Exodus 39:32

Observe here, I. The builders of the tabernacle made very good despatch. It was not much more than five months from the beginning to the finishing of it. Though there was a great deal of fine work about it, such as is usually the work of time, embroidering and engraving, not only in gold, but in precious stones, yet they went through with it in a little time. Church-work is usually slow work, but they made quick work of this, and yet did it with the greatest exactness imaginable. For, 1. Many hands were employed, all unanimous, and not striving with each other. This expedited the business, and made it easy. 2. The workmen were taught of God, and so were kept from making blunders, which would have retarded them. 3. The people were hearty and zealous in the work, and impatient till it was finished. God had prepared their hearts, and then the thing was done suddenly, Ch2 29:36. Resolution and industry, and a cheerful application of mind, will, by the grace of God, bring a great deal of good work to pass in a little time, in less than one would expect.

II. They punctually observed their orders, and did not in the least vary from them. They did it according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, Exo 39:32, Exo 39:42. Note, God's work must be done, in every thing, according to his own will. His institutions neither need nor admit men's inventions to make them either more beautiful or more likely to answer the intention of them. Add thou not unto his words. God is pleased with willing worship, but not with will-worship.

III. They brought all their work to Moses, and submitted it to his inspection and censure, Exo 39:33. He knew what he had ordered them to make; and now the particulars were called over, and all produced, that Moses might see both that they had made all, omitting nothing, and that they had made all according to the instructions given them, and that, if they had made a mistake in any thing, it might be forthwith rectified. Thus they showed respect to Moses, who was set over them in the Lord; not objecting that Moses did not understand such work, and therefore that there was no reason for submitting it to his judgment. No, that God who gave them so much knowledge as to do the work gave them also so much humility as to be willing to have it examined and compared with the model. Moses was in authority, and they would pay a deference to his place. The spirit of the prophets is subject to the prophets. And besides, though they knew how to do the work better than Moses, Moses had a better and more exact idea of the model than they had, and therefore they could not be well pleased with their own work, unless they had his approbation. Thus in all the services of religion we should labour to be accepted of the Lord.

IV. Moses, upon search, found all done according to the rule, Exo 39:43. Moses, both for their satisfaction and for his own, did look upon all the work, piece by piece, and behold they had done it according to the pattern shown him, for the same Being that showed him the pattern guided their hand in the work. All the copies of God's grace exactly agree with the original of his counsels: what God works in us, and by us, is the fulfilling of the good pleasure of his own goodness; and when the mystery of God shall be finished, and all his performances come to be compared with his purposes, it will appear that behold all is done according to the counsel of his own will, not one iota or tittle of which shall fall to the ground, or be varied from.

V. Moses blessed them. 1. He commended them, and signified his approbation of all they had done. He did not find fault where there was none, as some do, who think they disparage their own judgment if they do not find something amiss in the best and most accomplished performance. In all this work it is probable there might have been found here and there a stitch amiss, and a stroke awry, which would have served for an over-curious and censorious critic to animadvert upon; but Moses was too candid to notice small faults where there were no great ones. Note, All governors must be a praise to those that do well, as well as a terror to evil-doers. Why should any take a pride in being hard to be pleased? 2. He not only praised them, but prayed for them. He blessed them as one having authority, for the less is blessed of the better. We read not of any wages that Moses paid them for their work, but this blessing he gave them. For, though ordinarily the labourer be worthy of his hire, yet in this case, 1. They wrought for themselves. The honour and comfort of God's tabernacle among them would be recompence enough. If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself. 2. They had their meat from heaven on free-cost, for themselves and their families, and their raiment waxed not old upon them; so that they neither needed wages nor had reason to expect any. Freely you have received, freely give. The obligations we lie under, both in duty and interest, to serve God, should be sufficient to quicken us to our work, though we had not a reward in prospect. But, 3. This blessing, in the name of the Lord, was wages enough for all their work. Those whom God employs he will bless, and those whom he blesses are blessed indeed. The blessing he commands is life for evermore.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Exo_39:32-43

They brought the Tabernacle unto Moses.

The delivery of the work to Moses

I. The presentation of the work: They brought the Tabernacle unto Moses. So, whatever work or service is done in connection with the Christian Church should be solemnly presented to Christ, who is the Chief Builder of the Christian Temple.

II. The inspection of the work; Moses did look upon all the work; and so does Christ inspect every offering that is brought to Him. Paul tells us in 1Co_3:13, that a day is coming in which every mans work will be tried of what sort it is--tried by fire--tried with the most terrible exactness.

III. The approbation of the work: Behold, they had done it as the Lord had commanded. So in Christian service nothing can be accepted that is not minutely in accordance with the Divine specification.

