24:12–14 With the covenant ratification ceremony complete (vv. 9–11) the delegation returns to the people (cf. v. 14). From here the Lord again summons Moses to ascend the mountain, offering the following reason: “That I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction” (v. 12). Later passages make clear that the stone tablets contain the Ten Commandments (34:28; Deut. 10:4), meaning the sense here is “the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment [written on them, namely, the Ten Commandments], which I have written for their instruction.” The word for “law” is built on the same root as the word rendered “for their instruction” and points to the teaching nature of the Ten Commandments, while the word “commandment” makes clear that the teaching is not optional. Positively stated, the Lord has called his people to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation and graciously gives them the instructions they must follow in order to carry out this calling.599 While the Lord has already given many other covenant stipulations that Moses has written down (Ex. 24:4), the Ten Commandments are fundamental, as indicated by their placement at the head of the stipulations (20:1–17) and by the fact that they are spoken directly to Israel by the Lord (cf. comment on 20:18–21). They can therefore represent all the stipulations. Stated differently, as a wedding ring serves as a symbol of a marriage covenant, the Ten Commandments serve as a symbol of the Sinai covenant.600

Moses goes up as the Lord commands, taking with him Joshua (24:13), whom we met earlier (17:9). He becomes Moses’ servant while still a young man (Num. 11:28), though it is important to note that the word for servant here (Hb. mesharet) differs from that used in places such as Exodus 21:2 (ʿebed). The latter often refers to a debt servant or permanent servant, while the word in this passage refers simply to someone who works as an attendant to another (Num. 8:26; 2 Sam. 13:17; 2 Kings 4:43). In short, Joshua is Moses’ right-hand man; where Moses goes, Joshua follows. Having been mentioned, he now recedes into the background. He will reappear in Exodus 32:17, but until then the text focuses simply on the Lord and Moses.

Briefly the narrative backtracks to describe what Moses tells the elders before ascending Sinai (24:14). This is clearer in the Hebrew, which avoids normal word order at the beginning of verse 14 and could be rendered, “Now to the elders Moses had said.”601 Moses names Aaron and Hur, two of the nation’s top leaders (cf. comment on 17:10–13), as judges over any disputes that arise, that is, any disputes too difficult for the people’s regular judges (cf. 18:24–26). Moses’ action also implies the entire delegation has returned to the Israelites’ midst; since the people are not allowed on the mountain (19:12), Aaron and Hur must be among them in order to hear their cases (24:14).

24:15–18 Moses leaves the nation in what he thinks are capable hands (cf. 32:1–6!) and goes up the mountain with Joshua (24:15). An overview is given of what he experiences there.

First, for six days the Lord’s cloud covers the mountain (vv. 15–16), presumably the top in particular, since Moses is on the mountain but does not enter the cloud until day seven (v. 18; cf. 19:20 and 24:17). Within the cloud appears “the glory of the Lord,”602 that is, a spectacular display of the Lord’s presence that in this case is “like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain,” visible for the entire nation to see (v. 17). See further comments in the Response section.

Second, the Lord summons Moses into the cloud on the seventh day (v. 16b).603 On the one hand it is noteworthy that Moses does not enter the cloud until summoned. As noted above (vv. 1–2), one dare not barge into the presence of a king. But the reason that the Lord waits until day seven to summon Moses is not explained. Possibly the mention of “six days . . . seventh day” is meant to recall the creation account. If so, this would mean at the least that the God of Sinai is the God of creation—a point underscored at the end of the tabernacle instructions (31:17).604 But it is also true that many significant events, with no evident tie to creation, either take place on the seventh day after a six-day wait or take seven days to accomplish: Noah waits six days in the ark until the flood comes on day seven (Gen. 7:7–10); Joseph mourns his father seven days (Gen. 50:10); the Feast of Unleavened Bread is to last seven days, with a special feast on day seven (Ex. 13:6); Aaron and his sons will be ordained over seven days (Ex. 29:35); and purification from a major ritual impurity takes seven days (Lev. 15:13). In short seven days appear to represent a complete and full amount of time (cf. comment on 1:1–5), though unfortunately that still leaves unanswered why such a wait is necessary here and why it was not required earlier (Ex. 19:2–3, 20).605 What is clear, however, is that Moses enjoys a particularly close relationship with the Lord. He alone is able to draw this close to the Lord’s glory (cf. 24:2), and his degree of access should assure the Israelites that the words he brings back to them really are from the Lord (cf. 19:9).

