Exodus 25:3 kjv

And this is the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass,

Exodus 25:3 nkjv

And this is the offering which you shall take from them: gold, silver, and bronze;

Exodus 25:3 niv

These are the offerings you are to receive from them: gold, silver and bronze;

Exodus 25:3 esv

And this is the contribution that you shall receive from them: gold, silver, and bronze,

Exodus 25:3 nlt

Here is a list of sacred offerings you may accept from them: gold, silver, and bronze;

Exodus 25 verses

Exodus 25 3 Meaning

Exodus 25:3 initiates the list of specific materials to be gathered as offerings for the construction of the Tabernacle and its sacred furnishings. Following God's instruction for willing contributions (Exo 25:2), this verse specifies the first three essential metals: gold, silver, and bronze (often translated "brass"). These materials were to be received from the Israelites, representing their collective participation in establishing a dwelling place for the Divine Presence among them.

Exodus 25 3 Context

Exodus chapter 25 marks a pivotal shift from God's giving the Ten Commandments and moral laws to providing detailed instructions for constructing the Tabernacle, a portable sanctuary for His presence among the Israelites. The preceding chapters (Exo 20-24) establish the covenant, law, and foundational relationship between God and Israel. Chapter 25 begins with God summoning Moses to receive further commands regarding this holy dwelling. Verse 2 sets the precedent: the materials must come from a "willing heart." Therefore, Exodus 25:3 is the very first specific enumeration of these necessary materials, immediately focusing on the precious and practical metals that would form the core components of the Tabernacle's structure and furnishings. Historically, Israel had just left Egypt, having been divinely provided with silver and gold from the Egyptians (Exo 12:35-36), thus God was calling for contributions from resources He Himself had providentially supplied for His purposes.

Exodus 25 3 Word analysis

• And this: Connects the instruction to the preceding declaration in Exodus 25:1-2 regarding the sacred offerings for the Tabernacle. It serves as an immediate follow-up and specification.
• is: Declares identity and presents the subsequent items as the components of the "offering."
• the offering: Hebrew: תְּרוּמָה (terumah). This word signifies a "heave offering" or a "contribution." It implies something "lifted up" or "set apart" for God, differentiating it from regular taxation. It emphasizes the sacred, voluntary, and consecrated nature of the gift. The terumah was always for a holy purpose.
• which ye shall take: Hebrew: לָקַח (laqach). Means "to take," "to receive," or "to accept." This highlights Moses' role not as a coercer, but as a divinely appointed administrator who would receive what the people willingly offered, affirming the voluntary principle established in verse 2.
• of them: Refers directly back to "the children of Israel" mentioned in verse 2. This specifies the source of the materials: the redeemed community whom God had delivered from Egypt.
• gold,: Hebrew: זָהָב (zahav). The most precious and valuable metal known in antiquity. Symbolically, gold represents divine purity, holiness, glory, and sovereignty. In the Tabernacle, it was predominantly used for elements in the Holy Place and Most Holy Place (e.g., Ark, Mercy Seat, table, lampstand), symbolizing God's presence and sacredness.
• and silver,: Hebrew: כֶּסֶף (kesef). A valuable metal, secondary to gold in worth. Symbolically, silver is often associated with redemption, purification, and ransom (e.g., atonement money). Practically, it was used for the sockets of the pillars, providing stability, and for components less central but essential to the Tabernacle's structure.
• and brass,: Hebrew: נְחֹשֶׁת (nechoshet). Better translated as "bronze," an alloy of copper (or simply copper itself). Less precious than gold or silver, but highly durable and strong. Symbolically, bronze is often associated with judgment, atonement, and strength. In the Tabernacle, it was used for the outer altar of burnt offering, the laver for washing, and the sockets/pillars of the outer courtyard, indicating strength for hard use and connection to the place of sacrifice and cleansing.

Words-group analysis:

• "And this is the offering": This phrase introduces the mandatory category of contribution, defining what follows not merely as donations, but as divinely designated holy "offerings."
• "which ye shall take of them": This specifies the method and source of collection. It clarifies that Moses is to receive these materials from the willing Israelite people, underscoring community participation and individual free will as fundamental to the sanctuary's establishment.
• "gold, and silver, and brass": This listing presents the initial specific materials. Their order reflects a hierarchy of value and often their symbolic usage and placement within the Tabernacle, moving from the most precious (gold for the inner sanctuary) to the least precious but functionally critical (bronze for the outer court). This progression foreshadows the varying degrees of holiness associated with different parts of the Tabernacle structure.

Exodus 25 3 Bonus section

• The specified materials (gold, silver, bronze) align with archaeological findings of common metals and their use in religious structures across the ancient Near East, grounding the divine instructions in the Israelites' cultural context while uniquely consecrating them to Yahweh.
• The progression of metals—gold, then silver, then bronze—is not arbitrary but generally reflects the ascending degree of holiness and the corresponding distance from the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle. Gold adorned the inner sanctum and its most sacred contents, silver supported the structure of the Holy Place, and bronze served the outer court.
• The mention of "taking" these materials underscores the orderly collection process Moses would oversee, ensuring all contributions were properly accounted for and used exclusively for the sacred purpose.
• The fact that these materials were largely acquired from the Egyptians during the Exodus (Exo 12:35-36) emphasizes God's perfect providence. He equipped His people with the very means necessary to construct His dwelling place before they even knew the detailed plans.
• This act of giving, even the specific materials, serves as a prefigurement of the richer spiritual giving in the New Testament (2 Cor 9:7) where believers are called to offer themselves as living sacrifices and use their spiritual and material gifts to build God's spiritual temple, the Church.

Exodus 25 3 Commentary

Exodus 25:3 outlines the initial and fundamental materials God requires for the Tabernacle: gold, silver, and bronze. This divine mandate is immediately preceded by the crucial principle of "a willing heart" (v. 2). Thus, the offerings were not a tax or a forced tribute, but a freewill contribution, demonstrating the people's love and obedience in response to God's covenant. The very presence of these materials was an act of God's providence, as Israel had "spoiled" the Egyptians of these treasures before their exodus. Each metal carried both practical and symbolic significance within the Tabernacle's design: gold representing divine glory, holiness, and God's unblemished purity in the most sacred areas; silver symbolizing redemption, purity, and the preciousness of God's covenant with His people; and bronze (brass) signifying strength, endurance, and association with the processes of atonement and judgment, found prominently in the outer courtyard's altar. Together, these metals, contributed willingly by a redeemed people, formed the material foundation for God's physical dwelling among them, teaching enduring lessons about the nature of true worship, the source of provision, and the importance of participation in God's divine plan. This established a timeless principle for giving in God's kingdom—it must be voluntary, cheerful, and offered from the very resources God Himself has provided.