The altar; and the court of the tabernacle with its hangings and pillars. Provision of oil for lamps.
An Altar must be made vvith things belonging therto. 9. Also the court of the tabernacle vvith hangings and pillers. 20. And prouision of oyle for lampes.
1Thou shalt make also an altar of setim wood, which shall be five cubits long, and as many broad, that is four square, and three cubits high.Farai anche un altare di legno di setim, che avrà cinque cubiti di lunghezza, altrettanti di larghezza, vale a dire sarà quadro, e alto tre cubiti.THOV shalt make also an Altar of the wood setim, which shal haue fiue cubites in length, and as manie in bredth, that is, foure square, and three cubites in height.Facies et altare de lignis setim, quod habebit quinque cubitus in longitudine, et totidem in latitudine, id est, quadrum, et tres cubitos in altitudine. 2And there shall be horns at the four corners of the same: and thou shalt cover it with brass.E da esso spunteranno le corna a' quattro angoli: e lo rivestirai di bronzo.And there shal be at the foure corners hornes of the same: and thou shalt couer it with brasse.Cornua autem per quatuor angulos ex ipso erunt: et operies illud ære. 3And thou shalt make for the uses thereof pans to receive the ashes, and tongs and fleshhooks, and firepans: all its vessels thou shalt make of brass.E farai pel servigio di esso delle conche, dove riporre le ceneri, e le molle, e i forchettoni, e i bracieri: tutti questi vasi li farai di bronzo.And thou shalt make for the vses therof pannes for to take the ashes, and tongues and fleshhookes, and fire pannes. al the vessel thou shalt make of brasse.Faciesque in usus ejus lebetes ad suscipiendos cineres, et forcipes atque fuscinulas, et ignium receptacula; omnia vasa ex ære fabricabis. 4And a grate of brass in manner of a net; at the four corners of which, shall be four rings of brass,E farai una graticola di bronzo a guisa di rete: a' cui quattro angoli vi saranno quattro anelli di bronzo,And a grate in maner of a nette of brasse: at the foure corners wherof shal be foure ringes of brasse,Craticulamque in modum retis æneam: per cujus quatuor angulos erunt quatuor annuli ænei. 5Which thou shalt put under the hearth of the altar: and the grate shall be even to the midst of the altar.I quali tu porrai sotto il focolare dell'altare: e la graticola scenderà fino al mezzo dell'altare.which thou shalt put vnder the hearth of the Altar: and the grate shal be vnto the middes of the Altar.Quos pones subter arulam altaris: eritque craticula usque ad altaris medium. 6Thou shalt make also two bars for the altar, of setim wood, which thou shalt cover with plates of brass:Farai ancora le due stanghe dell'altare di legno di setim, e le rivestirai di lame di bronzo.Thou shalt make also two barres for the Altar of the wood setim, which thou shalt couer with plates of brasse:Facies et vectes altaris de lignis setim duos, quos operies laminis æneis:
7And thou shalt draw them through rings, and they shall be on both sides of the altar to carry it.E le farai passare per gli anelli, e staranno da ambedue i lati dell'altare per servire a portarlo.and thou shalt drawe them through ringes, and they shal be on both sides of the Altar to carrie it.et induces per circulos, eruntque ex utroque latere altaris ad portandum. 8Thou shalt not make it solid, but empty and hollow in the inside, as it was shewn thee in the mount.Farai l'altare non pieno, ma cavo, e voto al di dentro, conforme ti è stato fatto vedere sul monte.Not massie, but emptie and hollow in the inside shalt thou make it, as it was shewed thee in the Mount.Non solidum, sed inane et cavum intrinsecus facies illud, sicut tibi in monte monstratum est. 9Thou shalt make also the court of the tabernacle, in the south side whereof southward there shall be hangings of fine twisted linen of a hundred cubits long for one side.Farai ancora l'atrio del tabernacolo, il quale dalla parte di mezzodì avrà sue cortine di bisso torto: questo lato avrà cento cubiti di lunghezza.Thou shalt make also the court of the tabernacle, in the south part wherof against the south there shal be hanginges of twisted silke: one side shal hold in length an hundred cubites.Facies et atrium tabernaculi, in cujus australi plaga contra meridiem erunt tentoria de bysso retorta: centum cubitos unum latus tenebit in longitudine. 10And twenty pillars with as many sockets of brass, the heads of which, with their engraving, shall be of silver.E venti colonne con altrettante basi di bronzo, le quali avranno i capitelli, e i suoi ornati di argento.And twentie pillers with as manie feete of brasse, which shal haue heades with their engrauinges of siluer.Et columnas viginti cum basibus totidem æneis, quæ capita cum cælaturis suis habebunt argentea. 11In like manner also on the north side there shall be hangings of a hundred cubits long, twenty pillars, and as many sockets of brass, and their heads with their engraving of silver.Similmente anche nel lato settentrionale quanto egli è lungo, vi saranno tende di cento cubiti, e venti colonne, e altrettante basi di bronzo, e i loro capitelli, e i suoi ornati d'argento.In like maner also on the north side there shal be in length hanginges of an hundred cubites, twentie pillers, and feete of brasse as manie, and their heades with their engrauinges of siluer.Similiter et in latere aquilonis per longum erunt tentoria centum cubitorum, columnæ viginti, et bases æneæ ejusdem numeri, et capita earum cum cælaturis suis argentea.
12But in the breadth of the court, that looketh to the west, there shall be hangings of fifty cubits, and ten pillars, and as many sockets.Nella parte poi dell'atrio, la quale guarda a occidente, vi saranno le cortine per cinquanta cubiti, e dieci colonne, e altrettante basi.But in the bredth of the court, that looketh to the west, there shal be hanginges of fiftie cubites, and ten pillers, and as manie feete.In latitudine vero atrii, quod respicit ad occidentem, erunt tentoria per quinquaginta cubitos, et columnæ decem, basesque totidem. 13In that breadth also of the court, which looketh to the east, there shall be fifty cubits.La parte ancora che guarda a levante, avrà cinquanta cubiti;In that bredth also of the court, which looketh to the east, there shal be fiftie cubites.In ea quoque atrii latitudine, quæ respicit ad orientem, quinquaginta cubiti erunt. 14In which there shall be for one side, hangings of fifteen cubits, and three pillars, and as many sockets.Dove saranno poste dall'un lato delle cortine di quindici cubiti, e tre colonne, ed altrettante basi.in the which there shal be deputed to one side hanginges of fiftene cubites, and three pillers and as manie feete:In quibus quindecim cubitorum tentoria lateri uno deputabuntur, columnæque tres et bases totidem: 15And in the other side, there shall be hangings of fifteen cubits, with three pillars, and as many sockets.E dall'altro lato vi saranno cortine, che avranno quindici cubiti, e tre colonne, ed altrettante basi.and in the other side there shal be hanginges conteyning fiftene cubites, three pillers, and as manie feete.et in latere altero erunt tentoria cubitos obtinentia quindecim, columnæ tres, et bases totidem. 16And in the entrance of the court there shall be made a hanging of twenty cubits of violet and purple, and scarlet twice dyed, and fine twisted linen, with embroidered work: it shall have four pillars, with as many sockets.All'ingresso poi dell'atrio si farà una tenda di venti cubiti, di giacinto, e di porpora, e di scarlatto a due tinte, e di bisso torto con lavoro di ricamo: (l'ingresso) avrà quattro colonne con altrettante basi.And in the entring of the court there shal be made an hanging of twentie cubites of hyacinth and purple, and scarlet twise died, and twisted silke, with embrodered worke: it shal haue foure pillers, with as manie feete.In introitu vero atrii fiet tentorium cubitorum viginti ex hyacintho et purpura, coccoque bis tincto, et bysso retorta, opere plumarii: columnas habebit quatuor, cum basibus totidem.
