How is the altar to be carried, and who supplies and tends the lamp?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Two brass-covered setim bars pass through rings on both sides to carry the hollow altar. Israel must bring the purest olive oil, beaten with a pestle, for a lamp to burn always; Aaron and his sons order it outside the veil before the testimony, to give light before the Lord until morning.

Chapter breakdown

How is the altar to be carried, and who supplies and tends the lamp? Two brass-covered setim bars pass through rings on both sides to carry the hollow altar. Israel must bring the purest olive oil, beaten with a pestle, for a lamp to burn always; Aaron and his sons order it outside the veil before the testimony, to give light before the Lord until morning.

The altar is setim wood, five cubits long and five wide, making it square, and three cubits high. It has horns at its four corners and is covered with brass. Its pans for ashes, tongs, fleshhooks and firepans, and all its vessels, are brass. A net-like brass grate has four brass rings at its four corners. It goes under the altar’s hearth, level with the altar’s middle. Two setim bars covered with brass plates pass through rings on both sides to carry the altar. The altar must be empty and hollow inside rather than solid, as shown on the mountain.

The court’s south side has hangings of fine twisted linen one hundred cubits long, with twenty pillars and twenty brass sockets. Their heads and engraving are silver. The north side likewise has one-hundred-cubit hangings, twenty pillars, twenty brass sockets, and silver heads and engraving. The west side has fifty-cubit hangings, ten pillars and ten sockets.

The east side is fifty cubits wide. Each side of its entrance has fifteen-cubit hangings, three pillars and three sockets. The entrance hanging is twenty cubits, made of violet, purple, scarlet twice dyed and fine twisted linen with embroidery. It has four pillars and four sockets.

All the court’s pillars have silver plates, silver heads and brass sockets. The court measures one hundred cubits long, fifty wide and five high, with fine twisted linen and brass sockets. All the tabernacle’s vessels for every use and ceremony, and the pins of both the tabernacle and court, are to be brass.

Moses must command Israel to bring the purest olive oil, beaten with a pestle, so a lamp may burn always. It is in the tabernacle of the testimony, outside the veil that hangs before the testimony. Aaron and his sons are to order it so it gives light before the Lord until morning. This is a perpetual observance throughout Israel’s successive generations.

The story inside

The instructions first describe the altar, then the court, then the lamp’s supply and care. The square altar has corner horns, brass vessels and a net-like grate; bars through rings carry it, and its inside must remain hollow as shown. The court has measured linen hangings and counted pillars on the south, north and west, with two shorter hangings and a twenty-cubit embroidered entrance on the east. The overall measurements and silver and brass fittings complete the court description, followed by brass vessels and pins. Finally, Israel supplies the named oil, while Aaron and his sons order the lamp outside the veil to give light until morning. The chapter makes this last duty perpetual throughout Israel’s generations. (Exodus 27:1–21.)

Lessons worth keeping

1
The altar’s carrying arrangement is specified. Two setim bars covered with brass pass through rings on both sides. The altar must be hollow, but the chapter gives no filling material or explanation about resistance to heat. (27:1–8.)
2
The court’s entrance has its own measurements and materials. On the fifty-cubit east side, two fifteen-cubit hangings flank the twenty-cubit embroidered entrance hanging, which has four pillars. The whole court is one hundred by fifty cubits and five high. (27:13–18.)
3
The lamp’s supply and care are assigned separately. Israel brings the purest olive oil beaten with a pestle; Aaron and his sons order the lamp outside the veil so it gives light before the Lord until morning. This duty continues through Israel’s generations. (27:20–21.)

Test your recall

Why do the altar’s bars pass through rings on both sides? To carry it. What form must its inside have? Empty and hollow, as shown on the mountain. Who brings the lamp’s oil, and who orders the lamp? Israel brings the purest olive oil beaten with a pestle; Aaron and his sons order it. Where and until when does it give light?

Show answer

Outside the veil before the testimony, before the Lord until morning. (27:6–8, 20–21.)

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 8891–8895
Exodus Chapter 27 The altar; and the court of the tabernacle with its hangings and pillars. Provision of oil for lamps.
Lines 8896–8921
27:1. Thou shalt make also an altar of setim wood, which shall be five cubits long, and as many broad, that is four square, and three cubits high. 27:2. And there shall be horns at the four corners of the same: and thou shalt cover it with brass. 27:3. And thou shalt make for the uses thereof pans to receive the ashes, and tongs and fleshhooks, and firepans: all its vessels thou shalt make of brass. 27:4. And a grate of brass in manner of a net; at the four corners of which, shall be four rings of brass, 27:5. Which thou shalt put under the hearth of the altar: and the grate shall be even to the midst of the altar. 27:6. Thou shalt make also two bars for the altar, of setim wood, which thou shalt cover with plates of brass: 27:7. And thou shalt draw them through rings, and they shall be on both sides of the altar to carry it. 27:8. Thou shalt not make it solid, but empty and hollow in the inside, as it was shewn thee in the mount.
Lines 8922–8936
27:9. Thou shalt make also the court of the tabernacle, in the south side whereof southward there shall be hangings of fine twisted linen of a hundred cubits long for one side. 27:10. And twenty pillars with as many sockets of brass, the heads of which, with their engraving, shall be of silver. 27:11. In like manner also on the north side there shall be hangings of a hundred cubits long, twenty pillars, and as many sockets of brass, and their heads with their engraving of silver. 27:12. But in the breadth of the court, that looketh to the west, there shall be hangings of fifty cubits, and ten pillars, and as many sockets.
Lines 8937–8950
27:13. In that breadth also of the court, which looketh to the east, there shall be fifty cubits. 27:14. In which there shall be for one side, hangings of fifteen cubits, and three pillars, and as many sockets. 27:15. And in the other side, there shall be hangings of fifteen cubits, with three pillars, and as many sockets. 27:16. And in the entrance of the court there shall be made a hanging of twenty cubits of violet and purple, and scarlet twice dyed, and fine twisted linen, with embroidered work: it shall have four pillars, with as many sockets.
Lines 8951–8960
27:17. All the pillars of the court round about shall be garnished with plates of silver, silver heads, and sockets of brass. 27:18. In length the court shall take up a hundred cubits, in breadth fifty, the height shall be of five cubits, and it shall be made of fine twisted linen, and shall have sockets of brass. 27:19. All the vessels of the tabernacle for all uses and ceremonies, and the pins both of it and of the court, thou shalt make of brass.
Lines 8961–8971
27:20. Command the children of Israel that they bring thee the purest oil of the olives, and beaten with a pestle: that a lamp may burn always, 27:21. In the tabernacle of the testimony, without the veil that hangs before the testimony. And Aaron and his sons shall order it, that it may give light before the Lord until the morning. It shall be a perpetual observance throughout their successions among the children of Israel.