Exodus 39:43

Exo 39:43 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: and Moses blessed them.

Ver. 43. And Moses blessed them.] He highly commended them, praised God for them, and prayed heartily for them, as afterwards David did, "The Lord, that made heaven and earth, bless thee out of Zion."

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.

Exo 39:43. And Moses did look upon all the work — Piece by piece; and behold they had done it according to the pattern showed him — For the same that showed him the pattern, guided their hand in the work. And Moses blessed them — He not only praised them, but prayed for them: he blessed them as one having authority. We read not of any wages Moses paid them for their work, but his blessing he gave them. For though ordinarily the labourer be worthy of his hire, yet in this case, they wrought for themselves. The honour and comfort of God’s tabernacle among them would be recompense enough. And 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 any reason to expect any. But indeed 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 blesseth they are blessed indeed. The blessing he commands is life for evermore.

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

Praised God for the people’s diligence, and prayed for them.

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

Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the Lord had commanded--A formal inspection was made on the completion of the tabernacle, not only with a view to have the work transferred from the charge of the workmen, but to ascertain whether it corresponded with "the pattern." The result of a careful and minute survey showed that every plank, curtain, altar, and vase had been most accurately made of the form, and in the place designed by the Divine Architect--and Moses, in accepting it of their hands, thanked God for them, and begged Him to bless them.

Next: Exodus Chapter 40

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 43. And Moses did look upon all the work] As being the general superintendent of the whole, under whom Bezaleel and Aholiab were employed, as the other workmen were under them.

They had done it as the Lord had commanded] Exactly according to the pattern which Moses received from the Lord, and which he laid before the workmen to work by.

And Moses blessed them.] Gave them that praise which was due to their skill, diligence, and fidelity. See this meaning of the original word in the note on Ge 2:3. See Clarke on Ge 2:3. See also a fine instance of ancient courtesy between masters and their servants, in the case of Boaz and his reapers, Ru 2:4. Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said to the reapers, The Lord be with YOU! And they answered him, The Lord bless THEE! It is, however, very probable that Moses prayed to God in their behalf, that they might be prospered in all their undertakings, saved from every evil, and be brought at last to the inheritance that fadeth not away. This blessing seems to have been given, not only to the workmen, but to all the people. The people contributed liberally, and the workmen wrought faithfully, and the blessing of God was pronounced upon ALL.

THE promptitude, cordiality, and despatch used in this business cannot be too highly commended, and are worthy of the imitation of all who are employed in any way in the service of God. The prospect of having God to dwell among them inflamed every heart, because they well knew that on this depended their prosperity and salvation. They therefore hastened to build him a house, and they spared no expense or skill to make it, as far as a house made with hands could be, worthy of that Divine Majesty who had promised to take up his residence in it. This tabernacle, like the temple, was a type of the human nature of the Lord Jesus; that was a shrine not made with hands, formed by God himself, and worthy of that fulness of the Deity that dwelt in it.

It is scarcely possible to form an adequate opinion of the riches, costly workmanship, and splendour of the tabernacle; and who can adequately conceive the glory and excellence of that human nature in which the fulness of the Godhead bodily dwelt? That this tabernacle typified the human nature of Christ, and the Divine shechinah that dwelt in it the Deity that dwelt in the man Christ Jesus, these words of St. John sufficiently prove: In the beginning was the WORD, and the WORD was with God, and the WORD was GOD. And the WORD was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (εσκηνωσεν εν ημιν, made his TABERNACLE among us,) full of grace and truth - possessing the true Urim and Thummim; all the lights and perfections, the truth and the grace, typified by the Mosaic economy, Joh 1:1; Joh 1:14. And hence the evangelist adds, And we beheld his glory; as the Israelites beheld the glory of God resting on the tabernacle, so did the disciples of Christ see the Divine glory resting on him, and showing itself forth in all his words, spirit, and works. And for what purpose was the tabernacle erected? That God might dwell in it among the children of Israel. And for what purpose was the human nature of Christ so miraculously produced? That the Godhead might dwell in it; and that God and man might be reconciled through this wonderful economy of Divine grace, God being in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, 2Co 5:19. And what was implied by this reconciliation? The union of the soul with God, and the indwelling of God in the soul. Reader, has God yet filled thy tabernacle with his glory? Does Christ dwell in thy heart by faith; and dost thou abide in him, bringing forth fruit unto holiness? Then thy end shall be eternal life. Why shouldst thou not go on thy way rejoicing with Christ in thy heart, heaven in thine eye, and the world, the devil, and the flesh, under thy feet?

