Exodus 38:30 kjv
And therewith he made the sockets to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the brazen altar, and the brazen grate for it, and all the vessels of the altar,
Exodus 38:30 nkjv
And with it he made the sockets for the door of the tabernacle of meeting, the bronze altar, the bronze grating for it, and all the utensils for the altar,
Exodus 38:30 niv
They used it to make the bases for the entrance to the tent of meeting, the bronze altar with its bronze grating and all its utensils,
Exodus 38:30 esv
with it he made the bases for the entrance of the tent of meeting, the bronze altar and the bronze grating for it and all the utensils of the altar,
Exodus 38:30 nlt
which was used for casting the bases for the posts at the entrance to the Tabernacle, and for the bronze altar with its bronze grating and all the altar utensils.
Exodus 38 30 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 25:1-7 | The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for me a contribution... gold, silver, and bronze..." | God's command for gathering materials for the Tabernacle. |
| Exod 27:1-8 | "You shall make the altar of acacia wood... overlaid it with bronze... make for it a grating of bronze mesh..." | Original instructions for the Bronze Altar, confirming materials. |
| Exod 27:9-19 | "You shall make the court of the tabernacle: for the south side... all the bases of the court all around shall be of bronze." | Instructions for the court bases made of bronze. |
| Exod 30:17-21 | "You shall make a basin of bronze with its stand of bronze, for washing..." | Additional bronze item (Laver) not listed in 38:30 but crucial. |
| Exod 31:1-6 | "See, I have called by name Bezalel... I have filled him with the Spirit of God... to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze..." | God empowers craftsmen for the work, ensuring precision. |
| Exod 35:4-9 | Moses spoke to all the congregation of the people of Israel, "This is the thing that the LORD has commanded: Take from among you a contribution to the LORD... gold, silver, and bronze." | Call for freewill offerings for the Tabernacle. |
| Exod 35:29 | "The people of Israel brought a freewill offering to the LORD, every man and woman whose heart moved them to bring anything for the work..." | Israel's abundant response to the call for contributions. |
| Exod 36:3-7 | Moses proclaimed throughout the camp, "Let no man or woman do anything more for the contribution... For the material they had was sufficient, indeed more than enough..." | People gave so generously they had to be restrained. |
| Exod 38:1-7 | "He made the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood... He overlaid it with bronze... And he made for the altar a grating of bronze mesh..." | Description of the Bronze Altar's construction matching instructions. |
| Exod 38:8 | "He made the basin of bronze and its stand of bronze, from the mirrors of the ministering women..." | The Bronze Laver made from women's contributions, another bronze item. |
| Exod 38:29 | "The bronze of the wave offering was 70 talents and 2,400 shekels." | Directly preceding verse, quantifying the bronze used in 38:30. |
| Num 4:26-33 | Lists the duties of the Merarites, who carried the tabernacle frames, bars, pillars, bases, and court pillars. | Details the heavy nature of items like bronze bases carried by Levites. |
| Num 7:1-89 | After the Tabernacle was set up, leaders brought offerings, including silver and bronze for transport. | Shows ongoing importance and use of tabernacle parts after construction. |
| 1 Kgs 7:15-47 | Details Solomon's use of vast amounts of bronze for the Temple's pillars, sea, carts, basins, and utensils. | Later extensive use of bronze in Solomon's Temple, fulfilling typology. |
| Ps 68:24-25 | "Your procession is seen, O God, the procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary— the singers in front, the musicians after them..." | Emphasizes the significance of approaching God in His sanctuary. |
| Isa 60:17 | "Instead of bronze I will bring gold, and instead of iron I will bring silver..." | Prophecy of a future glory replacing older materials with greater ones. |
| Dan 10:6 | Describing an angelic figure: "...his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze..." | Bronze associated with strength, radiance, divine messengers. |
| Heb 9:1-5 | "For a tent was prepared, the first section... the outer tent... this was called the Holy Place." | Describes the earthly Tabernacle as a copy of a heavenly reality. |
| Heb 10:1-10 | "For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form... for it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins." | The sacrificial system's inadequacy, pointing to Christ's final sacrifice. |
| John 1:14 | "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory..." | Jesus' incarnation as the ultimate Tabernacle (God dwelling among men). |
| Rev 1:15 | Describing the glorified Christ: "...his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace..." | Bronze symbolism applied to Christ: judgment, purification, strength. |
| Rev 21:3 | "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God." | Ultimate fulfillment of God's dwelling, where no physical temple is needed. |
Exodus 38 verses
Exodus 38 30 Meaning
Exodus 38:30 describes the specific use of the bronze (copper) that the Israelites contributed for the construction of the Tent of Meeting (Tabernacle). It states that this collected bronze was used to fashion the sturdy bases supporting the curtains at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, the Altar of Burnt Offering along with its bronze grating, and all the various utensils required for the altar's sacrificial rites. This verse details the final accounting and allocation of one of the precious metals, highlighting its crucial role in the functional and foundational elements of Israel's divinely ordained worship center.
Exodus 38 30 Context
Exodus chapter 38 forms part of the detailed record of the Tabernacle's construction, following the divine blueprints given earlier (Exo 25-31). This specific chapter primarily lists the completed elements of the Tabernacle and its court, accounting for the precious materials (gold, silver, and bronze/copper) contributed by the Israelites. Verses 21-31 serve as a summary report, emphasizing the meticulous obedience of the craftsmen, Bezalel and Oholiab, and the precise utilization of every offering. Verse 30, in particular, concludes the description of the bronze's allocation, highlighting its integral role in the most foundational and visible structures of the outer court: the entrance bases, the central altar for sacrifice, and its working tools. Historically, this account underlines the meticulousness required by God for His dwelling place, demonstrating His holy character and the necessity of His people's collective and faithful obedience in establishing their place of worship.