IV. The remuneration of the work: And Moses blessed them. So is all faithful service done to Christ rewarded even here with spiritual blessing. So will it be in the end (1Co_3:14). Lessons:

1. The dignity of Christian work as presented to Christ.

2. The duty of fidelity in Christian work, considering it must be inspected by Christ.

3. The grand aim in Christian work, to be accepted by Christ. Cf. 2Co_5:9.

4. The high stimulus in Christian work, the certainty of being rewarded by Christ. (J. S. Exell, M. A.)

The Tabernacle itself

The Tabernacle held an important position in the divinely-appointed worship of the Jewish Church. No less than thirteen chapters in the Book of Exodus (Exodus 25-31; Exodus 35-40) are devoted to the account of it; an account twice repeated, extending to the minutest details of shape, size, material, colour, and workmanship. Special stress is laid upon the fact that it was made after a heavenly design exhibited to Moses during the forty days of his mysterious communing with Jehovah on Mount Sinai (Exo_29:9; Exo_29:40; Exo_26:30). The smallest details are included in this heavenly pattern (Exo_27:8; Num_8:4). This heavenly pattern of the Tabernacle is twice referred to in the New Testament (Act_7:44; Heb_8:5). Not only was the Tabernacle made after a heavenly pattern, but divinely-inspired artificers carried the design into execution (Exo_31:1-6; Exo_35:30-35; Exo_36:1). We see from these passages that, in matters which concern the worship of God, the minutest details as to the colour, shape, material, and make of the ornaments of Divine service, and of the ministers of it, are not thought unworthy of a special Divine revelation as to their design, and of a special Divine inspiration for the carrying of that design into effect. At the close of the work we are told, in words that carry our thoughts back to the blessing bestowed upon the first creation (Gen_1:30), that Moses recognized its exact accordance with the heavenly pattern which he had seen (Exo_39:43). (E. F. Willis, M. A.)

Names of the Tabernacle

It is called the House of Jehovah (Exo_23:19; Jos_6:24; 1Sa_3:15); The Temple of Jehovah (1Sa_3:3), the Sanctuary (Exo_25:8; Lev_12:4; Lev_16:33; Lev_19:30; Lev_20:3; Lev_21:12; Num_3:38, etc.); or simply, the Tabernacle (Exo_25:9; Exo_26:16; Exo_27:9; Exo_27:19, etc.); or Dwelling, i.e., of God. The two most characteristic names, however, are, the Tent or Tabernacle of the Testimony (Num_9:15; Num_17:7-8, etc.), and the Tent or Tabernacle of Meeting (Exo_27:21; Exo_39:32; Exo_39:40; Exo_40:7; Exo_40:34-35, etc.). The name Tent or Tabernacle of the Testimony had reference to that which was one of the two chief objects of the Tabernacle, viz., to serve as a shrine for the Testimony--the two tables of stone on which were engraved the ten words of the Divine Law. The other characteristic name, that of Tabernacle or Tent of Meeting, speaks of the other chief end for which the Tabernacle existed, viz., to be a place of meeting between God and His people (Exo_25:8; Exo_25:22; Exo_29:42-45; Exo_30:6; Exo_30:36). (E. F. Willis, M. A.)

Completed labour

I. The work was completed according to plan.

II. It was completed in a short time.

III. It was completed with great joy. The joy of--

1. Knowing that each had done something, and that something his best.

2. Anticipation.

IV. The completed work may remind us of the words of Him who said, I have finished the work Thou gavest Me to do.

V. As the house in the wilderness was finished down to the last pin, so the Church in the world, of which it was a type, shall be perfected down to the last and meanest member. The Jewish Tabernacle:--

1. It was a school of object-lessons, designed to teach the ignorant and sensual Israelites the truths of the invisible and eternal kingdom of God. It was a small model of heavenly realities--a pattern of sight in the heavens (Heb_9:23). It was, in the realm of religious truth, something like the planetarium used in a recitation room in teaching astronomy.

2. The principal lessons it taught were--

(1) The holiness of God.

(2) The sinfulness of man.

(3) The distance between God and man.

(4) The fact that God will abide with man.

(5) The Divine plan for bringing God and man into union..

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Exo 39:32. Thus was all the work finished — In not much more than five months. Though there was a great deal of fine work, such as used to be the work of time, embroidering, and engraving, not only in gold, but in precious stones, yet they went through with it in a little time, and with the greatest exactness imaginable. The workmen were taught of God, and so were kept from making blunders, which would have retarded them. And the people were hearty and zealous in the work, and impatient till it was finished. God had prepared their hearts, and then the thing was done suddenly, 2Ch 29:36.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

39:32-43 Moses inspected the finished work and confirmed thateverything had been done just as the Lord had commanded (39:43). As a result, Moses blessed them instead of pronouncing judgment upon them, as when they had tried to meet their need for God’s presence in their own ways (32:27).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 32. Did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses] This refers to the command given Ex 25:40; and Moses has taken care to repeat every thing in the most circumstantial detail, to show that he had conscientiously observed all the directions he had received.

