What must the sanctuary and its furnishings follow, and where will God speak to Moses?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

They must follow the likeness and pattern God shows Moses. God says he will dwell among the people and speak to Moses above the ark’s covering, between the two cherubim, giving commands for Israel through him.

Chapter breakdown

What must the sanctuary and its furnishings follow, and where will God speak to Moses? They must follow the likeness and pattern God shows Moses. God says he will dwell among the people and speak to Moses above the ark’s covering, between the two cherubim, giving commands for Israel through him.

The Lord tells Moses to speak to the children of Israel: they are to bring firstfruits to him, and Moses is to receive them from every man who offers of his own accord.

Challoner’s note calls these firstfruits offerings of some of the best and choicest of their goods.

The things to receive are gold, silver and brass; violet and purple, scarlet twice dyed, fine linen and goats’ hair; rams’ skins dyed red, violet skins and setim wood.

Challoner’s note describes setim wood as wood from a tree growing in the wilderness, which is said to be incorruptible. The note presents that property as something said about the wood.

The list continues with oil for lights, spices for ointment and sweet-smelling incense, onyx stones and precious stones to adorn the ephod and rational.

Challoner’s note explains the ephod as the high priest’s upper vestment and the rational as his breastplate, containing twelve gems.

They are to make a sanctuary for the Lord, who will dwell among them. The tabernacle and all the vessels for its service must follow the likeness he will show Moses.

The ark is to be made of setim wood, two and a half cubits long, one and a half wide and one and a half high. It is to be covered inside and outside with the purest gold, with a gold crown around it. Four gold rings go at its four corners, two on one side and two on the other. Setim bars covered with gold go through the side rings so the ark may be carried. The bars must always remain in the rings and never be drawn out. Moses is to put in the ark the testimony God will give him.

The propitiatory is to be made of the purest gold, two and a half cubits long and one and a half wide.

Challoner’s note explains the propitiatory as the ark’s covering, also called the mercy seat. It says the Lord was supposed to sit there upon the cherubim’s wings, with the ark as his footstool, and show mercy from there. The note also explains the name “oracle,” used in verses 18 and 20: God gave his orders and answers from there.

Two cherubim of beaten gold are to stand on the two sides of the oracle, one on each side. Their spread wings cover both sides of the propitiatory and cover the oracle. They look toward one another, with their faces turned toward the propitiatory that covers the ark. The command to put the testimony God will give in the ark is repeated. God will give orders and speak to Moses above the propitiatory, from between the two cherubim upon the ark of the testimony, about everything he will command Israel through Moses.

A setim table is to be two cubits long, one cubit wide and one and a half cubits high.

Challoner’s note says the table holds twelve loaves of proposition, called “face bread” in Hebrew because they always stand before the Lord’s face in his temple. The note calls them a figure of the Eucharistic sacrifice and sacrament in the church of Christ.

The table is to be covered with the purest gold and have a gold ledge around it. The ledge has a polished crown four inches high and another small gold crown above it. Four gold rings go at the table’s four corners, over each foot and beneath the crown, so bars may pass through them to carry the table. The bars are setim covered with gold. Dishes, bowls, censers and cups in which libations are offered are to be made of the purest gold.

Challoner’s note explains libations as drink offerings.

Loaves of proposition are to be set on the table, always in the Lord’s sight.

A candlestick of beaten work is to be made of the finest gold, with its shaft, branches, cups, bowls and lilies coming out from it.

Challoner’s note describes this candlestick’s seven lamps as always giving light in God’s house. It calls the candlestick a figure of the light of the Holy Ghost and his sevenfold grace in the sanctuary of the church of Christ.

Six branches come from the shaft’s sides, three on each side. Each branch has three cups shaped like nuts, with a bowl and a lily; the six branches follow the same design. The candlestick itself has four nut-shaped cups, with bowls and lilies at each one. Bowls sit under two branches in three places, making six branches from one shaft. Both bowls and branches are of the same beaten work of the purest gold.

