Exodus 38:29 kjv
And the brass of the offering was seventy talents, and two thousand and four hundred shekels.
Exodus 38:29 nkjv
The offering of bronze was seventy talents and two thousand four hundred shekels.
Exodus 38:29 niv
The bronze from the wave offering was 70 talents and 2,400 shekels.
Exodus 38:29 esv
The bronze that was offered was seventy talents and 2,400 shekels;
Exodus 38:29 nlt
The people also brought as special offerings 5,310 pounds of bronze,
Exodus 38 29 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 25:1-2 | "The Lord said to Moses, 'Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for me a contribution. From every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for me...'" | God commands freewill offerings for the Tabernacle, showing divine initiation for the people's contribution. |
| Ex 25:8 | "And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst." | The ultimate purpose of the Tabernacle was God's dwelling among His people, giving context to the collected materials. |
| Ex 27:1-8 | "...You shall make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits wide...You shall overlay it with bronze." | The bronze was essential for the altar of burnt offering, a central piece in Israel's worship, symbolizing atonement. |
| Ex 30:17-21 | "The Lord said to Moses, 'You shall also make a basin of bronze, with its stand of bronze, for washing...'" | Bronze was used for the laver, symbolizing purification needed before drawing near to God. |
| Ex 35:4-9 | "Moses said to all the congregation...‘Take from among you a contribution to the Lord: whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the Lord’s contribution...gold, silver, and bronze;'" | Moses' instruction to gather freewill offerings of specific materials, including bronze. |
| Ex 35:21-29 | "And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him...all whose spirit made them willing, and brought the Lord's contribution...bronze." | People willingly and abundantly offered materials, showing their devotion. |
| Ex 36:5-7 | "...The people bring much more than enough for doing the work...Moses gave command, and word was proclaimed throughout the camp, ‘Let no man or woman do anything more for the contribution...’" | So much material was contributed that the people had to be restrained, highlighting the magnitude of the offering. |
| Ex 38:1-7 | Details the construction of the altar of burnt offering, confirming its bronze overlay. | Direct mention of bronze as a key material for major Tabernacle items. |
| Ex 38:8 | "He made the basin of bronze and its stand of bronze, from the mirrors of the ministering women who ministered at the entrance of the tent of meeting." | Shows a specific source for some bronze material (mirrors), demonstrating total devotion. |
| Ex 39:32, 42-43 | "Thus all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting was finished...According to all that the Lord had commanded Moses, so the people of Israel had done all the work." | Highlights the completion of the Tabernacle work precisely according to God's detailed commands. |
| Ex 40:33 | "And he erected the court all around the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the screen of the gate of the court. So Moses finished the work." | Confirms the final completion and erection of the Tabernacle components made from these materials. |
| Num 7:10-88 | Records the dedication offerings from the tribes, including large amounts of silver and gold articles, but also some bronze. | Demonstrates continued contributions and wealth applied to the sanctuary. |
| Num 21:8-9 | "Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.' So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole." | Bronze here is used in connection with salvation and judgment, symbolizing divine remedy for sin. |
| 1 Chr 22:14 | "I have provided for the house of the Lord 100,000 talents of gold, a million talents of silver, and bronze beyond weighing..." | King David’s immense provision of materials for the future Temple, echoing the abundance seen in the Tabernacle. |
| 1 Chr 29:6-9 | "Then the leaders of the fathers' houses...offered willingly...rejoiced because they had given willingly, for with a whole heart they had offered freely to the Lord." | The cheerful and willing giving for Temple construction parallels the Tabernacle contributions. |
| 2 Chr 4:1 | "He made an altar of bronze, twenty cubits long and twenty cubits wide and ten cubits high." | The later Temple's altar of bronze, similar to the Tabernacle's, signifies the continuity of foundational worship. |
| Heb 8:5 | "They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed of God..." | The Tabernacle, with all its parts and materials, served as a blueprint, a shadow pointing to greater realities in Christ. |
| Jn 3:14-15 | "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life." | Connects the bronze serpent with Christ being lifted on the cross, linking bronze with salvation through substitution. |
| 1 Cor 3:9-11 | "For we are God's fellow workers...You are God's building...I laid a foundation, and another builds upon it...No one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ." | Believers as God's building, relating to the careful construction of the Tabernacle. |
| Eph 2:19-22 | "So then you are no longer strangers...but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone..." | The spiritual temple of believers built on Christ as the foundation, echoing the Tabernacle's structured construction. |
| 1 Pet 2:5 | "you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." | Believers are compared to "living stones" forming a "spiritual house," connecting to the physical structure of the Tabernacle/Temple. |
| 2 Cor 9:7 | "Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." | Principles of giving exemplified in the Tabernacle contributions (freewill, wholehearted) are affirmed in the New Covenant. |
Exodus 38 verses
Exodus 38 29 Meaning
Exodus 38:29 meticulously records the precise amount of bronze contributed by the Israelites for the construction of the Tabernacle in the wilderness. It specifies that the total bronze offered weighed seventy talents and two thousand four hundred shekels. This detailed accounting underscores the scale of the materials required, the generous and collective contributions of the people, and the divine precision involved in every aspect of God's dwelling place.
