Matthew Henry on Exodus 27:1-8
As God intended in the tabernacle to manifest his presence among his people, so there they were to pay their devotions to him, not in the tabernacle itself (into that only the priests entered as God's domestic servants), but in the court before the tabernacle, where, as common subjects, they attended. There an altar was ordered to be set up, to which they must bring their sacrifices, and on which their priests must offer them to God: and this altar was to sanctify their gifts. Here they were to present their services to God, as from the mercy-seat he gave his oracles to them; and thus a communion was settled between God and Israel. Moses is here directed about, 1. The dimensions of it; it wa…
Read the whole note in the consoleJamieson-Fausset-Brown on Exodus 27:6
staves . . . rings--Those rings were placed at the side through which the poles were inserted on occasions of removal.
Adam Clarke on Exodus 27:4
Thou shalt make for it a grate - Calmet supposes this altar to have been a sort of box, covered with brass plates, on the top of which was a grating to supply the fire with air, and permit the ashes to fall through into the siroth or pan that was placed below. At the four corners of the grating were four rings and four chains, by which it was attached to the four horns; and at the sides were rings for the poles of shittim wood with which it was carried. Even on this there is a great variety of opinions.
John Gill on Exodus 27:6
And thou shalt make staves for the altar, staves of shittim wood,.... Like those that were made for the ark, and for the same purpose:
and overlay them with brass; with plates of brass, whereas those for the ark were overlaid with gold.
John Calvin on Exodus 27:1-8
Exodus 27:1-8
1. And thou shalt make an altar ofshittim wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and the height thereof shall be three cubits.
1. Facies etiam altare e lignis sittim: quinque cubitorum exit longitudo: et quinque cubitorum latitudo: quadrature erit altare: et trium cubitorum altitudo ejus.
2. And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof: his horns shall be of the same: and thou shalt overlay it with brass.
2. Huic facies cornua in quatuor angulis ejus: ex ipso erunt cornua ejus, tegesque illud aere.
3. And thou shalt make his pans to receive his ashes, and his shovels, and his basons, and his fleshhooks, and his f…
