EXPOSITION. CHAPTER XXXIX. and vers. 30, 31 to vers. 36, 37. The re- mainder of the chapter (vers. 32-43) contains Vers. 1-31.-THE l!'UBTHEB PBOGBESB OF a recapitulation of the work done, and a state- THE WOIIX-THE 11U.l[ING OF THE PRIESTS' ment that it was all submitted to Moses and DRESSES. Vers. 82-43.-THE GE.'fEIUL Al'· approved by him. PBOVAL OF THE WOIIX BY MOSES. The entire Ver. 1.--0f the blue, and purple, and soar- work for the structnre of the tabernacle being let-i.e., of the blue, pnrple, and scarlet completed, it only remained for Bezaleel and thread, which had been span by the women, Aholie.b to take in hand the priestly vestments, and brought to Moses. See eh. L"t.."'!:V, 25. The omission of " tine linen " seems to be which had been prescribed with the greatest e.ccidenta.J.. Cloths of servioe. See the com- elaboration in eh. xxviii. ~0. The present ment on eh. xxxi. 10. chapter is mainly occupied in relating how Ver. 3.-They did beat the gold into thin the vestments were ma.de, e.nd follows, very plates and out it into wires. This mode of nearly, the order of the directions. Vers. producing gold thread is remarkable, and haJ. not been previously mentioned. 1-7 correspond to vers. 5-H of eh. xxviii.; Ver. 9.-J'or a memorial. Compare eh. vers. 8-21 to vers. 15-88 ; vers. 22-26 to xxviii. 12. ,er:i. 31-3-i; vcrs. 27--29 to vers. 39, -lO; Vcrs. 10-1:{. --On the probable stones i.n- 'l'H E BOOK OF EXODUS. rCR. 1':XXIX. 16--i3;
tcnd!'d, a.ee the comment u.pon eh xxviii. To futen it 011. high. This WBl! not men- li-20. tioned in the directione, which only ordered Ver. 16.-Two ouohN of gold. Compare that it should be placed in front (eh. xxviii eh. xx,-iii. 13 a.nd 25.. 37). V~r. 24. -And twined linen. Rather Vere. ~2----48.-Everything WL'l brought tc "twined,'" i.,., twisted together. There wa.s Moses for his approval-not perhaps all things no direction to WIC " fine twined linen " in at once, but each 88 it WllS 11 o ished--a.nd w&.11 making the pomegranates. See eh. xx,'iii. 3a. judged by him "according to the pa.ttem Ver. 27 .--Oo&tll of 11.ne linen of woven 1'1'hich be had seen upon the mount' work for AIL!'On and for hil IODI. Compare (eh. xxv. 40; xxvi. 30, etc.). The ordc1 eh. XX\"ii. 29 and 30. observed in the enumeration is nearly, hut Ver. 28.-A mitre . . . and goodly bon- not quite, the order in which it bas been 11.eta. The •·mitre" for Aaron (eh. xxviii. stated that the various things were mJ.de. 37---39), the "goodly bonnets," or rathor We must su.ppose that if Moses disapproved "ea~" for his sons (w. 40). The linen of anything, it was rejected; but no dis- bn,eoh91, or " draweni," were for both ( ib. ..pproval is mentioaed. X01e1 did. look upon u. 48). all the work,, and behold. they had. done it Ver. ll9.--A girdle of 111.e twine4 linen, u the Lord oomm&ll.lled.. Accordingly Moses etc. In the directions of eh. xxviii. S9. thlS concluded all by " blessing" them ; thereby iii oaJled simply," A girdle of needlework." signifying, not bis own approval only, but Ven;. 30, 31.-TIM, p2ateofthe holyorowa. the Di\'ine approval, of t.heir diligence and See eh. xxix. 6, and oompare eh. xxviii. 36. obedience.
HOMILETICS. Ver. 43.-.A lxessiag 11pon obedience. It is not every kind of obedience that brings down a bles&ng upon it. To deserve the Divine approval, and obtain the Diviue benediction, obedience must be, as was that here recorded- !. E:u.cr. "According to all that the Lord commanded., so the children of lsrMl made the work" (ver. 42). "As the Lord had commanded, even so had they done it" (ver. 43). II. PBOllPT. The work could not have commenced before the sixth or the seventh month, since Sinai wu not reached till the third month (eh. xix. 1), and Moses passed in oonference with God nearly three months. Yet the whole was finished before the year was out (see eh. tl 1). Thus it appears that six months sufficed for the completion of everything. Ill. lNTELLIGEl!l'T. There was little misunderstanding-few, if any, mistakes. All comprehended the orders given to them, and each carried out his assigned portion. Un- less this had been the C&Se very generally, it is impossible that all would have been ready by the end of the year. 'l'he rapid completion of the work proves the intelligence of the workmen. Not.e what is said of their being" wise-hearted" (eh. xxxvi. 1, 2, 8). Men, for the most part, think to obtain the supreme blessing of eternal life, though their obedience has been 1. Partial and inexact ; 2. t.ardy ; 3. marred by mil!apprehension of the commands given them. They do not seem to i.ma,,<>ine that there will be any real inspection of their work, such as that which is here ascribed to Moses. "Moses did look upon ail the work" (ver. 43). Yet surely at the last day, man's work will be tested in i;ome real, searching way. Whatever may be meant by the expression-" The fire shall try every man's work " (1 Cor. iii 13), at any rat.e, some trial there will be. Faithful service to Christ will be rewarded by a blessing exceeding all that we can ask or think; but there will be minut.e inquiry, whether the service has been ino.eed faithful For further Homiletics on the subjects of this chapter, see those upon eh. x.xvili.
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vem. 1-32.-The ~ of t,h,e priuu. See Homily on eh. uviiL-J. 0. Vers. 1-41.-Tl.e <Jwth& of &rviu; the work per/ut,e,d. I. THE PRIESTS' GABHENTS. 1. Their splendour. They were fashioned of gold and jew~ls, and bl~e, and purp!e, and =let. God gives glory w his servants. He makes us krngs ~<l pnests Ullto hunself, d1. ~~XIX 12, 43.] TUE BOOK OF EXODUS. 395