EXPOSITION. Vers. 21-29 -Tnrn ZFJAI, 01" T!Jl!I Pl!IOPLl!I IN Ja.cob (Gen. xxxv. 2). Bre.oeletR. RRther. Ol"l"ERillo. Moses dismissed the people; but u buckles., or " brooches.'' Ku.li.i;;r,h snv,, they soon began to return, bringing t.heir " nose-rings,'' and so Gesenins an,l Rn,::::Pn- miiller. Tableta. Rather," armlets" (F,mt, offerings with them. Thore WIIS e. genera.I, Cook), or perhaps " necklaces " (Gesenius if no' e. universal, willingne!lf1 Men e.nd Kalisch, Knobel). Every me.n that offered, women a.like " brought braceleltl (brooches?), offered e.n ofl'ering of gold. It is n0t nwrn t and eo.rrings, e.nd rings, and armlets-all that every man who offered anything gavo articles of gold," u.nd offered them to the with it e.n offering of gold, but simply th11t, besides those who brought the articles named Lord (ver. 22). Others brought blue and there were others who brought gold offerings purple and sco.rlet and fine linen, e.nd goats' of some different kind. ho.ir e.nd ra.ms' skins dyed red, and badger ( or Ver. 23.-Red akins of re.ma. The words ro.ther, see.I) skins (ver. 23). Silver and bronze are the same as those translated "rams' skins e.nd shittimwood were contributed by others dyed red" in eh. xxv. 5. The earlier render- ing is the better one. Badger akin&. Rather, (ver. 2-1). The women, who were the only "seu.l skins." See the comment on eh. spinners, brought their spun yarn of blue XXV, 5. and purple e.nd scarlet and fine linen, e.nd Ver. 24.-Every one that did offer e.n their yarn of goats' hair (vers. 25, 26); while offering of ailver. It would seem that silver the richest cless of e.11-" the rulers "-gave, was offered by some in the way of a free-will offering, in addition to the compulsory half- as their contribution, the onyx stones for the shekel (eh. xxx. 12-16). Curiously, how- ephod, the jewels for the high-priest's breast- ever, the a.mount obtained in this way is not plate, and the oil needed for the light, to- given in eh. xxxviii. 24-29. gether with re.re spices for the anointing Ver. 25.-All the women tll.e.t were wise- ointment and the incense ( vers. 27, 28). hee.rted--i.e., "skilful." See the comment on eh. xxviii. 3. Brought that which they Subsequently, we a.re told that what we.a he.d apnn, both of blne, etc. The flax itself contributed we.a " much more than enough " we.a dyed, so that the thread produced was ( eh. xxxvi. 5), e.nd that the people he.d to be e.lready coloured. Of 11ne !i11en--i.e. " white.·• 11 restrained from bringing " ( ibid. 6). All the threads were flaxen. Ver. 26.-All the women whose heart Ver. 21.-The Lord's o:tfering-i.e., "their stirred them up in wisdom. This strong offering to J ehove.h." For all his servioe. expression seems to imply that peculiar skill The use of " his " for " its " ea.uses an unfor- was required for spinning goats' hair. tunate ambiguity here. The antecedent to Vers. 27, 28.-The rulers a.re, no doubt, the pronoun is not the Lord, but the taber- the "elders" of eh. iii 16; iv. 29 ; xxiv. 9, nacle. etc. Moses had made them " ralers," or Ver. 22. - They oame, both men and rather, "princes" (11arey), according to the women. That among the Hebrews gold advice of Jethro (eh. xviii 25). They ornaments were worn by men, as well as by brought onyx stones for the ephod ( eh. x..·uiii women, is indicated by eh. iii. 22, and eh. 9-12) and stones to be set,-i.e., gems for the xxxii. 2. The Egyptian men e.t the time of the breastplate (ibid. 17-20); oil of olive for the Exodus wore armlets, bracelets, and some- lamp ( eh. :uvii 20) and the holy ointment times anklets, but not often earrings Earrings, ( eh. xxix. 24 ), and spice for the same ( ibid. however, had been worn by the household of 23, 24) and for the incense (ibid. 34).
HOMILETICS. Vers. 21-29.-Zeal in offering. Appeals are made to men, in all parts of the world, and in all ages, for material contributions towards the erection of structures in which God is to be worshipped. The spirit in which such appeals are met varies. (1) Occa- sionally, they are met in a scoffing spirit. "What, your God needs a house, and cannot build one for himself! He must beg contributions, put out a sub8cription list! AnJ for what? To make a huge building, which will be of no practical use-not a school, not a hospital, not a corn-exchange, but a Church ! Catch us giving anything! " Or (2) it is met in a grudging spirit. "Why is so much required? What need is there for so large a building, or for su.;h rich ornament, or for such architectural Jis- THE BOOK OF EXODUS.