Exodus 38 29 Context
Exodus 38:29 is situated within a section (Exodus 38:21-31) that provides a detailed accounting of the precious metals—gold, silver, and bronze—used in the construction of the Tabernacle, its furnishings, and the court. Specifically, verses 21-28 itemize the silver, while verses 29-31 focus on the bronze. This meticulous record highlights the immense resources dedicated to the Tabernacle and demonstrates that everything was used as commanded. The chapter itself describes the construction of the bronze altar, the bronze laver, and the pillars for the court, underscoring the vital role of bronze in the sanctuary's foundational and exterior elements. Historically, this occurs after the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai and the apostasy of the golden calf, marking Israel's restoration to God's favor and their commitment to build His dwelling according to the divine pattern (Ex 25:9). The freewill offerings collected for the Tabernacle stood in stark contrast to the forced labor of Egyptian bondage, showcasing God's covenant relationship with a liberated people who willingly gave from their abundance. The detailed measurements and weights also countered the haphazard, often immeasurable practices of pagan worship, emphasizing the precision and order required for the worship of the one true God.
Exodus 38 29 Word analysis
- וְנֹחֶתֶת (vənoḥeṭet): This means "and the offered" or "that was presented/heaved." It derives from a root related to 'rest' or 'settling,' but in the context of offerings (like terumah, a heave offering), it refers to that which is 'lifted off' or 'set aside' as a contribution. Here, it denotes the material that was brought and settled in the Tabernacle's stores.
- הַנְּחֹשֶׁת (ha'neḥōšet): "the bronze" (or copper). This metal was crucial for strength and durability. While less valuable than gold or silver, bronze was used for critical structural and functional components such as the altar of burnt offering, the laver, and the sockets for the court pillars, signifying foundational strength, purification, and judgment (as seen with the bronze altar and the bronze serpent in Num 21).
- שִׁבְעִים (šivʿīm): "seventy." This number holds significant symbolic weight in the Bible, often representing completeness or a set period (e.g., seventy nations, seventy elders, seventy years of exile). Here, it signifies a substantial and full quantity, not a deficiency.
- כִּכָּר (kikkar): "talent." A significant unit of weight in the ancient Near East, not coinage. A talent was a very large amount, generally agreed to be approximately 3,000 shekels or roughly 75 pounds (about 34 kilograms). The mention of "seventy talents" speaks to the vast amount of bronze acquired.
- וְאַלְפַּיִם (vəʾalpāyim): "and two thousand." An additional specific quantity.
- וְאַרְבַּע מֵא֖וֹת (vəʾarbaʿ mēʾōṯ): "and four hundred." More specific additional quantity.
- שֶֽׁקֶל (šeqel): "shekel." A basic unit of weight, roughly 0.4 ounces (11.5 grams). This fine detail of "2,400 shekels" indicates extreme precision in the accounting, mirroring the precise divine instructions.
Words-group analysis
- "The bronze that was offered": This phrase emphasizes that the material was not forcibly taken or mined by the Tabernacle builders. Instead, it was brought as a voluntary "heave offering" (referring to a portion set aside), highlighting the freewill nature of the people's contribution towards God's dwelling place. This act of giving was a fundamental expression of their renewed covenant relationship with God.
- "Seventy talents and 2,400 shekels": The specific and considerable weight provided (approximately 2.5 tons, or 2500 kg, if a talent is 34 kg) underscores the enormous wealth amassed from the collective donations of the Israelites. This magnitude signifies the people's immense generosity and eagerness to participate in God's holy project. The precise numbers (down to the individual shekel) reflect God's meticulous instructions for the Tabernacle and the diligent record-keeping of those tasked with its construction, assuring accuracy and transparency in the use of consecrated materials. This precision further points to the detailed blueprint of the Tabernacle which prophetically pointed to Christ, in whom every detail of God's redemptive plan is fulfilled.
Exodus 38 29 Bonus section
The total weight of 70 talents and 2,400 shekels of bronze translates to a truly immense quantity of metal. Considering a talent is approximately 75 pounds (or ~34 kg), 70 talents would be about 5,250 pounds (or ~2380 kg). The additional 2,400 shekels (with one shekel being roughly 0.4 oz or ~11.5 g) adds another ~58 pounds (or ~26 kg), bringing the total close to 5,300 pounds or approximately 2.65 tons (over 2400 kg) of bronze. This enormous weight highlights the robust nature of the Tabernacle's structure, particularly its external and foundational elements (like the altar, laver, and courtyard pillars). It implicitly shows that God provides not just precious materials, but all necessary resources for His work, down to the sturdy foundational elements that withstand the rigors of the wilderness journey. The collective contribution demonstrates that all people, not just the wealthy, participated, and all types of materials, not just the most valuable, were essential for the completion of God's house, symbolizing that every believer, with their unique gifts and resources, is vital for the spiritual building of the Church, the body of Christ (Rom 12:4-5).
Exodus 38 29 Commentary
Exodus 38:29 is not merely an inventory record; it speaks volumes about the collective faith, generosity, and meticulous obedience of the Israelite community in the wilderness. The "bronze that was offered" signifies that this immense material wealth was a willing contribution from the people, challenging any notion of forced labor and showcasing their devotion after deliverance from Egypt. The vast quantity – seventy talents and 2,400 shekels – points to a significant sacrifice made by the populace, demonstrating their heart-response to God's command to build His dwelling. While gold and silver typically represent preciousness and purity, bronze holds unique significance for strength, endurance, and association with judgment (the altar of burnt offering, the brazen serpent) and purification (the laver). Its use as foundational elements and in implements for sacrifice emphasizes its role in the approach to God through atonement and cleansing. The extreme precision of the accounting down to the shekel underscores the divine demand for accuracy and order in all matters related to God's worship, providing an archetype for believers to approach all divine instructions with diligence and faithfulness. This communal effort and contribution served to manifest God's presence among them, setting a precedent for collective stewardship in building God's spiritual kingdom.