Exodus 38 explained: The Courtyard and the Final Accounts

The bronze altar (vv. 1-7)

This was the large altar in the open courtyard where animal sacrifices were burned, about seven and a half feet square and four and a half feet high, with a hornlike point at each corner and poles so it could be carried as the people traveled. Christians later read it as a picture of Jesus' sacrifice.

The washing basin (v. 8)

Priests washed their hands and feet in this bronze basin before serving, and it was made from women's mirrors, which back then were polished bronze. These women are said to have served at the tent's entrance, but what their role actually was is unclear to scholars.

The courtyard fence (vv. 9-20)

Linen curtains about seven and a half feet high, hung on posts with bronze bases and silver hooks, enclosed a yard roughly 150 by 75 feet. The only way in was on the east side, through a wide curtain embroidered in blue, purple and scarlet.

Who kept the records (vv. 21-23)

Ithamar, a son of the priest Aaron, oversaw a written record of the materials, so the project was publicly accounted for. The chapter again credits the two lead craftsmen, Bezalel of the tribe of Judah and Oholiab of the tribe of Dan.

Gold freely given (v. 24)

The gold came from voluntary gifts dedicated to God. Modern estimates put it at roughly a ton, though ancient weights are not known exactly.

Silver tax and bronze (vv. 25-31)

The silver came from an equal half shekel paid by every man aged twenty and up and was cast into the bases for the tent and its inner curtain, while the bronze went into the altar, the courtyard bases and the tent pegs. The very large numbers here are debated, and some scholars think the word for "thousand" may sometimes mean a smaller unit such as a clan group.

Key verse: Exodus 38:22

Where Christians differ

Christians differ on how far the details of this structure should be read as symbols pointing to Jesus, with some seeing meaning in nearly every material and measurement and others reading it mainly as a record of Israel's worship.

Something to think about

When a shared project is funded partly by equal dues from everyone and partly by whatever people choose to give, what does each kind of giving say about belonging to that community?