Exodus 27:8 kjv
Hollow with boards shalt thou make it: as it was showed thee in the mount, so shall they make it.
Exodus 27:8 nkjv
You shall make it hollow with boards; as it was shown you on the mountain, so shall they make it.
Exodus 27:8 niv
Make the altar hollow, out of boards. It is to be made just as you were shown on the mountain.
Exodus 27:8 esv
You shall make it hollow, with boards. As it has been shown you on the mountain, so shall it be made.
Exodus 27:8 nlt
The altar must be hollow, made from planks. Build it just as you were shown on the mountain.
Exodus 27 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 25:9 | "According to all that I show you... so shall you make it." | Divine blueprint for the Tabernacle. |
| Ex 25:40 | "See that you make them after the pattern shown to you on the mountain." | Strict adherence to God's revealed pattern. |
| Ex 26:30 | "You shall rear up the tabernacle according to its fashion..." | Tabernacle built strictly by God's design. |
| Ex 29:42-43 | "At the door of the tabernacle of meeting before the LORD... I will meet you." | Altar's function within consecrated meeting place. |
| Ex 30:26-29 | "You shall anoint with it the tabernacle of meeting... Most holy things." | Altar consecrated to be most holy by divine command. |
| Ex 38:1-7 | Detailed construction of the bronze altar, reflecting Ex 27:1-8. | Altar constructed exactly as specified. |
| Num 8:4 | "This was the workmanship of the candlestick, golden to the pattern..." | Candlestick also made according to divine pattern. |
| Lev 6:9-13 | Instructions for priests regarding burnt offerings on the altar. | Altar's central role in the sacrificial system. |
| Lev 9:24 | "And there came a fire out from before the LORD... on the altar." | Divine acceptance of sacrifices on this altar. |
| Deut 4:5-6 | "See, I have taught you statutes and judgments... for wisdom." | Obedience to divine instruction brings wisdom. |
| Deut 12:32 | "Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take from it." | Prohibition against altering divine commands. |
| 1 Sam 15:22 | "To obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams." | Obedience prioritized over mere ritual. |
| Psa 19:7 | "The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul..." | Perfection and sufficiency of God's revealed law. |
| Isa 55:8-9 | "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways..." | God's divine plans surpass human understanding. |
| Jer 7:22-23 | "For I did not speak to your fathers, or command them... but this I commanded them: Obey My voice." | God's primary demand is obedience. |
| Matt 5:17-18 | "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law... but to fulfill." | Christ fulfills the Old Testament patterns. |
| John 2:19-21 | "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up... his body." | Jesus as the ultimate Temple and sacrifice. |
| Acts 7:44 | "Our fathers had the tabernacle... as He appointed, instructing Moses to make it according to the pattern." | Confirms divine instruction for Tabernacle. |
| Heb 8:5 | "Who serve the copy and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed..." | Tabernacle as earthly copy of heavenly reality. |
| Heb 9:23-24 | "It was necessary then that the copies... should be purified... Christ entered into heaven itself." | Earthly rituals as foreshadowing heavenly truth. |
| Col 2:16-17 | "Therefore let no one judge you... regarding food... which are a shadow of things to come." | Old Covenant rituals are a shadow, Christ is reality. |
| Rev 21:3 | "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them." | God's ultimate and perfected dwelling with humanity. |
Exodus 27 verses
Exodus 27 8 Meaning
Exodus 27:8 explains the precise construction method for the Altar of Burnt Offering: it was to be made hollow from boards, exactly reproducing the pattern or model divinely revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai. This verse emphasizes that every detail of the altar's design was divinely sourced and demanded precise replication, underscoring God's ultimate authority over the worship practices of His people.
Exodus 27 8 Context
Exodus chapter 27 provides detailed instructions for the construction of the court of the Tabernacle, specifically beginning with the design of the Altar of Burnt Offering (also known as the brazen or copper altar) and the outer court enclosure. This altar was strategically placed immediately inside the entrance to the court, signifying it as the essential first point of access for all worship and atonement within the Tabernacle system. The command in Exodus 27:8 specifically emphasizes the divine origin of its design, reflecting the overarching principle applied to all elements of the Tabernacle and its furnishings outlined in chapters 25-31. Historically, these directives were given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai, establishing the framework for Israel's covenant relationship with Yahweh and their corporate worship practices during their wilderness journey and into the Promised Land, marking a shift towards a divinely prescribed, mobile sanctuary.
