" boards," (which is different ,.Pr. 4. As the eltar WM of bronze, so the from thet in eh. xxvi. 15-29) implies strength rings were to be of bronze, end the staYes and solidity. Al it wu Rhowed thee ln th• o,·erlaid with bronze. There is e gmduel monnt. Compare eh xxvi. 30, with the com• d"srent in the preciousness of the materials ment ad 1.«J fmm the holy of holies to the holy place, and from that to the court