Seven lamps are to be set on the candlestick to give light opposite it. The snuffers and the place where the snuffings are put out are made of the purest gold. The whole weight of the candlestick with all its furniture is one talent of the purest gold. Moses must make it according to the pattern shown him on the mountain.

The story inside

The instructions move from willing offerings to the sanctuary and its furnishings. The list names the metals, colours, fabrics, skins, wood, oil, spices and stones to receive. God gives the purpose: he will dwell among the people, and the work must follow the likeness he shows. The ark’s dimensions, gold covering, four corner rings and permanent carrying bars are followed by the testimony to be placed inside. Its gold covering and two facing cherubim mark the place from which God will speak to Moses and give commands for Israel through him. The table’s dimensions, crowns, foot rings, bars and vessels accompany the command to keep its loaves always before God. Finally, the candlestick has six branches, specified cups, bowls and lilies, seven lamps, snuffers and a place for the snuffings; its complete weight with its furniture is one talent. The chapter closes by requiring the shown pattern. Challoner’s explanations of the names and his figures of the Eucharist and Holy Ghost are presented as edition notes alongside these commands. (Exodus 25:1–40.)

Lessons worth keeping

1
The offerings are received from those who give of their own accord. Challoner explains firstfruits here as some of their best goods. The chapter then names the required materials and says the sanctuary is for God to dwell among them. (25:1–9 and the note on verse 2.)
2
The ark’s bars must remain in the rings, and God will speak above its covering between the two cherubim. The text gives carrying as the reason for the bars and says the commands for Israel come through Moses. It does not identify the testimony further in this chapter. (25:10–22.)
3
The furnishings must follow the shown pattern. That includes the table’s four-inch crown, its corner rings above each foot, the six branches and seven lamps, and the talent weight of the candlestick with all its furniture. Keeping those details preserves the actual instructions. (25:23–40.)

Test your recall

Why is a sanctuary to be made? God says he will dwell among them. Why do the ark’s bars pass through its rings? So it may be carried; the bars must never be removed. From where will God speak to Moses? Above the propitiatory, between the two cherubim. What must stay on the table? Loaves of proposition, always in God’s sight. What does the talent weight include? The candlestick and all its furniture. What governs the work?

Show answer

The pattern shown on the mountain. (25:8–9, 14–15, 22, 30, 39–40.)

