EXPOSITION. CHAPTER :X:X:XVI. veil of the most holy place (vel:'6. 35, 36); 7. The hanging for the entrance to the taber- Ven;. 1-S and 8-38.-Tm: PBOGBESS OF nacle (vers. 37, 38). The chapter, from ver '1'BE WOBK., £.ND THE BUPEIIFLUOUS LIBEBALITY 8, runs parallel with eh. xxvi., differing from OF THE PEOPLE--THE LATTEB BAS TO BE RE- it m&i.nly in describing e.s made that which in STRAINED (vel:'6. 3-7). Bezaleel and Aholiab eh. :u:vi. is ordered to be made. felt tha.t the time for a.ction was now come. Tbev at once addressed themselves to their Ver. 1.-Then wrought Bes&leel, etc. This t.ask: Moses delivered into their hands all the is introductory to the entire sub-section, which various offering!! which the people, rich and extends to the end of eh. :u:xix. It means-- poor, had brought in (eh. x:o:v. 21-29); and " Then, under the direction of Bezeleel and Aholi&b, began the work of constructing that skilled workmen were immediately called upon place of meeting for which commandment bad to shape it for the designed nses. The fa.et of been given to MO&eS in the mount." The the work being commenced did not stop the master-craftsmen, and those under them, in.fiow of gifui. More and yet more continued "wrought," and took care that all we.s done to be brought" every morning" (ver. 3). At aooording to all that the Lord had oom- m&Dded. It is to mark the exactitude of the last it became clear that the supply bad obedience that chs. x:o:vi.-xxxix. follow so exceeded the demand ; and the workmen closely, and with such minuteness, the word- reported so to Moses (ven;. 4, 5), who there• ing of cbs. xxvi.-:u:viii. upon commande.d that the offerings should Vers. 2, 3.-ltoae■ olilled Bnaleel, etc. cease (ver. 6). The progress of the work is Having received sufficient materials for a be- ginning, Moses summoned Bezaleel, Aholiab, then reported in detail, and in the following and their chief assistants, to his presence, and order :-1. The covering for the tabernacle delivered mto their hands the various offerings (ven.. 8-13); 2. The goats' hair covering for -the wood, the metal, the precious stones, the tent above the tabernacle (vers. H--18); the thread, the goats· hair, the rams' skins, 3. The ontAlr coverings of rams' skins and the seals' skins, etc. Upon these materials they proceeded at once to work. They brought seals' skins (ver. 19); 4. The boards for the yet unto him free offeringa every morning. w&lli of the taberna.cle ( vers. 20-30) ; 5. The The people still continued to give. Freewill bGs for the h011Cds (ven;. 31-34); 6 The mlerings kept continually flowing in. Mora• ('lll, J:XXVI :l-38.] Tm•: ROOK OF r,:xoni;~.
ing after morning a freRh supply was hrought. vers. 85. 36. with rh. xxvi. 33. :H; ann the to Moses, who pBSAed it on to those engaged two concluding vers. with c.b. xxvi. 36, 37. in I.ho work. Under these circumstances a few mistransl1t- Vers. 4, 5.-At. last, remonstranr.e had to be tions will alone be noticed. made. The ft!)rkmen were cumhered with Ver. 22.-Two tenon,, equally cM.st,int one an overpl119 ijl, material-an embarras de from another. Rather, n,; in eh. xxvi. 17, riches,cs-and came in a body to Moses, to "two tenons, Bet in order OM nryainst an- make complnint. All the wise men on.me, o/.h,r." ev~ry man from his work, with the cry- VPr. 27.-J'or the Iii.des of the tabernacle " The people bring mnoh more than enough westward. Literally correct ; but it woulrt -we nre hampered in our work by the he more intelli~1hle to renrter" for the 8ide," too great abundance-Jet an end be put to or " for the hnck." it." Ver. 32.-For the Iii.dee weatwa.rd. The Ver. 6.-Moses accordingly had proclama- same alteration should be made. tion made through the cnmp, and so put a Ver. 33.-He made the middle bar to shoot stop to further offerings. through the boarda. Rather. as in eh. xxvi. Vere. 8-38.-Tbe remainder of this 28, " to rench from end tn end of the boards.,. chapter requires no comment, since it goes Ver. 37.-:ror the tabernaole door. Rather, ovor ground already covered. The passage as in eh. xxvi. 36, " for the door of the t,e,nt." from ver. 8 to ver. I 8 corresponds exactly Their ohapitera and their fillets, Rather with eh. xxvi. 1-11; that from ver. 19-34 " their capitau and their rod•." These had with eh. xxvi. 14---29 ; that consisting of not been previously mentioned.
HOMILETICS. Vera. 3-7. Su~raburulant giving.-Too much is far better than too little. Let a great work be taken in hand, and it is impossible to anticipate the exact quantity of the material that it will require, or the exact cost of work and material together. Care should always be taken to have a margin beyond the supposed necessity. Unless this is done- I. THE WOB!I: 18 APT TO BE SCAHPED AND STINTED TOW ARDS TlIE CLOSE. Fear IJaturn.lly arises lest the material or the money should not hold out; and economies are practised which detract from the beauty, the finish, the perfection of the construction. Or (which is worse) desirable, even necessary, adjuncts are omitted, given up as im- practicable under the circumstances. II. 'l'HE WORK MAY ACTUALLY HAVE TO BE LEFT UNFINISHED. All calc11lations of cost are uncertain. Prices rise while a work is in progress; material purchased, or presented, turns out to be defective, and has to be replaced by something better. .Accidents occur. The actual cost of a work almost always exceeds the estimate-some- times greatly exceeds it. How often do we hear of there being a debt upon a building ! This would occur far less frequently, if gifts and offerings kept flowing in until the authority entrusted with the work cried " Stop." Buperabundant giving shows a truly liberal spirit in those who give. It is not a very common thing. Cases are rare of its needing to be" restrained." The 1,xample of the Israelites should stir Christians to emulate them. While these poor wanderers in the desert were so generous, how is it that we are, for the most part, so niggardly? Superabundant giving is a trial to those who receive the gifts. How easy to appro- priate what is not required to our own advantage! Moses withstood this temptation Bezaleel and .Aholiab withstood it. It may be doubted whether all Christians have al way~ done so. The gifts that flowed in at the shrine of Becket, at the exhibition of the holy coat of Treves, at the altar of St. J anuarius, were intended as offerings for the service of the sanctuary. Were they always used for sacred purposes? Was there not often a auperfluity, which men converted to their own benefit? There have ce~y been those in modern times who have enriched themselves out of moneys subscribed for charitable purposes, as the records of our assize courts sufficiently show.