Exodus 5:6

5:6 That same day Pharaoh commanded ¹  the slave masters and foremen ²  who were ³  over the people: ⁴ 

Exodus 6:17

6:17 The sons of Gershon, by their families, were Libni and Shimei.

Exodus 9:32

9:32 But the wheat and the spelt ⁵  were not struck, for they are later crops.) ⁶ 

Exodus 25:40

25:40 Now be sure to make ⁷  them according to the pattern you were shown ⁸  on the mountain. ⁹ 

Exodus 36:7

36:7 Now the materials were more than enough ¹⁰  for them to do all the work. ¹¹ 

Exodus 36:30

36:30 So there were eight frames and their silver bases, sixteen bases, two bases under each frame.

Exodus 37:20

37:20 On the lampstand there were four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms,

Exodus 38:16

38:16 All the hangings around the courtyard were of fine twisted linen.

Exodus 38:20

38:20 All the tent pegs of the tabernacle and of the courtyard all around were bronze.

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¹ tn Heb “and Pharaoh commanded on that day.”

² tn The Greek has “scribes” for this word, perhaps thinking of those lesser officials as keeping records of the slaves and the bricks.

³ tn The phrase “who were” is supplied for clarity.

⁴ sn In vv. 6-14 the second section of the chapter describes the severe measures by the king to increase the labor by decreasing the material. The emphasis in this section must be on the harsh treatment of the people and Pharaoh’s reason for it – he accuses them of idleness because they want to go and worship. The real reason, of course, is that he wants to discredit Moses (v. 9) and keep the people as slaves.

⁵ tn The word כֻּסֶּמֶת (kussemet) is translated “spelt”; the word occurs only here and in Isa 28:25 and Ezek 4:9. Spelt is a grain closely allied to wheat. Other suggestions have been brought forward from the study of Egyptian crops (see a brief summary in W. C. Kaiser, Jr., “Exodus,” EBC 2:363-64).

⁶ tn Heb “for they are late.”

⁷ tn The text uses two imperatives: “see and make.” This can be interpreted as a verbal hendiadys, calling for Moses and Israel to see to it that they make these things correctly.

⁸ tn The participle is passive, “caused to see,” or, “shown.”

⁹ sn The message of this section surely concerns access to God. To expound this correctly, though, since it is an instruction section for building the lampstand, the message would be: God requires that his people ensure that light will guide the way of access to God. The breakdown for exposition could be the instructions for preparation for light (one lamp, several branches), then instructions for the purpose and maintenance of the lamps, and then the last verse telling the divine source for the instructions. Naturally, the metaphorical value of light will come up in the study, especially from the NT. So in the NT there is the warning that if churches are unfaithful God will remove their lampstand, their ministry (Rev 2-3).

¹⁰ tn This part of the sentence comes from the final verb, the Hiphil infinitive – leave over, meaning, have more than enough (see BDB 451 s.v. יָתַר).

¹¹ tn Heb “for all the work, to do it.”

sn This lengthy section (35:1-36:7) forms one of the most remarkable sections in the book. Here there is a mixture of God’s preparation of people to do the work and their willingness to give and to serve. It not only provides insight into this renewed community of believers, but it also provides a timeless message for the church. The point is clear enough: In response to God’s commission, and inspired by God’s Spirit, the faithful and willing people rally to support and participate in the Lord’s work.