Exodus 27 3

Exodus 27:3 kjv

And thou shalt make his pans to receive his ashes, and his shovels, and his basins, and his fleshhooks, and his firepans: all the vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass.

Exodus 27:3 nkjv

Also you shall make its pans to receive its ashes, and its shovels and its basins and its forks and its firepans; you shall make all its utensils of bronze.

Exodus 27:3 niv

Make all its utensils of bronze?its pots to remove the ashes, and its shovels, sprinkling bowls, meat forks and firepans.

Exodus 27:3 esv

You shall make pots for it to receive its ashes, and shovels and basins and forks and fire pans. You shall make all its utensils of bronze.

Exodus 27:3 nlt

Make ash buckets, shovels, basins, meat forks, and firepans, all of bronze.

Exodus 27 verses

Exodus 27 3 Meaning

Exodus 27:3 provides precise instructions for the collection of necessary tools to be used in the service and maintenance of the altar of burnt offering. These instruments, specified as pails, shovels, basins, flesh hooks, and firepans, were all to be made of bronze. The verse highlights God's demand for meticulousness and order in the execution of sacred rites, ensuring the continuous, clean, and reverent performance of sacrifices in the Tabernacle.

Exodus 27 3 Context

Exodus chapter 27 is a part of God’s meticulous directives to Moses concerning the construction and setup of the Tabernacle and its associated articles, immediately following detailed plans for the altar of incense and the lampstand. Specifically, this verse elaborates on the practical tools necessary for the upkeep and operation of the central bronze altar of burnt offering, designed for daily sacrifices. These instructions underscore the divine precision and holiness required for every aspect of worship in the nascent Israelite community. The detailed listing of these functional vessels, all made of durable bronze, reveals God's command for orderly, clean, and consecrated procedures in approaching Him, emphasizing the seriousness of sacrificial service for the people of Israel as they journeyed through the wilderness.

Exodus 27 3 Word analysis

• "And you shall make" (וְעָשִׂ֖יתָ - ve'asita): A direct divine imperative given to Moses, highlighting that these implements were not arbitrary human inventions but divinely mandated constructions for God's appointed worship. It implies careful craftsmanship and obedience.
• "its pails" (סִירֹתָיו - sirotav): Translated as "pots" or "buckets," these were specifically designed containers for the collection of ashes, which are the byproducts of burnt offerings. They signify the necessary cleanliness and organized disposal required in the sacred space.
• "for taking away its ashes" (לְדַשְּׁנ֖וֹ - l'dashno): Lit. "for its fat removal" or "for making its ashes clean." This phrase specifies the primary purpose of the pails and shovels: the efficient and reverent removal of the sacrificial remnants (including fat and residue) to maintain the purity and functional readiness of the altar for continuous offerings.
• "and its shovels" (וְיָעָ֑יו - v'ya'av): Tools crafted for scooping and managing the ashes collected in the pails. They ensure proper handling and prevent direct human contact with the remains, contributing to the overall hygiene and reverence around the altar.
• "and its basins" (וּמִזְרְקֹתָיו - u'mizrakotav): These bowls were typically used for catching, sprinkling, or holding liquids, especially sacrificial blood in other contexts. Here, among ash-handling tools, they might also serve for collecting other ritual liquids, or perhaps for cleaning residual matter from the altar after the offerings.
• "and its flesh hooks" (וּמִזְלְגֹתָיו - u'mizlegotav): Forks with prongs, essential for manipulating or adjusting the pieces of the animal sacrifice as they burned on the altar. They enabled priests to manage the offerings on the intense fire without contaminating them and ensured proper burning.
• "and its firepans" (וּמַחְתֹּתָ֑יו - u'maḥtotaiv): Censers or trays for carrying live coals from the altar or for burning incense (Ex 30:7). They were crucial for transferring the holy fire for other ritual purposes or for offering incense within the Tabernacle, signifying the portability of the altar's consecrated fire.
• "all its vessels" (כָּל־כֵּלָיו - kol-kelav): This comprehensive phrase emphasizes that no item was to be omitted or substituted. It underscores the totality of God's provision for the altar’s service and highlights the integrated nature of all its functional components.
• "you shall make of brass" (נְחֹ֥שֶׁת - neḥoshet): Referring to copper or, more commonly in this ancient context, bronze (an alloy of copper and tin). Bronze was selected for its exceptional durability, resistance to high temperatures, and strength, making it ideal for the strenuous demands of daily use with fire and heavy sacrificial materials. Symbolically, bronze also carries connotations of strength and, in other contexts, divine judgment or enduring decrees.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "its pails for taking away its ashes, and its shovels": This group specifies the implements dedicated solely to managing the refuse of the sacrifices. It stresses the continuous need for cleanliness, efficient waste disposal, and respect for the remains of offerings, reflecting divine purity standards.
• "and its basins, and its flesh hooks, and its firepans": These three types of tools fulfill diverse, yet equally vital, functional roles related to the altar's operation. Basins address liquid aspects, flesh hooks handle solid offerings, and firepans deal with the consecrated fire. Together, they demonstrate the complete operational provision for the altar's multi-faceted duties.
• "all its vessels you shall make of brass": This concluding instruction on the material for all the altar implements underscores unity in purpose and durability. The common material signals their shared, essential function in the strenuous environment of the sacrificial altar, set apart from the precious metals of the holier Tabernacle furnishings but crucial for active service.

Exodus 27 3 Bonus section

The specific materials chosen for the Tabernacle furnishings often communicated theological distinctions. While the most holy objects within the Tabernacle (like the Ark of the Covenant, the lampstand, and the altar of incense) were primarily made of gold or overlaid with gold, the altar of burnt offering and its implements, constantly exposed to fire and the handling of physical sacrifice, were made of bronze. This highlights the functional resilience of bronze for arduous, enduring service in judgment (represented by the altar as the place of sacrifice for sin) and cleansing. The contrast between gold and bronze subtly communicates the distinct holy functions of objects closer to God’s immediate presence versus those engaged in the more active, physical aspects of sacrifice.

Exodus 27 3 Commentary

Exodus 27:3 lays out the foundational tools for the altar of burnt offering, reflecting God's profound attention to order and cleanliness within sacred worship. The detailed enumeration of pails, shovels, basins, flesh hooks, and firepans demonstrates that even the seemingly mundane aspects of sacred service—such as managing sacrificial remnants or handling burning offerings—are of divine concern. These instruments, all to be forged from robust bronze, symbolize the strength, endurance, and practicality required for continual sacrificial practice. Their design and material choice reflect suitability for rigorous use near intense fire and handling potentially unsanitary materials, ensuring ritual purity and the sanctity of the sacrificial space. This level of precise divine instruction sets God's worship apart from the often chaotic or impure practices of surrounding pagan religions, affirming that genuine reverence for the Holy God demands thoroughness, diligence, and perfect adherence to His commands. In application, it teaches believers today that all aspects of serving God, even the "practical" or "behind-the-scenes," should be undertaken with devotion, precision, and a heart consecrated to His purposes, just as the early Israelite priests maintained their sacrificial implements.