17All the pillars of the court round about shall be garnished with plates of silver, silver heads, and sockets of brass.Tutte le colonne intorno all'atrio saran rivestite di lamine d'argento, co' capitelli d'argento e colle basi di bronzo.Al the pillers of the court round about shal be garnished with plates of siluer, siluer heades, and feete of brasse.Omnes columnæ atrii per circuitum vestitæ erunt argenteis laminis, capitibus argenteis, et basibus æneis. 18In length the court shall take up a hundred cubits, in breadth fifty, the height shall be of five cubits, and it shall be made of fine twisted linen, and shall have sockets of brass.L'atrio conterrà cento cubiti di lunghezza, cinquanta di larghezza, l'altezza sarà di cinque cubiti; e sarà formato di bisso torto, e avrà le basi di bronzo.In length the court shal occupie an hundred cubites, in bredth fiftie, the height shal be of fiue cubites and it shal be made of twisted silke, and shal haue feete of brasse.In longitudine occupabit atrium cubitos centum, in latitudine quinquaginta, altitudo quinque cubitorum erit: fietque de bysso retorta, et habebit bases æneas. 19All the vessels of the tabernacle for all uses and ceremonies, and the pins both of it and of the court, thou shalt make of brass.Di bronzo farai tutti i vasi del tabernacolo per qualunque uso e ministero, e i chiodi tanto di esso tabernacolo, come dell'atrio.Al the vessel of the tabernacle for al vses and ceremonies, the pinnes as wel of it as of the court, thou shalt make of brasse.Cuncta vasa tabernaculi in omnes usus et cæremonias, tam paxillos ejus quam atrii, ex ære facies. 20Command the children of Israel that they bring thee the purest oil of the olives, and beaten with a pestle: that a lamp may burn always,Comanda a' figliuoli di Israele, che ti portino dell'olio d'ulivo il più puro, fatto al mortaio; onde sempre ardano le lucerne.Command the children of Israel that they bring thee oyle of the oliuetrees the purest, and beaten with a pestil: that a lampe may burne alwayesPræcipe filiis Israël ut afferant tibi oleum de arboribus olivarum purissimum, piloque contusum, ut ardeat lucerna semper 21In the tabernacle of the testimony, without the veil that hangs before the testimony. And Aaron and his sons shall order it, that it may give light before the Lord until the morning. It shall be a perpetual observance throughout their successions among the children of Israel.Nel tabernacolo della testimonianza al di fuori del velo, che pende dinanzi all'arca della testimonianza. E le assetteranno Aronne, e i suoi figliuoli, affinché rilucano sino alla mattina dinanzi al Signore. Sarà questo un culto perpetuo renduto da' figliuoli d'Israele di generazione in generazione.in the tabernacle of the testimonie, without the veile that is drawen before the testimonie. And Aaron and his sonnes shal place it, that it may geue light before the Lord vntil the morning. It shal be a perpetual obseruance through out their succcessions before the children of Israel.in tabernaculo testimonii, extra velum quod oppansum est testimonio. Et collocabunt eam Aaron et filii ejus, ut usque mane luceat coram Domino. Perpetuus erit cultus per successiones eorum a filiis Israël.
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Menochius
Four square, or five cubits in length and breadth, and three in height, which the Rabbins measure from the grate, (ver. 5,) or middle of the altar's height. So high the altar was sunk in the earth, (Calmet) or was built of unhewn stone, on which the wood of the altar rested, being secured by plates of brass above, from the heat of the fire. It was hollow within, and had neither top nor bottom fixed to it. (Menochius)
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Calmet
It. The altar, wood. The horns were for ornament, and were made of brass. Upon them also they might hang the grate, and instruments for sacrifice. (Calmet)
Spencer
Some of the pagan altars consisted of the horns of animals, (Ovid) and were designed to shew what a number of victims had been offered in their temples. Their gods had frequently horns on their heads. (Spencer, Rit. 3:4.)
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Haydock
Pans, etc. The Septuagint have, "a crown or border, for the altar, and its covering, and its cups, and flesh-hooks, and fire-place, or pan." Hebrew also has five terms; which Calmet renders: 1. a small kettle to receive the ashes under the grate; 2. fire-shovels; 3. bowls to receive blood (mozrokoth, which term the Vulgate does not perhaps notice); 4. flesh-hooks; 5. chafing-dishes. The Protestant version has also the basins or broad cups, phialas, of the Septuagint (Haydock)
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Calmet
Midst. Hanging down half way. On this, the wood designed to consume the victim, was placed. The Septuagint and Vulgate refer which to the rings, and the present Hebrew refers to the grate, or net. But it seems to be inaccurate. The rings were fixed about the middle of the altar's height, to the same holes, through which the bars intended for its removal were put. The altar stood upon feet, which took up half the height, and let in air below the grate, to fan the fire, and to prevent the brass from melting. All the altars described in the table of Isis, are of this nature. (Calmet)
The Septuagint do not distinguish the grate from the hearth, or little altar, (arula) as they use the word hearth, escharaboth, (ver. 4. and 5,) and place it about the middle of the altar, or where the feet supported the box or frame of the altar, which was almost a yard high. The hearth may therefore denote the bottom of the frame, where the grate was suspended by four rings.
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Haydock
Court. This inclosed the tabernacle, and the altar of holocausts, being 50 yards long and 25 broad. At the bottom or western end, there were ten pillars, and on the north and south 20, ornamented in the same manner, and supporting curtains of cotton. But on the eastern side, 10 yards were left, with four pillars in the middle, for an entrance, supporting a richer veil, and on either side three pillars of brass, adorned with circles of silver, as all the rest were. (Haydock)
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Engraving. Hebrew and Chaldean, "circles," adorning the chaptrels, (Menochius; ver. 17,) or rather the body of the pillars. The chaptrels were covered with plates of silver.
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Calmet
Tabernacle, with respect to this court; for surely the utensils prescribed in the former chapter, were to be of gold. The Septuagint do not mention the tabernacle. (Calmet)
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Haydock
Pestle. That it may be as free from dregs as possible; quasi luxurians defluxerit. (Colum. 12:50.) The Hebrew and Septuagint are silent about the pestle. The olives must, however, be a little bruised, before they will yield their oil. (Haydock)
Calmet
Always: four of the seven lamps were extinguished every morning. ( Josephus, [Antiquities?] 3:9; 1 Kings 3:3.) Hecateus (ap. Eusebuis, praep. 9:4) assures us, that a light was kept always burning in the tabernacle. The temple of Hercules, at the Straits, its priests and ceremonies, bore some resemblance with the tabernacle and usages prescribed by Moses. It was probably erected by the Phenicians. (Calmet)
Sil. Italic. iii
"The wood seemed to be incorruptible. Women and swine are kept at a distance. White linen covers the priests at the altar; that which adorns their head is most beautiful, and brought from Pelusium. Et Pelusiaco praefulget stamine vertex. They offer incense in long ungirded robes, but the vestment in which they sacrifice, is distinguished with a Latus clavus, or with broad studs of purple, (like the Roman senators.) They go barefoot, their hair is shaved, and they observe continency, castumque cubile. They keep a perpetual fire burning on the altars. But no images or statues of the gods have filled the place with majesty and sacred fear." Sed nulla effigies, simulacraque nota Deorum, Majestate locum et sacro implevere timore. (Sil. Italic. iii.)
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Haydock
Aaron. Here God declares that the sons of Aaron are chosen by him to perform this office. They were not anointed priests till Exodus 29. (Haydock)
Ven. Bede
Light. Thus God admonishes us to let our good works always shine before men. (Ven. Bede, Taber. 3:1.)
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God would not haue darknes in his tabernacle by day nor night, signifying that his people ought alwayes to shine in good workes. S. Beda li. 3 c. 1. de tabernac.
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St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 2.24.4
… The human race passes through five ages first infancy, then boyhood, then youth, then maturity, and then old age. Moses delivered the law to the people in five books. Each table which he received from God contained five commandments. The veil covering the holy of holies had five pillars. The altar of burnt-offering also was five cubits in breadth.
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 3.6
… He is also himself a ruler and a ruler of more dignity than the other. For the sacred laws take and place under his hands even the royal head. And when there is need of any good thing from above, the Emperor is accustomed to fly to the priest: but not the priest to the Emperor. He too hath his breast-plate, that of right eousness.
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Tertullian † AD 220 Five Books in Reply to Marcion 4
215 Thereto; that, with peace granted, flesh might bloom
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 128.2
… They quote the passage which says that “the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb;” which is sweet indeed in the eater’s mouth but is afterwards found more bitter than gall. This they argue, is the reason that neither honey nor wax is offered in the sacrifices of the Lord, and that oil the product of the bitter olive is burned in His temple.