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 8593–8597
Exodus Chapter 25 Offerings prescribed for making the tabernacle, the ark, the candlestick, etc.
Lines 8598–8602
25:1. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 25:2. Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring firstfruits to me: of every man that offereth of his own accord, you shall take them.
Lines 8603–8605
Firstfruits.... Offerings of some of the best and choicest of their goods.
Lines 8606–8613
25:3. And these are the things you must take: Gold, and silver, and brass, 25:4. Violet and purple, and scarlet twice dyed, and fine linen, and goats’ hair, 25:5. And rams’ skins dyed red, and violet skins, and setim wood:
Lines 8614–8616
Setim wood.... The wood of a tree that grows in the wilderness, which is said to be incorruptible.
Lines 8617–8622
25:6. Oil to make lights: spices for ointment, and for sweetsmelling incense: 25:7. Onyx stones, and precious stones to adorn the ephod and the rational.
Lines 8623–8626
The ephod and the rational.... The ephod was the high priest’s upper vestment; and the rational his breastplate, in which were twelve gems, etc.
Lines 8627–8633
25:8. And they shall make me a sanctuary, and I will dwell in the midst of them: 25:9. According to all the likeness of the tabernacle which I will shew thee, and of all the vessels for the service thereof: and thus you shall make it:
Lines 8634–8655
25:10. Frame an ark of setim wood, the length whereof shall be of two cubits and a half; the breadth, a cubit and a half; the height, likewise, a cubit and a half. 25:11. And thou shalt overlay it with the purest gold, within and without; and over it thou shalt make a golden crown round about: 25:12. And four golden rings, which thou shalt put at the four corners of the ark: let two rings be on the one side, and two on the other. 25:13. Thou shalt make bars also of setim wood, and shalt overlay them with gold. 25:14. And thou shalt put them in through the rings that are in the sides of the ark, that it may be carried on them: 25:15. And they shall be always in the rings, neither shall they at any time be drawn out of them. 25:16. And thou shalt put in the ark the testimony which I will give thee.
Lines 8656–8659
25:17. Thou shalt make also a propitiatory of the purest gold: the length thereof shall be two cubits and a half, and the breadth a cubit and a half.
Lines 8660–8665
A propitiatory.... a covering for the ark: called a propitiatory, or mercy seat, because the Lord, who was supposed to sit there upon the wings of the cherubims, with the ark for his footstool, from thence shewed mercy. It is also called the oracle, ver. 18 and 20; because from thence God gave his orders and his answers.
Lines 8666–8682
25:18. Thou shalt make also two cherubims of beaten gold, on the two sides of the oracle. 25:19. Let one cherub be on the one side, and the other on the other. 25:20. Let them cover both sides of the propitiatory, spreading their wings, and covering the oracle, and let them look one towards the other, their faces being turned towards the propitiatory wherewith the ark is to be covered. 25:21. In which thou shalt put the testimony that I will give thee. 25:22. Thence will I give orders, and will speak to thee over the propitiatory, and from the midst of the two cherubims, which shall be upon the ark of the testimony, all things which I will command the children of Israel by thee.
Lines 8683–8685
25:23. Thou shalt make a table also of setim wood, of two cubits in length, and a cubit in breadth, and a cubit and a half in height.
Lines 8686–8691
A table.... On which were to be placed the twelve loaves of proposition: or, as they are called in the Hebrew, the face bread, because they were always to stand before the face of the Lord in his temple: as a figure of the eucharistic sacrifice and sacrament, in the church of Christ.
Lines 8692–8709
25:24. And thou shalt overlay it with the purest gold: and thou shalt make to it a golden ledge round about. 25:25. And to the ledge itself a polished crown, four inches high; and over the same another little golden crown. 25:26. Thou shalt prepare also four golden rings, and shalt put them in the four corners of the same table, over each foot. 25:27. Under the crown shall the golden rings be, that the bars may be put through them, and the table may be carried. 25:28. The bars also themselves thou shalt make of setim wood, and shalt overlay them with gold, to bear up the table. 25:29. Thou shalt prepare also dishes, and bowls, censers, and cups, wherein the libations are to be offered, of the purest gold.
Lines 8710–8711
Libations.... That is, drink offerings.
Lines 8712–8714
25:30. And thou shalt set upon the table loaves of proposition in my sight always.
Lines 8715–8718
25:31. Thou shalt make also a candlestick of beaten work, of the finest gold, the shaft thereof, and the branches, the cups, and the bowls, and the lilies going forth from it.
Lines 8719–8723
A candlestick.... This candlestick, with its seven lamps, which was always to give light in the house of God, was a figure of the light of the Holy Ghost, and his sevenfold grace, in the sanctuary of the church of Christ.
Lines 8724–8740
25:32. Six branches shall come out of the sides, three out of one side, and three out of the other. 25:33. Three cups as it were nuts to every branch, and a bowl withal, and a lily: and three cups likewise of the fashion of nuts in the other branch, and a bowl withal, and a lily. Such shall be the work of the six branches, that are to come out from the shaft: 25:34. And in the candlestick itself shall be four cups in the manner of a nut, and at every one bowls and lilies. 25:35. Bowls under two branches in three places, which together make six, coming forth out of one shaft. 25:36. And both the bowls and the branches shall be of the same beaten work of the purest gold.
Lines 8741–8753
25:37. Thou shalt make also seven lamps, and shalt set them upon the candlestick, to give light over against. 25:38. The snuffers also, and where the snuffings shall be put out, shall be made of the purest gold. 25:39. The whole weight of the candlestick, with all the furniture thereof, shall be a talent of the purest gold. 25:40. Look, and make it according to the pattern that was shewn thee in the mount.