Third, Moses enters the cloud and goes up the mountain (24:18a), that is, to the very top, where the Lord’s glory has settled in the cloud (v. 17). Moses remains there forty days and forty nights (v. 18), a period of time that similarly might be associated with thoroughness and completeness (Gen. 7:4; Num. 13:25).606 It is certainly long enough to make the Israelites wonder whether he is coming back (Ex. 32:1). The reason such time is required is again not stated, though it surely speaks again to Moses’ special status as the Lord’s servant. Others could not even go in the cloud; he is allowed to stay there no fewer than forty days!

25:1–2 Having summoned Moses into his presence (24:15–18), the Lord begins giving him instructions for building a tabernacle where the Lord will dwell in the Israelites’ midst as their covenant King. For this reason the tabernacle is best thought of as a palace-tent. Thus its fabrics will contain royal colors (blue and scarlet), its furniture will be made with or covered with precious metals (gold and silver and bronze), and its royal attendants (the priests) will wear special uniforms. (Cf. Response section, “What Does the Tabernacle Teach Us about the Kind of God He Is?”)

“Contributions” will be necessary to build the tent (v. 2). This word appears often in the Pentateuch and “designates that which is separated from a larger quantity for a sacred purpose,”607 for example, building materials for the tabernacle (Ex. 25:2–3; 35:5, 21, 24; 36:3, 6), specific portions of a sacrifice (Ex. 29:27–28; Lev. 7:32, 34; 10:14–15; Num. 6:20), or different “holy gifts” (most often food items; Lev. 22:12; Num. 5:9; 18:18–19, 21–24, 26–29). The Lord does not receive these contributions via taxation. He invites those “whose heart moves” them to contribute (Ex. 25:2), that is, those compelled by inner desire and longing to give gifts to their gracious redeemer and King (cf. 35:5, 21–22; 1 Chron. 29:9). As Paul will later write, “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor. 9:7). And no wonder—gifts given voluntarily are the clearest sign of love.

25:3–7 As noted above, the goal of the contributions is to build a palace-tent for the Lord, including all its furniture and the uniforms for his palace attendants (the priests). As a result, many precious materials are listed (Ex. 24:3–7). If an earthly king’s palace is identifiable by its beauty and grandeur, how much more that of the heavenly King. No other tent in Israel will be like this in beauty or size.

The contributions may be placed into seven groupings:608

(1)  Precious metals: gold, silver, and bronze (v. 3). These will be for covering or making pieces of furniture (such as the ark and the altars; vv. 10–11; 27:1–2; 30:1–3) and for certain accessories and structural elements (such as curtain clasps and pillar sockets; 26:11, 37).

(2)  Yarns and textiles (25:4). The yarns are to be “blue and purple and scarlet,” which are colors associated elsewhere with royalty (2 Sam. 1:24; Est. 1:6; Ezek. 23:6)609 and are appropriate for the Lord’s palace. They will be used in the high priest’s uniform (Ex. 28:1–5) and in various curtains, including those used as a first covering over the tabernacle’s frame (26:1). “Fine twined linen” also occurs in royal contexts (Gen. 41:42) and is listed as parallel to other fine materials (Prov. 31:22; Ezek. 16:10, 13; 27:7), again making it appropriate for the Lord’s palace.610 Generally speaking, it will be used in the same way as the yarns (Ex. 26:1, 31, 36; 28:1–5). “Goats’ hair” could be spun (35:26) and will be used to make curtains to form a second covering over the tabernacle (26:7).

(3)  Skins (25:5a). “Tanned rams’ skins” are used to make a third covering over the tabernacle, and “goatskins”611 make the final covering (26:14). Together these will provide strong protection from the elements. The word “tanned” could be rendered “dyed red,” which, as noted above, is a royal color and would be in keeping with the tent’s royal nature. Later texts inform us that Israelites have some of these materials on hand and contribute them (35:23) and also make more (36:7). For example, women spin yarn and fine linen by hand (35:25–26)—a labor of love for their King.

(4)  “Acacia wood” (25:5b). This will be used for the tent’s structural elements (such as various boards and bars; 26:15, 26) and for various pieces of furniture (such as the ark and the table; 25:10, 13). The acacia tree is “a thorny tree, growing up to 10 m [32.8 feet] high, prob. Acacia seyal, Red acacia, prized for its timber.”612

(5)  “Oil” (25:6a), that is, olive oil (27:20). It will be used for lamps, namely, the seven lamps held by the golden lampstand (25:37), and will also serve as the base of the anointing oil (30:22–25).