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

(43) Moses did look upon all the work—i.e., inspected it, examined it, to see if it was “according to the pattern” shown him. Being satisfied, he expressed his own and God’s approval by blessing those who had worked so faithfully.

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

43. Moses found that all had been done according to Jehovah’s instructions.

blessed them] for the energy and promptitude which had been shewn.

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.

Finished, exactly according to God’s prescriptions. --- Blessed them, the people, who had contributed so liberally; and the workmen, who had performed their task so much to his satisfaction. (Calmet) --- He also blessed the sacred vessels, as they were destined for the worship of God. (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).

i.e. Both the people for their liberal contribution, and the workmen for their great care and industry.

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

Ver. 43. A blessing upon obedience.

It is not every kind of obedience that brings down a blessing upon it. To deserve the Divine approval, and obtain the Divine benediction, obedience must be, as was that here recorded

I EXACT. "According to all that the Lord commanded, so the children of Israel made the work" (ver. 42). "As the Lord had commanded, even so had they done it" (ver. 43).

II PROMPT. The work could not have commenced before the sixth or the seventh month, since Sinai was not reached till the third month (ch. 19:1), and Moses passed in conference with God nearly three months. Yet the whole was finished before the year was out. (see Exo_40:1) Thus it appears that six months sufficed for the completion of everything.

III INTELLIGENT. There was little misunderstanding few, if any, mistakes. All comprehended the orders given to them, and each carried out his assigned portion. Unless this had been the case very generally, it is impossible that all would have been ready by the end of the year. The rapid completion of the work proves the intelligence of the workmen, Note what is said of their being "wise-hearted". (Exo_36:1, Exo_36:2, Exo_36:8) Men, for the most part, think to obtain the supreme blessing of eternal life, though their obedience has been

1. Partial and inexact;

2. tardy;

3. marred by misapprehension of the commands given them.

They do not seem to imagine that there will be any real inspection of their work, such as that which is here ascribed to Moses. "Moses did look upon all the work" (ver. 43). Yet surely at the last day, man"s work will be tested in some real, searching way. Whatever may be meant by the expression fire shall try every man"s work", (1Co_3:13) at any rate, some trial there will be. Faithful service to Christ will be rewarded by a blessing exceeding all that we can ask or think; but there will be minute inquiry, whether the service has been indeed faithful.

For further Homiletics on the subjects of this chapter, see those upon ch. 28.

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

And Moses did look upon all the work - Piece by Piece, and behold they had done it according to the pattern shewed him - For the same that shewed him the pattern, guided their hand in the work. And Moses blessed them - He not only praised them, but prayed for them: he blessed them as one having authority. We read not of any wages Moses paid them for their work, but his blessing he gave them. For though ordinarily the labourer be worthy of his hire, yet in this case, they wrought for themselves. The honour and comfort of God's tabernacle among them would be recompence enough. And 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. But indeed 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 blesseth, they are blessed indeed. The blessing he commands is life forevermore.

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

ויברך אתם משה AND MOSES BLESSED THEM — He said to them “May it be the will of God that His Shechinah rest upon the work of your hands; ‘and let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us and establish Thou the work of our hands upon us’” (Psalms 90:17.) (Sifra, Shemini, Mechilta d'Miluim 2 15) This (from ויהי נועם onward) is part of one of the eleven Psalms (90—100) that are in the section beginning with, תפלה למשה; (Numbers Rabbah 12:9).

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.