Exodus 38 30 Word analysis
- And with it (וְאֹתוֹ - v’otho): This refers directly to the "bronze of the wave offering" (
nekhoshet ha-tnupha) mentioned in the preceding verse (Exo 38:29). This specific phrasing emphasizes that this very collected bronze was employed. Thetnuphaor "wave offering" signifies that it was presented before the Lord in a symbolic gesture of dedication, implying its sanctified status. - he made (עָשָׂה -
‘asah): The verb signifies creation, doing, or making. In this context, it implies skilled craftsmanship, specifically carried out by Bezalel and Oholiab under divine inspiration. It emphasizes obedience to divine instructions for the construction, not creative freedom. - the bases (אֲדָנִים -
adanīm): Literally "foundations" or "sockets." These were heavy, foundational pieces, typically for the upright wooden posts that supported the curtain walls of the Tabernacle's outer court and the Tent of Meeting. Bronze was chosen for its durability and strength to provide a stable, weighty support system, symbolizing the enduring nature and firm foundation of God's dwelling and worship. - for the entrance (פֶּתַח -
petach): The opening, or gate. This refers to the entryway into the sacred outer court, distinguishing the consecrated space from the surrounding common ground. The bronze bases marked this crucial threshold. - of the tent of meeting (אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד -
ohel mo'ed): The dwelling where God would meet with His people. This emphasizes the purpose of the structure—a designated place for divine encounter, instruction, and atonement. - and the bronze altar (וּמִזְבַּח הַנְּחֹשֶׁת -
u-mizbeach ha-n’choshet): This is the Altar of Burnt Offering, situated prominently in the outer court. The altar, essential for animal sacrifices, represented the point of atonement and reconciliation between God and humanity. Its bronze construction highlighted its endurance, ability to withstand fire (representing divine judgment against sin), and its sacrificial purpose. Bronze (nĕkhoshet) in the Bible can also symbolize strength, judgment, and resistance. - and its bronze grating (וְאֶת-מִכְבָּרָהּ הַנְּחֹשֶׁת -
v’et-mikhbarah ha-n’choshet): This was a mesh or network made of bronze, positioned within the altar, on which the burnt offerings would be placed. It facilitated drainage and air circulation for complete consumption of the sacrifice by fire. It points to the detailed mechanisms of sacrifice. - and all the utensils of the altar (וְאֵת כָּל-כְּלֵי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ -
v’et kol-k’ley ha-mizbeach): This includes the various tools necessary for conducting the sacrificial rituals, such as ash pans, shovels, basins, flesh hooks, and firepans (as described in Exo 27:3). These demonstrate the comprehensive provision for worship and the practicalities of sacrificial service.
Words-group analysis:
- "And with it he made...": This phrase connects the large quantity of bronze tallied in verse 29 directly to its application. It underscores the precision and accountability of the work, reflecting God's orderliness and the meticulous nature of fulfilling His commands. It implies careful planning and execution.
- "the bases for the entrance of the tent of meeting, and the bronze altar and its bronze grating, and all the utensils of the altar": This enumeration identifies the key elements forged from bronze. These objects, all part of the Tabernacle's outer court, served a fundamental purpose: defining sacred space, facilitating sacrificial worship, and maintaining the ritual cleanliness essential for approaching a holy God. The heavy, fire-resistant bronze symbolized strength, endurance, divine judgment (fire), and the foundational necessity of atonement for the covenant relationship. The placement of the altar and its elements at the "entrance" implies that access to God begins with sacrifice.
Exodus 38 30 Bonus section
The significant weight of the bronze (70 talents and 2,400 shekels, ~2.5 tons, as mentioned in Exo 38:29) indicates a substantial offering by the people. This colossal amount highlights the zeal and communal dedication of the Israelites to the establishment of God's dwelling place among them. Furthermore, the progression of materials detailed in Exodus 38—gold for the most holy items, silver for the holy items and ransom, and then bronze for the robust and exterior components—demonstrates a hierarchical importance and specific functional assignment for each metal according to God's precise instructions for the sacred space.
Exodus 38 30 Commentary
Exodus 38:30 serves as a pivotal summary, demonstrating the meticulous application of the bronze collected from the Israelites' voluntary offerings. It emphasizes the foundational and operational elements of the Tabernacle's outer court being forged from this metal. The choice of bronze was highly significant; it is a durable and heat-resistant metal, ideally suited for the rigorous environment of the altar, which endured constant fire for burnt offerings. This functionality foreshadows enduring divine judgment against sin and the need for a lasting means of atonement.
The bronze bases for the entrance symbolize stability and the marked distinction between the profane and the sacred. The Altar of Burnt Offering, the primary object made of bronze, stands as the central point of Israel's worship, where sins were ritually covered. This bronze altar ultimately points to the Lord Jesus Christ, whose single, perfect sacrifice endures as the definitive and all-sufficient atonement for sin, fulfilling the temporary ritual of animal sacrifices (Heb 10:10-14). Just as the bronze endured the purifying fire, so Christ endured God's wrath, bringing salvation through His suffering. The passage subtly underscores that worship and access to God are not arbitrary but built upon firm, divinely ordained principles requiring purification and atonement, beginning at the "entrance."