(6)  “Spices” (25:6b). These are for the holy anointing oil and the sacred incense, described in further detail in 30:22–24, 34–35.

(7)  Precious “stones” (25:7). The names of the twelve tribes will be inscribed on two onyx stones,613 six tribes per stone, and the stones mounted on the high priest’s ephod as “stones of remembrance” before the Lord (28:9–12). The high priest will also wear a breastpiece set with twelve precious stones (“stones for setting”), each inscribed with the name of an Israelite tribe (28:17–21).

As noted in 36:3–7, the Israelites give generously. One might ask where recently enslaved Israelites get some of these materials, especially the more costly ones. The answer was given in 12:35–36: “The people of Israel had also done as Moses told them, for they had asked the Egyptians for silver and gold jewelry and for clothing. And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.” Made with these materials, the tabernacle will become a visible reminder of the Lord’s salvation.

25:8–9 Finally the Lord names the purpose of the contributions: “And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst” (v. 8). Relationship and fellowship with his creation is always the Lord’s goal. When the covenant ceremony was finished in Exodus 24, the Lord could have sent the Israelites on to the Promised Land. But he wanted more than a formal agreement; he wanted to be with them, in their midst (cf. 29:45–46). We always want to be near those we love. And so the Lord pauses and takes the next six chapters to describe the home the Israelites are to build for him in their midst.

The Lord’s dwelling goes by three main names in Exodus, each referring to a different aspect of the physical structure and emphasizing a different aspect of the Lord’s character.614 The Hebrew word for “sanctuary” (25:8) refers often to the sanctuary complex as a whole, from the tent to the courtyard (cf. 25:8 with 25:9–27:21). The term is built on the root for “holiness” and points to the holy nature of both the dwelling and the one who lives within it. (The English word “sanctuary” is similar, tracing back to a Latin word meaning “holy,” sanctus.)

The Hebrew word for “tabernacle” (25:9) refers especially to the interior frame and the first covering stretched over it (cf. 26:1–6, 15–30 with 26:7–14). The term is built on the root for “dwelling, living”; its verbal form can describe someone’s dwelling in a tent (Gen. 9:27). (Note that the word “tabernacle” is again similar, being an old English word for a dwelling that traces back to a Latin word for “tent,” tabernaculum.) In other words the Israelites live in their tents, and the Lord will live in their midst in his. He wants to be near them (Ex. 29:45–46; 40:34–38).

Finally, the term “tent of meeting” refers to the entire tent structure, that is, the tabernacle and its covering as well as the other coverings stretched over it as a tent (26:7; 40:29). The term highlights that here is where the Lord will “meet” with the Israelites and receive their worship (29:42–46) and also “meet” with Moses, giving him laws for the people (25:22; in Hebrew the verb for “meet” in these verses is built on the same root as the noun “meeting” in the term “tent of meeting”). The Lord does not simply want to be in the Israelites’ midst; he wants them to come before him in repentance and worship so that they might experience his forgiveness and mercy and have their hearts filled with the joy and love that stream from him like beams of light from the sun.

The Lord’s dwelling and its furniture are to be built exactly as he shows Moses on the mountain (v. 9). Whether the word “pattern” here refers to a physical model (Josh. 22:28), a visual likeness (Ezek. 10:8), or a blueprint (1 Chron. 28:11–12) is unclear. As a result, commentators debate whether the Lord shows Moses an actual tabernacle in heaven to replicate, gives him a vision of a heavenly tabernacle, or gives him a vision or plan of how the earthly tabernacle is to look (with no necessary correspondence to a heavenly tabernacle).615 Whatever the case, the tabernacle’s plan comes from the Lord and must be built exactly as he says.616 This becomes especially important when we remember his dwelling will be the place of worship. Biblically speaking, worshiping God properly is not something we can invent, for to worship him properly is to worship him as he is. Only God can reveal that to us. To put this differently biblical worship is something that originates not with us but with God. He is real, he desires us to know him, and in his grace and love he reveals to us who he is and how to relate to him properly. The tabernacle is a part of that revelation and is meant to help Israel know and worship him correctly. For this reason alone it must be built exactly as he says. As a coming chapter will show, to worship him according to our invention is to worship him not at all (Exodus 32).