Exodus 27 8 Word Analysis
- You shall make it hollow:
- Hebrew: נָבוּב (navuv) – meaning "empty," "hollow," "sunken."
- Significance: This detail was practical, making the altar lighter and portable for the Israelites' travels. Symbolically, it ensured the altar's identity was not tied to being a solid structure of earth or stone (which could be sourced locally wherever they encamped), but a framework whose purpose and holiness derived entirely from God's instruction, meant to be filled with earth or stones when stationary (in line with Ex 20:24-25).
- with boards:
- Hebrew: לֻחֹת (luchot) – meaning "planks" or "boards." These would be made of acacia wood.
- Significance: Specifies the structural material. These boards would form a frame, later covered with bronze (as stated in Ex 27:2). This structured, fabricated design underscores a divinely ordained architectural complexity for the worship space, distinct from more rudimentary, natural altars.
- as it was showed you:
- Hebrew: הָרְאֵיתָ (ha-re'eitah) – a passive verbal form meaning "which was caused to be seen to you" or "it was shown to you."
- Significance: This crucial phrase highlights that the design was not Moses's invention but a direct divine revelation or a physical pattern demonstrated to him by God. It emphasizes God's authorship of the blueprint, leaving no room for human interpretation or deviation, asserting absolute divine authority in worship design.
- in the mount:
- Hebrew: בָּהָר (ba-har) – meaning "on the mountain." This refers specifically to Mount Sinai (also called Horeb).
- Significance: Establishes the authoritative locus of this divine revelation. Mount Sinai was where God entered into covenant with Israel, revealed His Law, and provided specific instructions for establishing His presence among His people, making it a sacred point of divine encounter.
- so shall they make it:
- Hebrew: כֵּן יַעֲשׂוּ (ken ya'asu) – meaning "thus they shall do," or "exactly they shall make it."
- Significance: This is an imperative command, reinforcing the non-negotiable requirement for precise adherence to the divinely revealed pattern. The collective "they" indicates that this responsibility was for the entire community through the appointed artisans, stressing that exact conformity to God's instructions was paramount for all aspects of Tabernacle construction, crucial for the validity and efficacy of the worship conducted there.
Exodus 27 8 Bonus section
The repeated divine command for precise replication ("according to the pattern") served multiple purposes: it established God's uniqueness against the human-devised cultic practices of surrounding nations, provided an enduring standard for worship, and ultimately pointed forward to a divine blueprint for redemption that would culminate in Christ. The seemingly humble materials—acacia wood, later overlaid with bronze, in a hollow form—teach that the sanctity and efficacy of the altar did not reside in inherent splendor or massive structure, but entirely in God's divine command and consecration. Its portability also highlighted the dynamic, journeying relationship between God and His people, demonstrating His readiness to dwell and move with them through any wilderness. The principle of following divine instruction exactly applies not just to ancient rituals, but to how believers are to build their lives in faith and conduct their service to God, according to His revealed Word.
Exodus 27 8 Commentary
Exodus 27:8 succinctly encapsulates a paramount theme woven throughout the Tabernacle narrative: the absolute necessity of divine direction in matters of worship. The command that the Altar of Burnt Offering be "hollow with boards," constructed precisely "as it was showed you in the mount," unequivocally positions God as the sole architect and authority of Israel's worship system. Moses was a faithful recipient and executor, not an innovator. This emphasis on strict adherence guarded against human invention, cultural assimilation, or spiritual error, ensuring that the Tabernacle, as the locus of God's presence and atonement, reflected heavenly realities rather than earthly ingenuity. Acceptable worship, therefore, is not about human preference or creativity but about obedient response to God's revealed will and detailed instructions. The altar, the very first article of furniture encountered by those entering the Tabernacle court, thereby set the standard for divine sovereignty over all subsequent spiritual engagement.