Exodus 36:3

Meaning, the Israelites.

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

they (the workmen)

received of Moses all the offering, which the children of Israel had brought, &c.--It appears that the building was begun after the first few contributions were made; it was progressively carried on, and no necessity occurred to suspend operations even for the shortest interval, from want of the requisite materials.

they brought yet unto him free offerings every morning, &c.--Moses, in common with other Oriental magistrates, had his morning levees for receiving the people (see on Exo 18:13); and it was while he was performing his magisterial duties that the people brought unto him freewill offerings every morning. Some who had nothing but their manual labor to give would spend a great part of the night in hastening to complete their self-imposed task before the early dawn; others might find their hearts constrained by silent meditations on their beds to open their coffers and give a part of their hoarded treasure to the pious object. All whose hearts were touched by piety, penitence, or gratitude, repaired with eager haste into the presence of Moses, not as heretofore, to have their controversies settled, but to lay on his tribunal their contributions to the sanctuary of God (Co2 9:7).

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

(3) They brought yet unto him free offerings.—The liberality of the people continued. After the work was taken in hand, and making progress, they kept still bringing in fresh offerings morning after morning, until the workmen found that they had more than enough. Compare the liberality shown when David was collecting materials for the Temple (1Ch_29:6-9); and, again, when Zerubbabel was about to rear up the second Temple on the return from the Captivity (Ezr_2:68-70; Neh_7:70-72).

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

3. received of] took from before. ‘Of’ is incorrect and inadequate: the picture is of the heap of materials lying before Moses.

offering] contribution, as Exo_25:2, Exo_35:5; Exo_35:21; Exo_35:24. So v. 6.

And they] They, however (i.e. the Israelites): the pron. is emphatic.

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 they received of Moses all the offering,.... That is, Bezaleel and Aholiab received it of him, who delivered it to the several workmen, as the nature of their work required, some one thing, and some another: to some gold, to others silver, to others brass, and to some they delivered out fine linen, and blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and to others shittim wood; Moses gave all out faithfully that he received, and kept back nothing for his own use or private advantage, even all the above things of which the offering consisted:

which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of the sanctuary, to make it withal; and which perhaps they went and fetched the same day they were called together, and acquainted with the mind of God concerning it; or at least they brought it in a very short space of time, and as soon as it possibly could be; it was delivered to the workmen, that the work might be begun, and carried on with the utmost expedition:

and they brought yet unto him free offerings every morning; they continued for a course of time afterwards to bring their freewill offerings of one thing or another to Moses, every morning, which perhaps was the most suitable time for him to receive them; and best expresses their readiness and diligence in bringing them, and which, as they brought, he sent to the workmen, as appears by what follows.

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

Vows, or voluntary oblations to Moses, according to the Hebrew (Calmet) --- These donations are called first-fruits, because they were the best of all things, and the first offerings that were made by the people, in the desert. (Tirinus) --- They shew great alacrity in performing this action, as it was to make some atonement for their liberality in honour of the golden calf. (Haydock) --- But as matter alone will not suffice, unless it be properly managed, so neither will the letter of the Scripture instruct us, unless God teaches us, by his pastors, Ephesians iv. 11. (Worthington) --- From this place to the end, the Roman edition of the Septuagint is very confused. That of Alcala agrees better with the Vulgate than the Alexandrian or Aldine. See Grabe. Almost all the three following chapters might be comprised of these words. The workmen did all according to God’s prescription. Moses perhaps gave them plans of what each was to execute; and hence Calmet accounts for these repetitions. (Haydock)

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).

Which time they chose as the first and best part of the day, and therefore for fittest for God’s service.

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

HOMILETICS.

Vers. 3-7. Superabundant 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 WORK IS APT TO BE SCAMPED AND STINTED TOWARDS THE CLOSE. Fear naturally 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 impracticable under the circumstances.

II THE WORK MAY ACTUALLY HAVE TO BE LEFT UNFINISHED. All calculations 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 sometimes 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.

Superabundant 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 example 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 appropriate 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 always done so. The gifts that flowed in at the shrine of Becket, at the exhibition of the holy coat of Troves, at the altar of St. Januarius, were intended as offerings for the service of the sanctuary. Were they always used for sacred purposes? Was there not often a superfluity, which men converted to their own benefit? There have certainly 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.

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

free offerings

i.e. free will, (See Scofield "2Co 8:1").

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

AND THEY TOOK FROM BEFORE MOSES ALL THE OFFERING. In one day they brought all this donation to the Tent of Meeting where Moses was, and the wise men took it from Moses on that very same day and on the following day, early in the morning. On the second day, too, the people still continued to bring the donation to Moses’ tent and he commanded them to bring it to the craftsmen, until they told him that the people bring much more; thus there was sufficient [for all the work to make it], and too much. The surplus, however, was not a sufficiently important amount to warrant Moses’ telling in the section of Eileh Pekudei what they did with it. Perhaps it remained in the tent to repair the breaches of the Tabernacle, or to make with it vessels used in the Tabernacle service, as they used to do with the surpluses in the Sanctuary. Scripture mentions, the people bring much more than enough, in order to praise the people who brought with such generosity, and to glorify the wise men for their honesty. The one who was in charge principally over them [namely Moses], also comes in for praise for having caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp that the people should stop bringing, telling us that he had no desire for their silver and gold, as do other rulers over peoples, in a similar way to that which it says, I have not taken one ass from them.

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.