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

32. Subscription, in P’s manner (cf. Gen_2:1), to the entire enumeration (Exo_36:8 to Exo_39:31).

the Dwelling of the tent of meeting] the pleonasm, as Exo_40:2; Exo_40:6; Exo_40:29; cf. v. 40.

and, &c.] for the form of sentence (in the Heb.), see on Exo_7:6.

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.

Thus was all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation finished,.... Both the tabernacle, consisting of the court, the holy place, and the most holy place, and the tent or covering that was over it, with all things appertaining to the service of it, as before described:

and the children of Israel did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so did they: both the people in general, and the artificers in particular; the people brought gold, silver, and brass, &c. as was proposed to them; and the artificers wrought these and all other things, according to the directions and instructions they received.

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

Vers. 32-43. Everything was brought to Moses for his approval not perhaps all things at once, but each as it was finished and was judged by him "according to the pattern which he had seen upon the mount". (Exo_25:40 Exo_26:30, etc.) The order observed in the enumeration is nearly, but not quite, the order in which it has been stated that the various things were made. We must suppose that if Moses disapproved of anything, it was rejected; but no disapproval is mentioned. Moses did look upon all the work, and behold, they had done it as the Lord commanded. Accordingly Moses concluded all by "blessing" them; thereby signifying, not his own approval only, but the Divine approval, of their diligence and obedience.

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

Thus was all the work finished - In not much more than five months. Though there was a great deal of fine work, such as used to be the work of time, embroidering, and engraving, not only in gold, but in precious stones, yet they went through with it in a little time, and with the greatest exactness imaginable. The workmen were taught of God, and so were kept from making blunders, which would have retarded them. And the people were hearty and zealous in the work, and impatient till it was finished. God had prepared their hearts, and then the thing was done suddenly, 2 Chron. xxix, 36.

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

Moses Approves the Work

v. 32. Thus was all the work of the Tabernacle of the Tent of the Congregation finished; and the children of Israel did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so did they.

v. 33. And they brought the Tabernacle unto Moses, both the inner and the outer covering, the fine damask being intended for the inner wall, and the curtains woven of goat-hair for the outside, the tent, and all his furniture, his taches, his boards, his bars, and his pillars, and his sockets,

v. 34. and the covering of rams’ skins dyed red, and the covering of badgers’ skins, the tough and pliant seacow leather, which served to shelter the tent, something on the order of a fly-top in our days, and the veil of the covering, the curtain for the door of the Most Holy Place,

v. 35. the Ark of the Testimony, and the staves thereof, and the mercy-seat,

v. 36. the table, and all the vessels thereof, and the showbread,

v. 37. the pure candlestick, with the lamps thereof, even with the lamps to be set in order, the burners as they were regularly to be renewed by trimming and filling the lamps, and all the vessels thereof, and the oil for light,

v. 38. and the golden altar of incense, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, literally, the incense of sweet odor, and the hanging for the Tabernacle door,

v. 39. the brazen altar and his grate of brass, his staves and all his vessels, the laver and his foot,

v. 40. the hangings of the court, his pillars, and his sockets, and the hanging for the court gate, his cords, and his pins, and all the vessels of the service of the Tabernacle for the Tent of the Congregation, the various articles being enumerated in the order of their importance,

v. 41. the cloths of service to do service in the Holy Place, and the holy garments for Aaron, the priest, and his sons’ garments, to minister in the priest’s office.

v. 42. According to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the work, the majority of them by donating the materials, and the artisans by producing the articles.

v. 43. And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold; they had done it as the Lord had commanded, even so had they done it; a careful inspection showed that the instructions of the Lord had been carried out in every detail. And Moses blessed them. "The readiness with which the people had brought in abundance the requisite gifts for this work, and the zeal with which they had accomplished the work in half a year or less, were delightful signs of Israel’s willingness to serve the Lord; and for this the blessing of God could not fail to be given. " (Keil. )

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

General Information:

The Israelites finish making the things Yahweh commanded in Exodus 35:4-9 and Exodus 35:10-12.

So the work on the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, was finished. The people of Israel did everything

The "tabernacle" and "tent of meeting" are the same thing. This can be stated in active form. AT: "So the people of Israel finished all of the work on the tabernacle" (See: Doublet and Active or Passive)

clasps

The clasps fit into the loops to hold the curtains together. See how you translated these in Exodus 26:4-6.

bases

These are heavy objects that rest on the ground and keep the object attached to them from moving. See how you translated this in Exodus 25:31.

atonement lid

This is the lid that sits on top of the ark where the atonement offering was made. See how you translated this in Exodus 25:17.

translationWords

works

tabernacle

tent of meeting

Israel

Yahweh

Moses

tent

ewe

ark of the covenant

atonement lid

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

ויעשו בני ישראל AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL MADE the work ככל אשר צוה ה' וגו׳ ACCORDING TO ALL THAT THE LORD COMMANDED MOSES [SO DID THEY] or [SO THEY MADE IT].

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.

B’nei Yisrael did everything. The entire nation was involved in completing the Tabernacle, some through donations and some through labor.

So they did. They did exactly as instructed, no more, no less.

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