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1. THOU SHALT MAKE ALSO AN ALTAR OF SETIM WOOD. — Note: There was a twofold altar: one of incense, which was in the Holy Place, for burning upon it morning and evening incense to God; another of holocausts, in which holocausts and all sacrifices were immolated to God and burned. Whence this altar was not under the tabernacle, but before it, in the court under the open sky, on account of the fire, smoke and odour of the victims. Secondly, this altar was made of setim wood, which was covered with brass plates within and without, lest it be damaged by fire. Thirdly, this altar was five cubits long, as many wide, three high, so that the priests could easily reach it. But Solomon made a larger altar in the temple; for, as it is said in II Paralipomenon, chapter IV: "And he made an altar of brass twenty cubits long, and twenty cubits broad, and ten cubits high." Again, from the four corners of this brass altar there proceeded four brass horns, and they stood out like an obelisk. Fourthly, this altar was hollow within, but nevertheless was filled either with earth, as Abulensis and Richard wish, or rather with stone, uncut and unpolished, as Ribera wishes, up to its middle; for thus the Lord had commanded, Exodus chapter xx, verse 24; and thus it is evident that Moses and Solomon did, I Machabees chapter IV, verse 56. In this altar therefore, three cubits high, a structure of stones rose to the middle, that is to a cubit and a half; then upon it was placed a small altar of the grate, of which I shall speak presently; but round about it was surrounded with setim boards covered with brass. Fifthly, this altar had above a brass grate, in the manner of a net full of holes; this grate occupied the whole width and length of the altar above: it was therefore nearly five cubits long, and as many wide: for this was the length and width of the altar. Upon this grate the victims were placed, so that they might be burned by the fire beneath in the altar (for it was hollow, as I said), and their ashes fell through the holes of the grate beneath the altar; whence from this grate hung a small altar of brass, or a brass hearth within in the middle of the altar, namely upon the stone structure, of which I spoke a little before. In this small altar, suspended by chains to the four horns of the altar, wood and fire were placed for burning the flesh, which was placed upon the upper grate. Sixthly, it is probable that this altar had on the eastern side a window, through which the ashes were drawn out, and wood was placed upon the small altar or hearth, and for this and other uses it had tongs, forks, pots, and receptacles for fire. Thus Bede, of whom more in its place, verse 4. Seventhly, this altar had four brass rings, through which two bars, of setim wood covered with brass, were inserted for carrying the altar. The grate of the altar itself had as many rings and bars, distinct from the rings and bars of the altar; for the grate was removed and separated from the altar, so that it could be carried separately. Eighthly, in this altar morning and evening daily, first a lamb was immolated, as a continual sacrifice, then other victims, either votive, or voluntary, or prescribed by law on account of an intervening feast. Hence God sent fire from heaven, which He wished to be continually nourished and cherished in this altar by the priests with wood added, so that it might never be extinguished, so that it might always be ready for burning victims, Leviticus chapter vi. Finally, see the figure of this altar expressed in Vilalpandus, book IV On the Temple, chapter LXXV. Allegorically, this wooden altar signified the cross of Christ, in which, as in an altar, Christ was immolated: whence this altar was outside the tabernacle in the court, because Christ, as the Apostle says, Hebrews chapter XIII, suffered outside the camp, namely outside Jerusalem. Secondly, it is made of setim wood, because both the cross and the flesh of Christ did not see corruption. Again, it is covered with brass, because brass signifies the sound of preaching the cross of Christ: it is also brass, a symbol of the strength of the cross of Christ, which broke all the powers of the devil, the world and sin. Thirdly, it has four horns, because the cross of Christ through four regions, preached by the Apostles and spread throughout the whole world: "For their sound hath gone forth into all the earth." Fourthly, this altar was hollow within, but placed upon earth or stone, because the cross of Christ was fixed and placed upon the mount of Calvary. Fifth, the grating, upon which fire was placed beneath to burn the flesh of the victim, signifies the most bitter sufferings of Christ, by which He was consumed on the cross for us both by pain and by love, according to that passage in Psalm 101: "My bones are dried up like a roasted thing." Which St. Jerome translates, "my bones as if fried have wasted away"; St. Augustine, "my bones as if fried in a frying pan are consumed"; others, "my bones as if a fire or a burning log are burned." Sixth, on the Eastern side of the altar there was a window through which wood and fuel for the fire were put into the hearth, because from the Eastern part in which the earthly Paradise was situated, the sin of Adam proceeded, which furnished matter and fuel for the sufferings and torments of Christ. Seventh, what the rings and poles are, I shall say in the tropological sense. Eighth, on this altar a lamb was immolated daily, because Christ, who is the lamb slain from the foundation of the world, was immolated on the cross. On this altar divine fire burns perpetually, because the charity of Christ on the cross was not extinguished, but rather increased and blazed forth, and it kindles all Martyrs and the faithful to undergo the cross and death with Christ, and for Christ. Tropologically, the altar of burnt offering is the heart of man, tormenting himself through penance and mortifying his vices, and immolating them to God; this altar is in the courtyard, because mortification and the suppression of passions must first be exercised, before you can approach the altar of incense, which is in the Holy Place, that is, to the love and union of God. Again, the fire by which incense was burned on the golden altar in the Holy Place was taken from the altar of burnt offering, because the fervor and ardor of prayer flows forth from the continual mortification of the flesh and passions. Wherefore he who applies himself to prayer and neglects mortification, does the same as if someone wished to burn aromatics without fire. St. Mary Magdalene was equally an example of penance and mortification, who, as St. Gregory says, homily 33 on the Gospel, "as many delights as she had in herself, so many burnt offerings she found of herself: she converted to the number of virtues the number of her crimes, so that all that she had despised God in through guilt might serve God in penance." Hence secondly, this altar was made of acacia wood, that is, of the desire of a pure heart; covered with bronze in place of aromatics, with which I was once delighted in the palaces of kings, so that on the day of judgment the Lord might free me from that unspeakable stench of hell. Let him hear St. Bernard, in a sermon: "What, he says, is martyrdom more grievous than to hunger amid feasts, to be cold amid many precious garments, to be pressed by poverty amid the riches which the world offers, which the evil one displays, which our appetite desires? Therefore the kingdom of heaven is promised to the poor and likewise to Martyrs, because it is indeed purchased by poverty, but in suffering for Christ it is perceived without delay." Sixth, the ash pans are the memory of the passion and death of Christ and of the Martyrs, who by their example went before on this way of the cross and mortification; the shovels, the tongs and the receptacles for fire, are the preachers and holy Doctors, who continually foster and kindle this sacred fire of mortification in us. Seventh, the rings and poles are the gifts of the Holy Spirit, by which all labor and pain of penance is sweetened, so that by them we seem to be carried and impelled to hard and arduous things as if by poles. Eighth, the victims immolated here are various concupiscences, to burn which it is necessary to continually foster the fire of charity in the heart. Thus Bede, book II On the Tabernacle, chapter XXI. Hear St. Gregory, homily 22 on Ezekiel: "What is, he says, an altar? nothing other than the mind of those living well, who mindful of their sins wash themselves with tears, mortify the flesh through abstinence; where from the sorrow of compunction fire burns, and the flesh is consumed, according to that of the Apostle, Romans XII: That you present your bodies a living host, holy, pleasing to God; a living host is a body afflicted for the Lord: a host, because it is now dead to this world; living, because it works all the good that it is able; but one compunction is that which is born through fear, another which is born through love." Then adapting these to both altars, namely of burnt offerings and of incense, he proceeds thus: "Whence also in the tabernacle two altars are commanded to be made, one exterior, the other interior; one in the court, another before the ark; one covered with bronze, another with gold; in the bronze one flesh is burned, in the golden one aromatics are kindled. For many bewail the evils which they have done, and burn their vices with the fire of compunction, whose suggestions they still suffer in their heart; what are these but a bronze altar? in which flesh burns, because carnal works are still lamented by them. Others truly, freed from carnal vices, burn in the flame of love in the tears of compunction, desire now to be among the citizens of heaven, long to see the king in his beauty, and cease not to weep daily from love of him; what are these but a golden altar? in whose heart aromatics are burned, because virtues burn; but this golden altar is before the veil, because the hearts of the Saints burn with holy desire for him, whom they cannot yet see with unveiled face." Thus St. Francis, being asked, "what prayers would be more pleasing to God?" "Those," said he, "which are accompanied by the mortification of one's own flesh." Beautifully Billius in Emblem.: But lest thy vows with halting foot follow thy fruits, Make thy flesh fall to death together with thy vices. A double altar of the temple once taught this without voice: One with incense, but the other had slain sheep. He offered slain beasts, who slew his members: He who makes pious vows gave incense to God. CONCERNING THE WOOD OF SHITTIM, — as to the boards surrounding it. For within at the bottom, this altar, up to its middle, was full of stone inserted; above truly throughout it was covered by a bronze grating: wherefore this altar from shittim was similar to a square chest, which lacks a bottom and cover, and is empty within. Moreover these boards of shittim were covered with dense bronze plates, lest they be harmed by the nearby fire; indeed not improbably Lipomanus holds that by miracle both the boards were preserved from fire, and the sacrifices from flies unharmed. Whence also the idolaters, who were vexed by flies in their sacrifices, worshipped the god Beelzebub to drive them away. St. Jerome in Ezech. XLI, and others in Bede hold that this wood of shittim was brought from the earthly paradise, and was similar to asbestos stone, which is not harmed by fire, but becomes purer, concerning which I spoke above.
