Exodus 38:21 - Printer Friendly

ESV: These are the records of the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the testimony, as they were recorded at the commandment of Moses, the responsibility of the Levites under the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

NIV: These are the amounts of the materials used for the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the covenant law, which were recorded at Moses’ command by the Levites under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest.

NASB: This is the number of the things for the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the testimony, as they were counted according to the command of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

CSB: This is the inventory for the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the testimony, that was recorded at Moses’s command. It was the work of the Levites under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.

NLT: This is an inventory of the materials used in building the Tabernacle of the Covenant. The Levites compiled the figures, as Moses directed, and Ithamar son of Aaron the priest served as recorder.

KJV: This is the sum of the tabernacle, even of the tabernacle of testimony, as it was counted, according to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, son to Aaron the priest.

NKJV: This is the inventory of the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the Testimony, which was counted according to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, son of Aaron the priest.

Exodus 38:21–31 pauses the account of how Bezalel (Exodus 35:30) and Oholiab (Exodus 35:34) exactly followed the Lord's original designs for the tabernacle (Exodus 25—31). Scripture records the enormous volume of metals collected (Exodus 35:20–29). All told, the people donate several tons of gold, silver, and bronze.

God's assigned manager, Bezalel, oversees construction of more items for the Lord's sanctuary (Exodus 25:8–9). This chapter focuses on the components seen in the tabernacle courtyard, including the sacrificial altar and a washbasin. Scripture also records the quantity of metal donated to tabernacle construction. The total is several tons of silver, gold, and bronze.

Under the supervision of Bezalel (Exodus 35:30), Israel has followed God's exact plans for constructing the sanctuary. The Lord gave designs to Moses (Exodus 25—31). Most of the text in this long section is a near-duplication of those same words (Exodus 35—37). This emphasizes the care which Israel used to obey the Lord in this project. Final items are made in the next chapter (Exodus 39) before being assembled into the finished sanctuary (Exodus 40).

The book of Exodus establishes God's covenant relationship with the full-fledged nation of Israel. The descendants of Abraham prosper after settling in Egypt, only to be enslaved by a fearful, hateful Egyptian Pharaoh. God appoints Moses to lead the people out of this bondage. Moses serves as God's spokesman, as the Lord brings plagues and judgments on Egypt, leading to the release of Israel.