Exodus 25:3

And this is the offering which ye shall take of them,.... That is, some one or other of the following things were to be taken of each of them that had a heart, and it was in the power of their hands

And this is the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass, This is the offering - a list of the leading articles which the offering should embrace.

Exodus 25:3 And this [is] the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass,Ver. 3. Gold, and silver, and brass.] No mention of iron. Compare 1 Kings 6:7; 1 Kings 8:51.

(3) Gold, and silver, and brass.—The Israelites had brought out of Egypt (1) their ancestral wealth—the possessions of Abraham and the accumulations of Joseph, and (2) the rich gifts received from the Egyptians at the moment of their departure. They had added to their wealth by the plunder of the Amalekites. Thus they possessed a considerable store of the precious metals; and there is no difficulty in supposing that they furnished the gold needed for the tabernacle without seriously impoverishing themselves. The silver, which was of small amount comparatively, appears ultimately to have been furnished in another way (Exodus 30:12-16; Exodus 38:25-28) The brass, or rather bronze, for brass seems to have been unknown at this time, was small in amount (Exodus 38:29), and of no great value. It would have constituted no serious drain on the resources of the people.

Verse 3. This is the offering] There were three kinds of metals: 1. GOLD, זהב zahab, which may properly signify wrought gold; what was bright and resplendent, as the word implies. In Job 28:15-17, Job 28:19, gold is mentioned five times, and four of the words are different in the original. (1) סגור SEGOR, from סגר sagar, to shut up; gold in the mine, or shut up in its ore. (2) כתם KETHEM, from כתם catham, to sign, seal, or stamp; gold made current by being coined; standard or sterling gold, exhibiting the stamp expressive of its value. (3) זהב ZAHAB, wrought gold, pure, highly polished gold; probably what was used for overlaying or gilding. (4) פז PAZ, denoting solidity, compactness, and strength; probably gold formed into different kinds of plate, as it is joined in Exodus 25:17 of the above chapter with כלי keley, vessels. The zahab, or pure gold, is here mentioned, because it was in a state that rendered it capable of being variously manufactured for the service of the sanctuary. 2. SILVER, כסף keseph, from casaph, to be pale, wan, or white; so called from its well-known colour. 3. BRASS, נחשת nechosheth, copper; unless we suppose that the factitious metal commonly called brass is intended: this is formed by a combination of the oxide or ore of zinc, called lapis calaminaris, with copper. Brass seems to have been very anciently in use, as we find it mentioned Genesis 4:22; and the preparation of copper, to transform it into this factitious metal, seems to be very pointedly referred to Job 28:2: Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone; אבן יצוק נחושה eben yatsuk nechushah, translated by the Vulgate, Lapis, solutus calore, in aes vertitur, "The stone, liquefied by heat, is turned into brass." Is it going too far to say that the stone here may refer to the lapis calaminaris, which was used to turn the copper into brass? Because brass was capable of so fine a polish as to become exceedingly bright, and keep its lustre a considerable time, hence it was used for all weapons of war and defensive armour among ancient nations; and copper seems to have been in no repute, but for its use in making brass.

3. The metals. Gold, silver, and copper are specified, the gold being prescribed, in accordance with a significant gradation, for those vessels and parts of the sanctuary which were nearest to Jehovah, the silver and the copper for those which were further off and less important. Of gold there was a superior kind, called pure (lit. clean) gold, i.e. gold more carefully freed from silver or alloy than ordinary gold. ‘Pure gold’ is thus prescribed for the gilding of the ark, and for the mercy-seat (vv. 11, 17); for the gilding of the table of Presence-bread, and for its vessels (vv. 24, 29); for the candlestick and its utensils (vv. 31, 36 ff.); for the gilding of the altar of incense (Exodus 30:3); and for the chains for the sacred pouch, and the plate on the mitre, in the high priest’s dress (Exodus 28:14; Exodus 28:22; Exodus 28:36). Ordinary gold is prescribed for the rim and rings, and for the gilding of the staves, of the Ark, table of Presence-bread, and incense altar (Exodus 25:11-13; Exodus 24, 25, 26, 28; Exodus 30:3-5); for the cherubim on the mercy-seat (Exodus 25:18); for the clasps of the curtains (Exodus 26:6); for the gilding of the frames and of the bars outside, and of the pillars for the veil and for the screen (Exodus 26:29; Exodus 26:32; Exodus 26:37); for the rings outside the frames for the bars (Exodus 26:29); for the hooks attaching the veil and the screen to their pillars (Exodus 26:32; Exodus 26:37); and for the gold thread, rosettes, rings for the sacred pouch, and bells, in the high priest’s dress (Exodus 28:6; Exodus 28:8; Exodus 28:15; Exodus 11, 13, 20; Exodus 23, 26, 27; Exodus 33). Silver is prescribed for the sockets of the frames, and of the pillars for the veil (Exodus 26:19; Exodus 26:25; Exodus 26:32); and for the hooks and fillets of the pillars of the court (Exodus 27:10-11; Exodus 27:17); and copper for the altar of burnt-offering (Exodus 27:2-4; Exodus 27:6); the sockets and pins of the court (Exodus 27:10 f., 17–19); and the laver (Exodus 30:18). brass] bronze, or copper (Genesis 4:22 RVm.), which, indeed, was the meaning of ‘brass’ in old English: in Holland’s Pliny, for instance, mention is made of ‘mines of brass’ (cf. Deuteronomy 8:9). The alloy of copper and zinc which we call ‘brass’ was not known to the ancients. ‘Bronze,’ i.e. copper hardened by tin, was much used anciently for weapons and other implements, before iron came into general use.

3. Gold, and silver, and brass — Sceptics have been fond of asking whence the Hebrews in the wilderness could have obtained such quantifies of the precious metals as the tabernacle required.