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2. AND THOU SHALT MAKE FOUR HORNS AT THE FOUR CORNERS THEREOF. — "Horns," that is, projecting corners in the manner of horns, for the ornament of the altar, shall be drawn not from elsewhere, but from the bronze of the altar itself by continuous work.
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3. AND THOU SHALT MAKE, etc. TONGS. — In Hebrew יעים iaim; the Septuagint renders cooperimenta, others translate scopas, the root יעה iaa signifies to remove: whence iaim are instruments by which we take up or remove something, such as are tongs and shovels, that is, spades, in which manner our Interpreter renders it, Num. IV, 14. Pagninus thinks our Interpreter, namely St. Jerome, renders this name iaim in the books of Kings and Paralipomenon now as shields, now as bowls, now as flesh-hooks, now as tridents. But he did not sufficiently perceive the mind and manner of St. Jerome and of Holy Scripture, which neither here nor elsewhere enumerates the vessels of the tabernacle or temple altogether distinctly; whence it frequently omits the covers of pots and basins, but now places these, now those. Seeing this, St. Jerome in his version did not render word for word, nor did he bind himself to the Hebrew enumeration of vessels of the present place, especially if he had mentioned it in another place; but indifferently expressed some vessels which he knew to be of the tabernacle, and included the rest in a general clause, saying: "And the other vessels." Moreover in this place he omitted the bowls, which are expressed in the Hebrew, because he had named them cap. XXV, 29, where their place was more proper: for these bowls were not placed in the altar of burnt offerings, but in the table of the bread of proposition, so that they might be brought forth from there when there was need of them, for pouring libations on the altar of burnt offerings. AND FORKS, — by which flesh is drawn from the pot. Whence the Septuagint renders, flesh-hooks, from taking flesh, whether they were of three teeth or of one. Whence our Interpreter renders the Hebrew name מזלגת mizleget, forks, tridents, and hooks, that is, forks both of three teeth and of one. AND FIRE RECEPTACLES, — namely vessels for receiving coals. Whence some render, censers; the Septuagint, hearth: these vessels served among other things for this, that in them the holy fire drawn from the altar of burnt offering, to the altar of incense in the evening and morning, for burning incense in them, might be carried; for, as I shall say cap. XXX, incense was not burned immediately in the altar itself, but in these censers placed upon the altar. Thus Bede lib. II, cap. X.
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4. AND A GRATE OF NETWORK OF BRASS. — The Hebrews, Abulensis and Lyranus think that this grate was not accustomed to be placed within the altar, but was around its circumference, as a kind of elevated band one and a half cubits high, up to the middle of the altar, and this for the sake of the altar's decoration and beauty alone. But this opinion is contrary to the text of Holy Scripture, which places this grate not within, but above the altar. I say therefore: This grate covered the upper part, or surface of the altar, yet in such a way that it could conveniently be brought into the altar and drawn out when necessary. Upon this grate the flesh of victims to be burned was placed, and therefore the whole grate was of brass, and made in the manner of a net; from this grate hung a small hearth, of the same length and width as the grate itself. This small hearth was attached to the upper grate by long brass nails, or rather rods or plates, so that between the grate and the small hearth there was an interposed space of a cubit and a half: for this grate was in the middle of the altar, as is said in chapter XXXVIII, verse 4; but the height of the altar was three cubits, whence also the grate is said here in verse 5 to have reached to the middle of the altar, not by itself, but through this small hearth attached to it; for this small hearth was as it were the bottom of the grate, in which the body of the grate itself was as it were finished. This small hearth was like a fireplace, in which fire burned, and wood was placed in it for burning the sacrifices placed upon the grate; and therefore it was wholly of brass, as was the grate itself. Hence it is also probable that there was a window, or small opening in the side of the altar, through which wood might be inserted, and ashes and coals drawn out, as Beda relates from the description of Cassiodorus, lib. II, cap. XII, and Richard of St. Victor, although Ribera denies this small opening: For, he says, the grate could be drawn up, and then wood could be placed in its small hearth. But this would have been difficult and troublesome, especially when victims were already placed upon the grate; for wood had frequently to be placed under the same victims so that they might be wholly burned: whence also the grate would have had to be removed frequently from the same victim. Again, in this small hearth there were four brass rings, into which two poles were inserted, for carrying it with the grate separately from the boards of the altar. But these rings were at the four lowest extremities of the small hearth, and therefore here in verse 5, they are said to be under the small hearth. Hence it is clear that what Abulensis and Vilalpando, lib. IV De Templo, cap. LXXXI, held is not true, namely, that the wood itself was not placed in the small hearth or fireplace, which they themselves deny to the grate, but in the altar or upon the grate above, and the flesh of the victim to be burned was to be placed upon it. For from what has been said it is established that wood was placed in the fire, which was under the altar in the small hearth: yet I do not deny that wood was also placed upon the altar itself or the grate, especially if the victim were large, and on account of the multitude of victims it had to be quickly burned and consumed; for fire broken and blunted through the net of the grate did not have sufficient strength to burn larger victims immediately; but it had sufficient strength to consume the continual burnt offering of the evening: for this had to be burned with a slow fire throughout the whole night, as is evident from Leviticus VI, 9. Finally, around this altar there was a very great multitude of priests and Levites, especially on feast days, when many victims had to be immolated. For some slew them, others flayed them, others cut them up, others washed them, etc., but all with wonderful silence and reverence. Hear Aristaeus, lib. De Septuaginta Interpretibus: "But such silence prevails that, although about seven hundred ministers are continually present, and there is a great multitude of those offering libations, you would not think a single man is in the place: for all things are done with the greatest veneration and great piety toward God."
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8. THOU SHALT MAKE IT HOLLOW WITHIN. — That is, in this cavity of the altar, there might be a place within for fire and wood, for burning the flesh placed upon the grate above. Understand that this altar was hollow up to its middle: for from there down to the pavement it was full of earth, or rather of inserted stone, as I have already said.
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9. THE FACE AND COURT OF THE TABERNACLE. — Note: This court was made so that it would surround the tabernacle and the altar of holocausts on all sides, both for ornament and for the sake of reverence. The tabernacle therefore stood in the middle of the court, as it were the dwelling-place of the glory of God among men living there, hearing them and directing them, so that the Hebrews, invited by this presence and provident governance, would worship God alone, the true God, and abstain from idolatry. Secondly, this court was not covered above, but open to the sky, such as Daniel Barbarus calls a cavaedum in Vitruvius, lib. VI, cap. V; whence Vilalpando, lib. III De Templo, cap. XXV, pag. 201, thinks the court is called from the Greek αἴθριον, as if you were to say, airy, in the air, under the open sky: although others wish the court to be called so because it arises from the earth, as if aterreum or aterium; others, however, because the Atrians in Etruria first constructed courts before buildings. This court, however, was surrounded on the sides all around by tents, that is, by veils or hangings made of twisted byssus, and these veils were like walls or partitions to the court itself. Moreover, these veils were suspended from bronze columns, which were clothed with silver plates and silver capitals, but with bronze bases. Thirdly, the court was square, or rather rectangular; for it was one hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide, five cubits high, as is evident from verse 18; it was surrounded by sixty bronze columns, namely twenty on the southern side, twenty on the northern, ten on the western and ten on the eastern; moreover, one column was distant from another by five cubits: furthermore, on the columns there stood out pegs, that is, nails, from which the tents, that is, the veils, were suspended, as I have said. Fourthly, the court had at its entrance, says Philo and Abulensis, a length of fifty cubits up to the tabernacle, and the same in width, so that it might hold the people. For this court was the place of prayer of the people: whence by the Evangelists and by Josephus it is called the temple. In this court Christ walked about and taught, and from it He cast out those who were selling and buying: for Christ never entered the tabernacle, or the Holy Place; for it was permitted only to the Aaronic priests to enter this. In this court, therefore, the laity prayed, offered their victims to the priests, watched the sacrifices, and feasted from them, eating the peace-offerings before the Lord, that is, before the tabernacle, which was as it were the house of God, as is evident from Deuteronomy XII, 7, and cap. XVI, verse 11; for the laity could never approach the court of the priests, and consequently neither the altar of holocausts which was in it. Finally, at the entrance of this court women after childbirth, lepers and other unclean persons were washed and purified. Fifthly, in this court there was a bronze laver and an altar of holocausts, on which all victims were sacrificed. Sixthly, the tabernacle had only one court, in which, however, it is probable that proper stations were assigned to the priests and Levites, near the altar of holocausts. Whence in the temple of Solomon, where all these things were arranged more beautifully, there was a double court, one interior near the tabernacle, where was the altar of holocausts, the bronze laver, and the station of the priests; a second exterior for the laity, which Solomon separated from the former court of the priests by a wall three cubits high, so that the laity from their court could look beyond this wall into the court of the priests, and see the sacrifices which were performed there on the altar of holocausts, yet not enter it. Seventhly, it was not permitted to any Gentiles or unclean persons to enter this court under penalty of death; for the court was as it were the temple of the people, whence for Gentiles and unclean persons Herod built another outermost court and added it, so that they themselves could be present at the sacred rites and sacrifices from a distance. Vilalpando adds in Ezech. tom. II, pag. 243, that in the temple of Solomon the altar of holocausts was placed opposite the three gates of the court: because it was, he says, in the middle of the court, so that with any gate opened, the Eastern, Southern, or Northern, the altar itself and the holocausts could be seen by the people through these three gates, and consequently by the Gentiles from their court, which had three gates, corresponding equally to the three gates of the court of the priests and people. Mystically, the court signified the faithful beginning to serve God, the Holy Place those making progress, the Holy of Holies the perfect and the blessed: whence in the court there was a laver or washing, that is, penance; and the altar of holocausts, that is, the mortification of vices. Thus Bede. See the remarks on cap. XXVI, verse 1. This courtyard therefore is a stadium and study of virtue. "In this life," says St. Augustine, in his epistle to Macedonius, "virtue is nothing other than to love what ought to be loved: to love that is prudence; to be turned aside by no troubles is fortitude; by no enticements, temperance; by no pride, justice." And St. Ambrose on Psalm 118: "There is," he says, "no virtue without labor, because labor is the progress of virtue." A stimulus is that which Seneca gives: "Virtue alone," he says, "is that one thing which can bestow immortality upon us and make us equal to the gods." Therefore the reward of virtue is a blessed life: nor can anyone become blessed without virtue, as the Stoics taught. Whence Horace, book III, Ode 2: Virtue, knowing not base rejection, Shines with untainted honor's light. Virtue, unlocking heaven's protection From death unmerited, seeks the way. And Ovid, book IV of the Tristia, elegy 3: Fill with your virtues the sad material, Through steep and perilous glory goes the way. Who would have known Hector, had Troy been happy? The public path of virtue is through evils made. The way to virtue is practice. Whence Hesiod: Before virtue the gods placed sweat: Long and steep the way to it, and rough at first; But when you have reached the summit, then it becomes easy. And Aristotle, II Ethics 1: "Virtues," he says, "are not in us by nature, nor contrary to nature; but we are born and made for them, and we perceive them by nature and accomplish them by habit;" and chapter III: "All moral virtue inheres in pleasures and pains," in tolerating these, in moderating those. And book I, chapter X: "There is," he says, "no such firmness in any mortal thing as in those things which are done by virtue: for they are much firmer and more stable than the sciences themselves; and the more excellent each of them is, the more stable it is." The saying of Pythagoras is: "We ought to choose the best life, which habit itself will soon make pleasant. Riches are a weak anchor, glory even weaker, the body likewise, magistracy, honors: all these are weak and destitute of strength. What anchors then are firm? Prudence, magnanimity, fortitude; no tempest shakes these. This is God's law, that virtue alone is what is powerful and solid: all other things are trifles and absurdities." Tacitus, book IV of the Annals: "Virtue," he says, "is the proper good of man." Curtius, book VII: "Nothing," he says, "has nature so highly placed that virtue cannot attain to it." It is the dogma of the Stoics that "nothing is to be sought except virtue, nothing to be avoided except vice." Theodota the harlot insulting Socrates: "I," she said, "far surpass you. For while you cannot alienate any of mine from me, I, whenever I wish, call all of yours to me." To whom Socrates replied: "This is no wonder: for you indeed drag all down a downward path, but I compel them toward virtue, to which the ascent is steep and unfamiliar to most." Thomas More gave the same answer to Luther boasting of the multitude of his followers. Antisthenes used to say that virtue is a matter of deeds, not words. Virtue was named from man, says Cicero; therefore a manly spirit befits men and virtue. Agapetus the Deacon before Justinian: "Just as," he says, "those who have begun to climb stairs do not cease from their ascent until they have reached the highest step: so the student of virtue will always strive to climb higher." Philo, in the book On the Planting of Noah: "Just as," he says, "the rising sun illuminates the whole heaven with its rays: so also virtues with their rays in man, when they have penetrated the whole mind, make it most luminous. The same, book I of the Allegories: "Just as," he says, "in an animal the first part is the head; the second, the breast; the third, the groin: and in the soul, the first part is the rational; the second, the irascible; the third, the concupiscible: so of virtues the first is prudence, which directs the head and reason; the second, fortitude, which composes anger and stabilizes the breast; the third, temperance, which is occupied with the groin and the concupiscible part." Thus the Gentiles and Jews concerning moral and natural virtue; what shall the Christian now say concerning divine and supernatural virtue, which is the work of God's grace? For without this no one can tend toward the Holy of Holies in the heavens. Now let us come to the text and explain the difficulties which occur in the letter. TENTS. — Thus throughout here are called the veils or curtains by which this courtyard was covered all around. Whence the Septuagint translates them as curtains.
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10. AND TWENTY COLUMNS WITH AS MANY BRAZEN BASES. — In Hebrew, and twenty columns, and twenty bases of brass, namely you shall make. For the columns of the court were not wooden, but brazen, and likewise the bases. Whence no other material of them is expressed here except brass; but in the columns of the tabernacle another material of them is expressed, namely wood of setim, as is evident cap. XXVI, vers. 32 and 37. Furthermore, that the brazen columns of the court were, not wooden, our Interpreter expressly teaches in the fabric of the tabernacle, cap. XXXVIII, vers. 10 and 12. Philo therefore errs, who says these columns were made of cedar, and likewise asserts the boards of the tabernacle were made of cedar: for he himself thinks setim to be cedar. Just as therefore between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies, there were four columns of wood of setim gilded, sustaining the veil covering the Holy of Holies; again, just as in the entrance of the Holy Place or tabernacle, there were five similar columns, sustaining the veil of the tabernacle: so around the tabernacle and court there are commanded here to be made 60 brazen columns, namely 20 from the side of the South, and 20 from the North, 10 from the West, and 10 from the East, to which veils shall be hung, which shall surround and enclose the court in the manner of walls. WHICH CAPITALS WITH CHASINGS SHALL BE SILVER. — Hebr. and Chald., the capitals of the columns shall be silver with rings, or circles, which namely shall be drawn around the columns with silver threads: for the Hebrew letter vau signifies a headed nail, or the head of a nail; whence also the name vau is given to the letter. Nor do the Septuagint disagree, who translate: καὶ οἱ στύλοι αὐτῶν, καὶ αἱ ψαλίδες τῶν στύλων περικεχρυσωμέναι ἀργυρίῳ, which it is wonderful the Complutensian bible translates, and their clasps, and their forceps shall be overlaid with silver: for ψαλίς is a circle, which Our Interpreter calls a chasing; but ψαλίδες with Vitruvius are projecting or fronted stones, or that which projects in an arch or building, in which way from a similar form the projecting capitals of columns the Septuagint call. Thus therefore I translate the Septuagint, and the rings of the columns, and their projecting capitals shall be overlaid with silver, which is the same as what the Hebrew, Chaldean and Our Interpreter have. These chasings therefore were not incisions or carvings, but thin plates, or threads surrounding and running around both the capitals of the columns, both their body and bases; for this is what the Greek περικεχρυσωμέναι signifies, and the Hebrew חשוקים chaschukim, as is evident cap. XXXVIII, vers. 10 and 12. Thus Abulensis.
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11. LIKEWISE ALSO ON THE NORTH SIDE (which is the side of the length of the court, equally as the southern side opposite to it) HANGINGS SHALL BE BY LENGTH ONE HUNDRED CUBITS. — For the length of the court was one hundred cubits; whence its hangings extended 100 cubits in length, both on the southern part and on the northern. For on that side its length was viewed, just as its width was viewed from the eastern and western side; the court was therefore four-sided: for its length was double its width. For it was 100 cubits long, but 50 cubits wide. Josephus asserts that the tabernacle was placed in the middle of the court, which some understand precisely of the geometric middle, and therefore think that the tabernacle had before it on the side of length, namely toward the East, 35 cubits of the court; behind it toward the West it had the same number of cubits from the court: for twice 35 makes 70, which added to the 30 cubits by which the tabernacle itself was long, makes 100 cubits, which was the length of the whole court. But because 35 cubits behind the tabernacle would have been almost useless, and would have left a very large space in the front part of the court, where the people almost gathered for the sacred rites and sacrifices, which were performed before the tabernacle in this front or eastern part of the court: for indeed a space of 35 cubits could not hold so great a multitude; hence it is more probable what Philo, the Abulensian and others say, that the tabernacle was at an equal distance from three parts of the court, namely from two sides of the court, and from the rear. That space was 20 cubits; therefore on the front side the tabernacle had before it a court space not of 35, but of 50 cubits, which could hold a great multitude. For if you add to these 50 cubits of the court, 30 cubits of the length of the tabernacle itself, and finally 20 cubits of the court behind the tabernacle, you will complete 100 cubits, which was the length of the whole court. Again, the tabernacle on the north side was distant from the court's pillars and enclosure by twenty cubits, and the same on the south; for if you add to these 40 cubits of the court, which arise on both sides from twenties, 10 cubits of the width of the tabernacle itself, you will complete 50 cubits, which was the width of the whole court. Note: Each pillar of the court with its hanging was five cubits high, as is evident from verse 18; but the tabernacle was twice as high: for it was ten cubits high, and this so that it might be in view, and could be seen from afar outside the court. Tropologically Rupert says: Sixty, namely, court pillars, that is 20 from the south, 20 from the north, 10 from the east, and 10 from the west signify assiduous and constant labor in observing God's precepts, by which we tend toward heaven. For six signifies the time of the present life, ten the Decalogue (and six times ten makes 60, which is the number of the court's pillars), by the perfect observance of which throughout our whole life, we shall arrive at the future perfection of glory in the heavens. Whoever therefore strives for this, and for the apex of virtue, let him labor and be constant as a pillar, according to that saying of Horace, book III of the Odes: The just man and one steadfast in his purpose, Neither the passion of citizens commanding what is wrong, Nor the face of the threatening tyrant, Shakes with solid mind, Nor the great hand of thundering Jupiter. For constancy is necessary to overcome, first, the innate softness of our soul and proneness to pleasures; second, to overcome difficulties, hardships and temptations, which occur in the works of virtues, especially heroic ones; third, constancy is required for perseverance. For many begin well, but gradually grow weak. Diogenes, as Laertius testifies in book VI, when someone urged him, as an old man now, to rest from labors: "What," he said, "if I were running in the stadium, should I slacken my pace when near the finish line, or rather press on?" that is to say, I ought not to grow cold as I approach the end of life and the contest, but rather to be inflamed. Cato of Utica was a mirror of constancy, whom when friends urged, with affairs desperate, to flee to Caesar's clemency, he answered: "It is for those who are conquered and who have erred to supplicate; Cato is neither conquered nor captured, who has shown himself unconquered throughout his whole life, and has far surpassed Caesar in honesty and justice." And Socrates, who was condemned to death, turning to the judges: "It is necessary," he said, "to obey the immortal God rather than you. Therefore as long as I breathe, I shall not cease from philosophizing and admonishing you." This was his opinion: "Just as a statue or pillar rests on its base, so a good man resting on an honest institution ought in no way to be moved." Whence Xantippe, the wife of Socrates, used to say of him that she always saw him returning home with the same countenance with which he had gone out. Theodore, when Lysimachus threatened him with the cruelest death, said: "Make these threats to your purple-clad men; it matters nothing to Theodore whether he rots in mud or on a cross." Seneca: "A good man, he says, is one who brings his mind to such a state of feeling that he not only does not wish to sin, but also cannot." Anaxarchus, when beaten by Nicocreon, the tyrant of Cyprus, in a hollow stone, with unbroken spirit, said: "Beat, beat, the vessel of Anaxarchus; but you will not wear away the constancy of Anaxarchus." Zeno used to say, "It is easier to sink an inflated bladder than to force any upright man against his will to do something. For an unconquered mind confirmed in the precepts of right reason yields to no one." When Rome was captured by Alaric, a Goth invited a very beautiful woman to his service and love. But when he saw that she resisted his lust with zeal for chastity, he drew his sword and aimed it at her throat, and finally struck her. When the virgin, drenched entirely in blood, did not yield from her resolve even thus, then, admiring her constancy, he brought her to the basilica of St. Peter, and having given six gold coins for her sustenance, he commended her to the custodians of the temple. Thus Sigonius, book X of the Western Empire. The constancy of the holy martyrs Vincent, Lawrence, Ambrose, Athanasius, Anthony, Hilarion, Lucy, Agnes, Matthathias, the Maccabees, etc., is well known. The same as the columns signify the fifty cubits of the width of the courtyard: for the number fifty signifies the beginnings of believers, which are celebrated in the remission of sins and in the hope of future blessedness. The same signify the hundred cubits of the length of the courtyard: for the number hundred, which arises from the ten multiplied by itself (for ten times ten make a hundred), which is double to fifty, has the figure of heavenly life: whence Noah completed the ark in his hundredth year; in Abraham's hundredth year his son of promise Isaac is born; Abraham at a hundred years old sojourns in the promised land; Isaac received a hundredfold of seed in Gerar, that is, in sojourning, cast forth: thus Christ promised to those leaving temporal things a hundredfold, that is, ample joy from fraternal society, and from the hope of heavenly life now, and then, namely in heaven, immense joy from the possession of the kingdom of heaven. The courtyard therefore has a hundred cubits, because those who are children of the Church must necessarily assume for eternal life in the heavens the labor of temporal patience and continence in themselves. Thus Bede. St. Chrysostom, homily 77 on Matthew: "Always, he says, to stand, and never to have fallen, is divine and wonderful." St. Gregory of Nazianzus, oration On Himself: "I, he says, am that same one, nor do I change, as polyps from the rocks to which they adhere." St. Cyprian, book IV, epistle 3: "It befits grave men, once founded on a strong rock with solid stability, not to be moved, I say not by a light breeze, but neither by wind, nor by a whirlwind." St. Anselm in Similitudes, chapter 173: "A square stone, he says, has six equal sides; on whichever of these it falls, it will stand firmly. Thus it must be provided for a just man that he persists in his purpose. But the six sides of this are these: prosperity, adversity, his own freedom, subjection, being in secret, and in public; in each of which, if he is impelled by the devil, he stands, and is not moved from his purpose." Now let us return to the columns of the courtyard. Thus St. Francis, when asked how he endured the winter cold and frost in such thin clothing, replied: "If we are covered by the flame of the heavenly homeland through longing, we would easily protect ourselves from this cold." And St. Dorothy, when tortured by the prefect Fabricius and led to capital punishment, said: "I rejoice that I am going to my Spouse, whose paradise, fertile in all flowers, blooms more pleasantly than can be said." Whence also from this paradise, after her death, she sent roses to Theophilus when he asked for them, in February, and thus converted him to Christ. Do you wish to be perfect? Do you wish to be heavenly? Think on heavenly things, be wise in things that are above, fulfill the will of God. Moreover, "the will of God, which Christ both did and taught, is humility in conversation, stability in faith, modesty in words, justice in deeds, mercy in works, discipline in morals; not to know how to do injury, and to be able to bear it when done, to keep peace with the brethren, to love God with the whole heart; to love in Him what is Father, to fear what is Lord, to prefer nothing whatsoever to Christ, because neither did He prefer anything whatsoever to us," says St. Cyprian, treatise On the Lord's Prayer.
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Verse 13. IN THE BREADTH ALSO OF THE COURT, WHICH LOOKETH TOWARD THE EAST, SHALL BE FIFTY CUBITS. — The sense of this verse and the following ones up to verse 17 is this: Just as the length of the court shall be one hundred cubits, so the breadth shall be fifty cubits, and this on all sides, both toward the West, as I said in the preceding verse, and toward the East, as I say here. These fifty cubits of breadth in the court before the tabernacle, namely in the Eastern part of the court, by their columns and veils which surround and bound it, shall be distributed in such a way that twenty cubits in the middle shall be open for entrance and access to the court and tabernacle; the remaining thirty shall be divided on both sides, so that fifteen toward the South and as many toward the North shall be left with three columns on each side and their bases. From this it follows that between each pair of columns five cubits, or a veil of five cubits, was interposed. For there were ten columns in the breadth of the court: and ten times five makes fifty, which was the breadth of the court.
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Verse 16. AND IN THE ENTRANCE OF THE COURT SHALL BE MADE A HANGING OF TWENTY CUBITS OF HYACINTH, AND PURPLE, AND SCARLET TWICE DYED, AND FINE TWISTED LINEN; AND IT SHALL HAVE FOUR PILLARS. — Here is described the entrance and as it were the gate of the court, which was therefore more splendid. For it had a hanging wrought with fine linen, purple, scarlet and hyacinth, whereas the other hangings of the court were of plain fine linen. This entrance had four pillars, on which this hanging was hung, and therefore was twenty cubits: for each pillar was distant from another by five cubits, as I said; between these four pillars, three passages, as is evident, were intercepted, by which, when the hanging was drawn back or lifted up, entrance into the court was opened.
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Verse 17. ALL THE PILLARS OF THE COURT ROUND ABOUT SHALL BE CLOTHED WITH SILVER PLATES. — Not as if these plates would cover the whole pillars, as the ark, table and boards of the tabernacle were entirely covered with gold plates; but in that these pillars were encircled round about with thin silver plates, like threads, with space left empty between the rings, which is as it were openwork, and is called chasing, as our Interpreter names it throughout: for this is what the Hebrew word חשׁוק chashuc signifies, which name Moses did not use for the plates of the ark, table and boards: for there he used the word צפה tsippa, which means to cover or overlay. Thus Abulensis.
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Verse 18. AND IT SHALL HAVE BRAZEN BASES. — Josephus, book III, chapter v, says that these brazen bases were pointed, like the point of a spear, and thus by this sharpness of theirs were fixed into the ground.
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Verse 19. AND THE CEREMONIES. — In Hebrew, for all worship, or ceremonial ministry for worshipping God. Thus our Interpreter takes the name ceremony, chapter XXXVIII, verse 21; otherwise this name ceremony almost always signifies ceremonial precepts, which prescribe the manner of worshipping God according to God's own pleasure. AND THE PINS THEREOF, AS WELL AS OF THE COURT, THOU SHALT MAKE OF BRASS. — Pins, that is, nails, which were made for this purpose both in the court and in the tabernacle, so that fixed in the tops of the pillars they would project outward, and with the ropes of the hangings or curtains laid upon them, thus lifting them from the ground they would suspend them. Josephus adds that rings were also made, by which ropes were fastened, which were fixed in the ground with golden nails a cubit long to strengthen the pillars, and to fortify the tabernacle against the force of the winds.
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Verse 20. BRING UNTO THEE THE PUREST OIL OF THE OLIVES BEATEN. — Note: The Seventy translate beaten, as if to say, not ground, which is full of dregs and sediment, but either flowing of its own accord, or certainly expressed by beating with a pestle from the olive flesh alone, or pulp.
Verses 20 and 21. THAT A LAMP MAY BURN ALWAYS IN THE TABERNACLE OF THE TESTIMONY. — For testimony, in Hebrew it is מועד moed, which first signifies testimony, as does עיד heid, from which it is derived, which means to testify. Second, properly and genuinely moed signifies a meeting, a congregation, an assembly, a church, from the root יעד iaad, that is, to meet. The tabernacle is therefore called moed, that is, a meeting place, because God would meet there with Moses, and would speak with Him, as is evident from chapter XXV, verse 22, and chapter XXIX, verse 42. Our Interpreter, however, translates moed as testimony, and calls it the tabernacle of the testimony, because the tabernacle contained the law, which was a testimony of the divine will and covenant.
27:21
Vers. 21. OUTSIDE THE VEIL WHICH IS SPREAD OVER THE TESTIMONY. — "Testimony," that is the ark containing the testimony, that is the law, or the tables of the law. Hence Oecumenius in cap. IX to the Hebrews, and Elias of Crete, in oration 3 On the Theology of Gregory of Nazianzus after the beginning, enumerate three tabernacles: the first outermost, namely the court, which was enclosed by curtains on the sides, but open above, concerning which Moses speaks in this chapter, which the Apostle, Hebr. IX, 1, thinks is called the Holy place of the world, or as it is in Greek, κόσμικον, that is worldly, because it was common to all, as Chrysostom says: in this was the bronze altar of holocausts under the open sky. The second tabernacle was the Holy place, which was as it were the temple of the Priests, which the Apostle calls the first tabernacle: this was closed on all sides, and joined to the Holy of Holies: in this was the candlestick, the altar of incense and the table of the loaves of proposition. The third tabernacle was the Holy of Holies, open to the high priest alone: in it was the ark with the mercy seat and the Cherubim, likewise the urn with manna and the rod of Aaron. But I have spoken of this matter at Hebr. IX, 1. UNTIL MORNING LET IT SHINE BEFORE THE LORD. — Hence it is clear that the lamps on the candlestick did not burn during the day, although Cajetan and Lipomanus think so, but only at night; wherefore what he said a little before: "That the lamp may burn always," he here explains, so that always the same thing is meant as on each night; therefore in the evening the priests lit the lamps, so that they would burn all night; but in the morning they extinguished them, cleaned them, arranged them, and poured in oil. That this is so is evident both from this place, and from Levit. cap. XXIV, 3, and II Paralip. cap. XIII, 11, and I Reg. III, 3. Thus Abulensis, Oleaster and others. Josephus, however, in lib. III Antiq. cap. IX, asserts that the priest extinguished four lamps in the morning, and allowed the three remaining ones to burn; but in the evening he again lit four, which he had extinguished in the morning, so that all seven would burn through the night. This opinion seems to be favored by the fact that the tabernacle was covered all around both by day and by night, and did not have a window through which it could admit light; therefore it seems to have needed some lamp burning even by day. But this is not so certain: for Josephus did not see this tabernacle, but the temple; and Scripture in three or four places already cited makes no mention of any lamp burning by day, but simply and consistently asserts that the lamp was lit in the evening, and shone until morning; by which it sufficiently indicates that it was extinguished in the morning, and by lamp is understood not one, but all seven, as it seems, which were on the candlestick. For I have already said before that the tabernacle admitted light through the front veil reflected and somewhat elevated: for this veil was in place of a door in the tabernacle. You will say: Josephus, in lib. VIII Antiq. cap. II, says that Solomon made one candlestick which burned by day. I answer, in Greek for by day, it is καθ' ἡμέραν, which word for word means by day, that is daily, which is true, because the lamp ought to burn daily through the night: otherwise Josephus would be altogether contrary to Scripture, since he says this ought to be done by the prescription of the law: for Scripture nowhere commands that the lamp be lit by day; on the contrary here and elsewhere it commands it to be lit only at night. In the Holy place therefore the lamps burned only at night, and all of them for a mystery, namely so that it might be signified that the living lamps, that is the doctors and priests, only at night of this age, that is in this Church, illuminate the more simple (hence Plato said, "Good men have need not of long life, but of clear and illustrious life"); for in the day of eternity, when we shall be in the Holy of Holies, there will be no lamp, no sun, no moon; but its lamp is the Lamb, Apoc. cap. XXI, vers. 23. For which reason also in the Holy of Holies the candlestick was not placed; but all things there were dark, so that God speaking there might be concealed, and might signify that we shall contemplate the future glory in heaven here only through darkness and enigmas. Thus Beda, lib. III On the Tabernacle, cap. 1, and Radulphus, lib. XVII in Levit. cap. IV.
Perpetual Worship PERPETUAL SHALL BE THE WORSHIP. — This rite of lighting the lamps in the evening shall be perpetual, understand in your law and religion, because it will last throughout all the time of the law and Judaism; hence it is added, "through their successions," namely of the Aaronic priests, who shall continually receive oil from the children of Israel for lighting the lamps daily. Mystically, the people offer oil, that is, a pure, fruitful and devout conscience, so that the priests may light it with the fire of charity and heavenly light. Thus Beda.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
27:1
v. 1 « Faces et altare de lignis setim, quod habebit quinque cubitos in longitudine , et. totidem in latitudine, id est quadrum, et tres cubitos in altitudine », Cum 20,96 gradus prohibeantur, oportet fuisse aliquod planum inclinatum , quo ad hoe altare ascenderetur.
27:2
v. 2 « Cornua autem per quatuor angulos ez ipso erunt ». Hebr. : Et facies cornua eius in quatuor anqulis; ez ipso erunt cornua eius. LXX : 3E abxoU. Eozou *à vfpaza.. « Non erant adiectitia, sed ex ipso altari prodibant » (Ca?.). « Et operies Mlud aere ». Sanguis victimarum illiniebatur cornubus altaris 29,192; Lev. 5,7. Etiam altare thymiamatis 30,2 cornua habebat. Habuerintne Aegyptiorum altaria cornua, non satis liquet; s0xégaos Qopss legitur depinguntur (cf. Dz//m.). Cornua illa, uti videtur, in altum erecta Hebraeis erant altaris pars sanctissima, quae amplectebantur rei asylum quaerentes (3 Reg. 1,50; 2,28). Cornuum nomen quandoque ipsum altare designat: Ps. 117 (118),27; Am. 3,14. v. 3 « Faciesque tn usus eius lebetes ad [suscipiendos] cineres, et forcipes atque fuscinulas, et ignium receptacula. Omnia vasa ex aere fabricabis ». np est lebes; Chald. N,12D3 — voxtfo, vas ad liquida refrigeranda. 335, ad pinguedinem eius; quo nomine etiam appellatur cinis pinguedine saturatus, qui post sacrificium supererat in altari : Lev. 1,16; 4,12; 6,10 sq. (3 sq.); Num. 4,13; 3 Reg. 13,3. 5. — y" probabilius est pala vel rutrum, ad cineres in lebetem transferendos; id signifieat Chald. ND*2*2wv2. — Omittit Vulg. np?ym a pw aspergere, ergo sane vas ad sanguinem aspergendum. Cf. Zach. 9,15. Am. 6,6 ex eo vase bibunt, et Num. 7,13 sqq. in illo offertur simila conspersa oleo. LXX ot&Aag. — i fuscinula : 1. Reg. 2,13 sq. habetur « fuscinula tridens ». — nnrma thuribulum, i. e. vas in quo carbones ardentes asservantur : cf. 25,38. v.^ Faciesque ei, sc. altari, —ita Hebr. versum orditur — « craticulamque in modum retis aeneam, per cutus quatuor angulos erunt quatuor annuli aenei ». v. 5 « Quos » — corrige quam — « pones subter arulam altaris, eritquecraticula usquead altaris medium».,2202 (arula) est corolla , margo aeneus ubique in circuitu eminens, cuius marginis partes maxime prominentes sunt cornua. Craticula igitur ponenda est infra corollam, deorsum... et erit ad medium altaris : Xa enim vertere possumus, eum 57 non solum sonet wsque ad, sed etiam simpliciter ad ; neque ma2-2»9 necessario designat inferiorem totius altaris partem , sed uti mn demonstrat aliquid corolla inferius. Quae vero citavimus verba, non enuntiant, craticula collocandane fuerit situ verticali an horizontali. Unde Ca. interpretatus estrete aeneum erectum, quatuor altaris latera circeumplectens, et ad mediam eius altitudinem ab imo assurgens. Ubi necesse erit cum 7^s/. inferre, eam « eraticulam magis ad pulchritudinem quam ad necessitatem positam esse »; imo aliqui imaginati sunt cancellos extra altare erectos et illud veluti a profanorum accessu defendentes. Mirum videatur, in altari describendo nihil penitus diei de parte maxime necessaria, ubi oblata comburantur, plura vero de ornamento aliquo aut cancellis. Attente si rem perpendas, perspicies in altari illo debuisse tandem esse cratem aliquam situ horizontali collocatam, per quam et cineres, ne ignis suffocaretur, dilaberentur continuusque ab infra igni aer adspiraret. Quem situm craticulae v. 4 tribuebat Jos. (Ant. III. 6. 8), dicens in « humum decidisse ignem, qui decratieula dilaberetur » ; tribuunt Aug., Vat., Bonfr., Calm. aliique. Haerebat igitur crates medium per altare librata, cubitum atque semissem supra humum elevata, non catenulis e cornibus altaris pendula, sed ipsi altari individue compaoeta. Ei crati, ubi sacrificium offerretur, imponebatur primum lignorum strues (Lev. 1,7 sqq. et passim), strui imponebantur victimae frusta. Textus sat planus. Difficultatem facit non textus, sed pictae quaedam eius altaris imagines, quas, qui nunquam ipsi Hebraeorum altare conspexerant, delineavere pictores. Secundum quos et strues et victima summo imponebantur altari omniumque patebant obtutui : at videntur haec potius magna ex parte ipsis altaris lateribus fuisse decenter celata. Eliminat etiam , quam tradidimus, explicatio difficultatem illam haud exiguam, quomodo ignis altare, quod e lignis setim erat, aereis utique laminis opertis, non consumpserit. Altaris siquidem nullam ille ignis attingebat partem praeter cratem illam, quae tota aenea erat, eiusque mediam potius partem..
27:6
v. 6 « Facies et vectes altaris de lignis setim duos, quos operies laminis aeneis »5 v. 1.« et induces per circulos, eruntque ez utroque latere altaris ad porlandum ». Sensus obvius est, hos czculos esse eosdem, quos v. & annulos vertebat Hier. (nyz5); idque confirmat 38,4 sqq. Ea igitur altitudine erant annuli illi, quo facile traiectis vectibus a portatoribus gestari altare posset. Annuli prostabant quidem (v. 4) in quatuor angulis, sed ita ut bini in uno eminerent latere, et bini in latere opposito, dum latera interiecta annulis carerent.
27:8
v. 8 « [Non solidum sed inane et] cavum intrinsecus facies Mud », sc. altare; « sicut tibi in monte monstratum est ». Hebr. : cavum tabulis facies illud. Altare illud portatile non oportebat esse gravius, ex solido ligno vel metallo. Praeterea, non poterat esse solidum supra craticulam, uti patet, erat enim is locus lignorum et vietimae; neque infra craticulam , qui locus cineribus erat destinatus. Non de ligno setim occludebatur. Ad ultimum incisum cf. 25,50; 26,30. Arg. — Atrium continetur cortinis, quae columnis sustentantur; clauditur velo. v. 9 « Facies et atrium tabernaculi » , — habitaculi — « in. cuius Capita, seu hamos vide 26,32. — bYpvn (38,17. 19) vel p'pvma (2)133:6[: 38 ET, à pvn colligare : hine Chald. intellexit sería quaedam ab una columna ad alteram pertingentia; LXX v$aAl6sc, fornices; Aq. wxpocxoAXjuat«, id quod alteri agglutinatur. Ros. vero aliique interpretati sunt perticas quasdam argenteas, quibus sustentaretur velum. Quibus reponit Dillm., velum 26,32 et 36,36 sustentari non perticis, sed hamis. Textibus supra laudatis a'pvn vel p'purnmo sunt aliquid diversum a basibus, hamis et columnarum capitibus; 3 Reg. 7,33 eadem vox significat curvaturas rotarum. Ergo probabilius Vulg. caelaturae, quas Cai. describit « cingula », Vat. « zonàs circulares sive fila, quibus quasi cinguntur columnae »; et fere idem sonat Syr. tegumenta. Intelliguntur laminae argenteae aliquae circa columnas plexae, ornatus gratia. quippe atrii columnis cubiti quinque longitudinis veli attribuuntur, dum cubiti non omnino duodecim velorum interiorum, in introitu tabernaculi 26,37 quinque, in introitu vero habitaculi 26,32 quatuor columnis sustentantur. Velum ad introitum atrii non iam z5p, sed uti 26,36 42» vocatur. Sequuntur versus tres, qui ante dicta partim repetunt, partim complent. v. 17 « Omnes columnae atrii per circuitum vestitae erunt. argenteis [laminis] » (cf. quae diximus ad v. 10), « capitibus », 1. e. hamis, « argenteis et basibus aeneis ». v. 18 « In. longitudine |occupabit| atrium cubitos centum, in latitudine quinquaginta ; altitudo quinque cubitorum erit », longeinferior altitudine tabernaculi; « [fietque| de bysso retorta, et habebit bases aeneas ». Certe mendum habet Hebr. : aut cum Sam. scribendum i2N2 pro nwzxn2, aut cum LXX nN:2 pro now2. v. 19 « Cuncta vasa, tabernaculi » — Hebr. habitaculi — « in omnes usus [et ceremonias], tam pazillos eius. quam atrii , ex aere facies ». Hebr. : et omnes paaxillos eius , et omnes pazillos atrii etc. Paxillorum antea non habebatur mentio : eorum et funiculorum ope figebantur operimenta sanctuarii atriique vela : 35,18; 38,90; 39,40; Num. 3,37; 4,206. 32.
27:20
v. 20 « Praecipe filis Israel, ut afferant tibi oleum de [arboribus] olivarum purissimum |piloque] contusum, ut ardeat lucerna semper ». Purisimum oleum erat illud, quod sponte ex olivis fluebat; minus purum illud, quod ex olivis exprimebatur. Porro ut abundantius oleum efflueret, olivae in canistro primum pilo tundebantur, oleum effluens colligebatur. Praecipitur idem oleum pro oblatione similae, quae simul fiebat cum holocausto quotidiano 29,40; Num. 28,5. Secus oleum minus nobile licite adhibebatur. Cf. Tost., DilIm.
27:21
v. 21 « In tabernaculo testimonii , extra velum, quod oppansum est testimonio ; let] collocabunt eam Aaron et filii eius, ut » a vespere « usque mane /uceat| coram Domino. Perpetuus erit cultus per successiones eorum a filtis Israel ». Cf. quae dicemus ad Lev. 25,9-4. dentem lampadem commemorat Philo (De Victim.), rei has assignans rationes : ut luci diurnae in sanctuario succederet lampadum collustratio; ut nocte etiam Dei cultus produceretur; ut, sicut pro vigilantibus fierent sacrificia, ita pro dormientibus fieret haec lucis oblatio. Verum his opponitur auctoritas los. sacerdotis, qui Ant. ]II. 8. 3 affirmat, tres candelabri lampades per totum diem luxisse, reliquas vespere accendi consuevisse. