Exodus 35:22

Exo 35:22 And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted, [and] brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold: and every man that offered [offered] an offering of gold unto the LORD.

Ver. 22. And brought bracelets.] Glad they had anything of price to dedicate to God and to seal up their thankfulness for this readmittance into his love and favour. {See Trapp on "Mat 9:10"} Nazianzen put this price upon his Athenian learning, wherein he was very famous, that he had something of value to part with for Christ. These in the text, in token of their true repentance, brought their bracelets and other ornaments, as freely for the service of the tabernacle, as erst they had done to the making of the golden calf.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Or, hooks.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

they came, both men and women, &c.--literally, "the men over and above the women"; a phraseology which implies that the women acted a prominent part, presented their offerings first, and then were followed by as many of their male companions as were similarly disposed.

brought bracelets, &c.--There was in that early age no money in the form of coins or bullion. What money passed current with the merchant consisted of rings which were weighed, and principally of ornaments for personal decoration. Astonishment at the abundance of their ornaments is at an end when we learn that costly and elegant ornaments abounded in proportion as clothing was simple and scarce among the Egyptians, and some, entirely divested of clothing, yet wore rich necklaces [HENGSTENBERG]. Among people with Oriental sentiments and tastes, scarcely any stronger proof could have been given of the power of religion than their willingness not only to lay aside, but to devote those much-valued trinkets to the house of God; and thus all, like the Eastern sages, laid the best they had at the service of God.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 22. As many as were willing-hearted] For no one was forced to lend his help in this sacred work; all was a free-will offering to the Lord.

Bracelets] חח chach, whatever hooks together; ornaments for the wrists, arms, legs, or neck.

Ear-rings] נזם nezem, see this explained Ge 24:22.

Rings] טבעת tabbaath, from טבי taba, to penetrate, enter into; probably rings for the fingers.

Tablets] כומז cumaz, a word only used here and in Nu 31:50, supposed to be a girdle to support the breasts.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(22) Both men and women . . . brought bracelets . . . —It is not quite certain what the personal ornaments here mentioned are. The LXX. render σφραγῖδας καὶ ἐνώτια καὶ δακτυλίους καὶ ἐμπλόκια καὶ περιδέξια, “signets, and earrings, and rings, and chains, and armlets,” substituting five terms for four. Rosenmüller thinks the khâkh was a “nose ring;” others make it a “brooch” or “buckle.” The last word of the four, kumâz, cannot possibly mean “tablets.” It comes from a root signifying “rounded,” and designates probably a bead necklace, such as was often worn by the Egyptians. On the use of personal ornaments by the Hebrew men, as well as women, see Note on Exo_32:2.

Jewels of gold.—Literally, articles of gold.

And every man that offered, offered an offering of gold.—By repeating the word “offered,” our translators have spoiled the sense. Moses is enumerating those who came. There came those who offered bracelets, earrings, rings, &c.; there came also those who offered any (other) offering of gold to the Lord.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

22. The offering of men and women alike; viz. gold (v. 6; Exo_25:3), in various forms.

brooches] Heb. ḥâḥ,—elsewhere a ‘hook’ for the jaw (Eze_29:4), or nose (2Ki_19:28).

earrings] or nose-rings. See on Exo_32:2.

armlets] marg., necklaces: the precise meaning is uncertain. Heb. kûmâz, only besides Num_31:50.

all jewels of gold] more clearly, ‘(even) every jewel of gold.’

and every man that waved a wave-offering of gold unto Jehovah (brought it)] cf. vv. 23 end, 24 end. The rend, ‘even’ is impossible, besides yielding a wrong sense: the reference in this clause is not to those who brought brooches, and earrings, &c., but to such as brought gold in any form,—probably, in particular, ingots. ‘Wave’ and ‘wave-offering’ are used here, not in their proper sense (see on Exo_29:24) of a ceremony implying that the object ‘waved’ is given ultimately to the priests, but in a weakened and later sense of present, presentation: so Exo_38:24; Exo_38:29, Num_18:11.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And every man with whom was found blue, and purple, and scarlet,.... Wool or yarn of either of the colours; unless it can be supposed there might be with some of them the ingredients with which colours were made, brought with them out of Egypt:

and fine linen; they had brought out of Egypt, and for which that country was famous:

and goats' hair; which in those countries was so long as to be shorn like the wool of sheep:

and red skins of the rams; died red, for it does not mean any that were naturally so, of which none are known:

and badgers' skins; see Exo 25:5 of each of these, such who had them in their possession, and their hearts were willing to part with them:

brought them; to Moses, to the tabernacle or tent where he was.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Bracelets - Rather, brooches.

Earrings - The Hebrew word signifies a ring, either for the nose (see Gen 24:22) or for the ear Exo 32:2; Gen 35:4. That ear-rings, not nose-rings, are here meant is confirmed by what we know of early Hebrew and Egyptian customs.

Rings - Signet rings.

Tablets - More probably, armlets. It is most likely that all the articles mentioned in this verse were of gold. The indulgence of private luxury was thus given up for the honor of the Lord. Compare Exo 30:18 note.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

And women, by the hands of their husbands, as the Hebrew and Septuagint intimate. --- Tablets, (dextralia) ornaments worn on the right hand or arm.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Earrings.

Object. Aaron had got these from them for the making of the calf, Exo 32.

Answ. Though the generality of the people did then part with their earrings, yet there was a considerable number who did not, as being unsatisfied with that idolatrous design; and it may seem that the women would not part with theirs, being more fond of their ornaments than of their idols. See Poole "Exo 32:3".

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

22. Both men and women — As if anticipating the New Testament idea, that in the life and fellowship of God there is neither male nor female.

Gal_3:28. But in the making of this sanctuary, as in building the Christian Church, there is work both for men and women. As there are some kinds of work suitable only for men and not for women, so there are other kinds suitable only for women and not for men. So, too, it may be in the Christian Church.

Bracelets — The exact meaning of the word (חח) thus translated is not certain. It has been rendered by brooches, hooks, chains, clasps, nose-jewel.

Earrings — See on Exo_32:2.

Rings — Probably signet rings. See note on Gen_41:42.

Tablets — Occurs only here and Num_31:50, and is of uncertain meaning. It has been variously explained, as armlets, necklaces, beads, lockets.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

They came, both men and women. That among the Hebrews gold ornaments were worn by men, as well as by women, is indicated by Exo_3:22, and Exo_32:2. The Egyptian men at the time of the Exodus wore armlets, bracelets, and sometimes anklets, but not often earrings Earrings, however, had been worn by the household of Jacob. (Gen_35:2) Bracelets. Rather, "buckles" or "brooches." Kalisch says, "nose-rings," and so Gesenins and Rosenmuller. Tablets. Rather, "armlets" (Furst, Cook), or perhaps "necklaces "(Gesenius Kalisch, Knobel). Every man that offered, offered an offering of gold. It is not meant that every man who offered anything gave with it an offering of gold, but simply that, besides those who brought the articles named there were others who brought gold offerings of some different kind.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Tablets or Lockets.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

על הנשים means with the women and closely following them.

חח is a circular golden ornament placed upon the arm; it is the צמיד which is often mentioned in Scripture (cf. e. g., Numbers 31:50).

כומז was a golden ornament worn by the women upon their private parts, Our Rabbis explain the name כּוּמָז as [an acrostic]: כַּאן מְקוֹם זִמָּה, [meaning] here is the place of licentiousness. (cf. Shabbat 64a).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

AND THE MEN CAME ‘AL HANASHIM’ (WITH THE WOMEN). The meaning of this expression is that because donations of ornaments were more common amongst women, and they all had these jewels [cited in the verse: nose-rings, and ear-rings, and signet-rings, and golden beads, all jewels of gold], therefore they immediately pulled off their ear-rings and signet-rings and were the first to come to Moses, and [afterwards] they brought with them those men with whom they found ornaments. For the phrase al hanashim indicates that they were there first, while the men joined them later. Similar usage of the word al is found in these verses: Aram is confederate ‘al’ Ephraim, for that war [against Judah] was mainly led by Ephraim [i.e., the kingdom of Israel]; and he did not put them ‘al’ (unto) Laban’s flock; ‘v’alav’ (and next unto him) shall be the tribe of Manasseh. There are other similar instances. Thus Scripture is stating that all — men and women — came with nose-rings, and ear-rings, and signet-rings, and golden beads, and with all jewels of gold, such as bracelets and ear-rings, as all of the people found some jewelry to bring. It further states that some of them brought an offering of gold, in some broken form or as coin.

And every man, with whom was found blue-purple and red-purple. The reason for this expression is that these items were found only amongst a few of the people. Then Scripture states again, and every man, with whom was found acacia-wood, because the people who had this kind of wood were still fewer in number. It states, Every one that did set apart an offering of silver and brass, because most people had silver and brass in coins or vessels. Scripture, however, did not mention this above together with all jewels of gold, because it mentioned there the women, and they did not have silver and brass ornaments but gold ones, just as Aaron said, Pull off the golden rings, which are in the ears of your wives.

And every man that ‘heinif tenufath’ (brought an offering of) gold. This is so phrased because the number of these people was not as great as those who brought silver and brass. Thus the amount of gold brought was not as much as that of silver and brass. It is for this reason that the gold donation is called tenufah (waving), whilst that of silver and brass is called terumah (offering), … for one who brings gold waves it with his hand to show the importance of the donation, or it may be that those who take it from him wave the gold to show up the donor in a praiseworthy light for having brought such a donation. However, in the section of Eileh Pekudei Scripture calls the donations of both gold and brass tenufah, … And in Verse 29: And the brass of ‘hatenufah’… because there it does not mention at all terumah (free-will offering,) but only the silver of them that were numbered., Verse 25. And since everyone had to give the half-shekel in order to be counted, it is not called terumah which indicates a free-will offering. See Ramban above at beginning of Seder Ki Thisa. It is possible that brass also was called tenufah because it was more important to them than silver, since they did not have much of it. Or it may have been very important on its own merit, similar to that which is said, and two vessels of fine bright brass, precious as gold.

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

Both men and women. The men came with their wives because it is forbidden to accept a major donation from a married woman unless one knows that she has her husband’s consent.

Sforno on the Tanakh — English translation: “Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.