WMM Bible Reading: Exodus 28

Exodus 28 – The vestments shall have breast-pieces, ephods, robes, brocaded tunic, miter and sash. Onyx stones—one for each of the sons of Israel—engraved with the names in order of birth, shall be set in the shoulder strap of the ephod.  The breastplate “of decision” made with various precious stones (the names of which seem to vary with each English translation)—12 different ones: carnelian, topaz, emerald—garnet, sapphire, beryl—jacinth, agate, amethyst—chrysolite, onyx, jasper (NAB). 

Aaron will thus “bear the names of the sons of Israel on the breastpiece of decision over his heart as a constant reminder before the Lord” (28:29). In the breastpiece shall go the Urim and Thummim (over his heart).  Schocken editors have little to add to explain but note that Urim starts with the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet and Thummim with the last letter.

Aaron’s robe shall be made of violet material, and all around the hem he shall have gold bells and pomegranates alternating, and he must wear this whenever he is ministering in the sanctuary or else he will die.  On the miter there shall be a plate of gold engraved with “Sacred to the Lord” and this shall hang on his forehead  “Since Aaron bears whatever guilt the Israelites may incur in consecrating their gifts” (28:38). He must always have this plate on.

WMM Bible Reading: Exodus 27

Exodus 27 – The altar (5 cubits by 5 cubits and 3 cubits high) and plated in bronze, shall have horns on the corners “springing” from the altar, and poles to carry it around.  There should be pots, shovels, basins, forks and fire pans of bronze—for removing ashes, etc.  It should also have a grate (like a cookout stove) with rings in the corners to go on the ground and come half way up the altar (1.5 cubits high).

The court for the tent made from hangings hung on 20 columns south and north.  The hangings to the west shall be half the length; and at the entrance of the court, the curtain shall be 20 cubits long.

There needs to be oil for the lamps (olive oil) and they are always to be lit.

WMM Bible Reading: Exodus 26

Exodus 26 – The dwelling tent shall be made of linen sheets of violet, purple and scarlet yarn, with cherubim embroidered on the sheets.  Each sheet shall be 28 cubits [length of forearm of a man] high by 4 cubits wide.  Five sheets are to be sewed together and then another five sewed together.  Along the edge of the end sheet there should be loops of violet yarn (50 on each end sheet) and 50 clasps of gold to join the sheets.  On top of this there is also to be another covering of woven goat hair (to protect from weather?)—eleven of them (30 X 4) and sewed (5 to each side) The last one is to double-cover the front.  The loops and clasps (of bronze on the outside) are to fasten the covering.  Inside there are to be walls of acacia wood (each piece of it 10 cubits X 1.5)—each one is to have “arms” to link it to the next piece.  They are to be set up 20 boards to the south with two silver pedestals under each board; 20 on the north side; 6 for the rear—to the west and double boards (2 each) for the rear corners. Amazing detail!

The veil, made of violet, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen with cherubim embroidered on it, is to be hung on 4 columns which shall have hooks of gold and shall rest on four silver pedestals.  They shall sit behind this veil (the west? - side of the tent—the back).  The propitiatory shall rest on the ark behind the veil in the holy of holies.  The table (set on the north side of the tent), lamp-stand (opposite it on the south side of the tent), shall be outside the veil.

Exodus 25

Exodus 25 – The next section deals with the construction of the Ark of the Covenant in great detail.  The cult of animal and grain sacrifices, persisted even to the time of the second Temple’s destruction.  For the Israelites, it meant that the Lord was really in their midst (Ex 17:7).  Schocken editors suggest the building in the context of the Sabbath stricture (six days labor and one day’s rest) replicates the creative work of God (p. 394). 

The interesting thing about this “sanctuary” is that it moves with the people.  It is not affixed to a place—not yet. The presence of God celebrated here is a people-centered presence. Schocken also points out that while the chapters here seem “space” obsessed—how the space should be filled—they are also “time-obsessed”—the structure of times in which things may or may not happen is equally important.  Many attempts have been made to construct the structure described here but with little success.  The instructions are more symbolic—getting more precious with parts coming closer to the godhead, the colors reflecting too a like effect.  The order of building is from most holy—the ark—to the least.  “The establishment of the cult, like that of the system of justice, is . . .viewed as the command of God rather than the result of the need or request of human beings [contrast this with the ‘requested’ monarchy in 1 Sam. 8]” (395).

The Lord directs Moses to gather materials together from the people—free will offerings of all kinds of things necessary to make a sanctuary “that [He] may dwell in their midst”(25:8). The specifications are exact: the ark is to be of acacia wood (2.5 cubits—man’s forearm--long, 1.5 cubits wide and high); it should be plated inside and outside with gold with a molding of gold around the top; four gold rings on the support that poles can pass through to carry it.  The commandments are to be placed in the ark.  A “propitiatory” of the same size is to be made mounted by two cherubim of beaten gold—one on each end, their wings spread to cover it.  Their faces should be directed to the propitiatory, which rests on top of the ark.  He will “meet” Moses “in the ark” and His voice, his commands, shall issue forth from between the cherubim.

The table of acacia wood (2 X 1 X 1.5—smaller than the ark) is to be plated with gold and surrounded with a frame a few inches high.  It too shall have rings and poles.  There shall be plates and bowls of gold, and on the table there shall “always” (regularly-says Schocken) be “showbread” (“Bread of the Presence”) (25:30). The lamp-stand with 3 branches on either side with cups shaped like almond blossoms, knobs and petals.  In front of the lamp-stand there are to be 7 lamps to illuminate the space in front of the lamp-stand. 

WMM Bible Reading: Exodus 24

Exodus 24 – Moses goes up the mountain again, this time with Aaron, Nadab, Abihu (Aaron’s sons) and 70 elders, but only Moses is permitted to “come close” (24:2).  Moses writes down all that the Lord tells him and in the morning erects an altar and 12 pillars or stones at the foot of the mountain.  He sprinkles blood on the altar and puts half of it in large bowls. The people confirm their allegiance to the covenant and he sprinkles the blood from the bowls on them, saying “This is the blood of the covenant which the Lord has made with you . . .” (24:8). 

Then Moses and his companions go up and they behold the God of Israel.  Under his feet there appears to be a “pavement of sapphire as blue as the sky” (24:10). Schocken editors translate the phrase “(something) like the work of sapphire tiles, (something) like the substance of the heavens in purity . . . as clear as the sky itself.”  Then, Moses and Joshua, his companion and later successor as leader, go up further.  A cloud covers the mountain for six days.  He enters into the cloud and stays for forty days and forty nights.  But below the people see only a consuming [notice that this fire consumes whereas the fire Moses saw in the bush did not] fire on the mountaintop. The numbers throughout this chapter are all symbolic: 70, 12, 6, 40.

WMM Bible Reading: Exodus 23

Exodus 23 – The listing of wrongs continues: Do not spread false rumors; do not side with the majority to the perversion of justice; do NOT favor the poor in a lawsuit when the facts do not support their cause [this is an interesting one]; do not mistreat foreigners; do not accept bribes.  What to do if you find lost property; caring for animals—even if they belong to people who hate you and your help will indirectly help your enemy; do not deny the needy their rights; avoiding dishonesty of every kind; not condemning the innocent man to death; not sparing the guilty man.

Then readers are reminded about not tilling the soil each 7^th year so “that the poor among you may eat of it and the beast of the field may eat what the poor leave”; the Sabbath rest; celebration of the pilgrim feasts—Passover, Pentecost  (Shavu’ot or Weeks—wheat harvest and first fruits in early June) and booths (final grape harvest in late September or early October—called Sukkot or Huts); offerings; not boiling a kid in its mother’s milk.

God is sending his angel “to guard you. . . and bring you to the place I have prepared.  Be attentive to him and heed his voice.” The Lord promises his blessings on those who are faithful—fertility, health, fullness of life (23:25). The victory over those in the land will not be quick but little by little (23:30).

WMM Bible Reading: Exodus 22

Exodus 22 – More laws are presented that give us a perspective on how the Mosaic law dealt with morally complex cases: thefts of animals by those who can pay fines and by those who can’t; cattle that “wander” away from grazing lands and into crop-lands where they do damage to others; fires that are started for proper reasons but that get out of control; injuries to animals in the custody of people who are not their owners; seduction of virgin girls who are engaged to someone and those who are not engaged; sorcery practiced by women – especially worrisome, I guess; cases of bestiality; mistreatment of sojourners, widows, orphans; money lending; cursing leaders and speaking evil of God; etc. One of the crimes mentioned caught my interest – “If a thief is caught breaking into a house at night and is killed, the one who killed him is not guilty of murder. But if it happens during the day, he is guilty of murder” (22:4).

It reminded me of the Florida case in the early to mid-2000s where a man who shot an invader of his home was convicted of murder or manslaughter because the law at that time forbade people from using deadly force unless the invader had a weapon. I think the case angered people and had a role in passage of the now controversial “Stand Your Ground” law that is involved in the case of Trayvon Martin. I can’t find the case, but it deals with some of the very complicated legal situations that can arise – similar to the ones described in Exodus.