WMM Bible Reading: Exodus 30

Exodus 30 – The incense altar (not previously mentioned—possibly an addition) is 18” long and 18” wide and 36” high (using the Today’s English Version so as to get away from cubits). It has “projections,” rings  and poles to make it moveable.  And it is placed “outside the curtain which hangs in front of the Covenant Box” (30:6).

There shall be incense burned morning and evening for all time to come.  No holocausts or cereal offerings or libations shall be made on it, but once a year Aaron shall perform the “atonement rite” on its horns (30:10).  This “altar is most sacred to the Lord.”

When they have a census (seen here as in other places as threatening.  Schocken says, that it seemed people thought if you could be counted, you could be controlled—an early argument against government interference in people’s lives), each Israelite (age 20+ which was the age for military service) shall give the lord “a forfeit for his life, so that no plague may come upon them for being registered” (30:12), It is a half-shekel offering. This tax shall go to keeping up the meeting tent “that there it may be the Israelites’ reminder before the Lord, of the forfeit paid for their lives” (30:16).

A wash-bowl is to be placed between the meeting tent and the altar for the priests to wash their hands and feet whenever they enter or approach the altar to offer an oblation.

Anointing oil shall be made of the finest spices—myrrh, cinnamon, cane, cassia—and oil. Everything shall be anointed with it and the priests as well.  There are directions for the incense as well.

WMM Bible Reading: Exodus 29

Exodus 29 – The consecration of priests shall be accompanied by appropriate sacrifices—a young bull and two unblemished rams; also unleavened wheat cakes and wafers.  Then the priest, in this case Aaron and his sons, should be dressed in their priestly garments.  The bull should be slaughtered and some blood placed on the horns of the altar, the fat burned on the altar.  The rest of the animal should be burned up outside the camp as a sin offering.

Then the rams: with the first, its blood should be splashed on the altar and the entire ram burned there as a holocaust, a sweet-smelling oblation.  With the second, some of its blood should be placed on the tip of Aaron’s right ear (and then his sons likewise), and on their right thumbs and toes.  The fat from this ram and its inner organs shall become a “wave offering” (or, as Schocken editors call it, an elevation offering) together with some of the bread and oil.  Then this too shall be burned on the altar.  The meat of the ram shall be boiled and the priests given it to eat—anything left over is to be burned since it is sacred (29:34).

Seven days are allotted for ordination, making atonement for the altar and consecrating it–two yearling lambs each day—one morning, one evening. 

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.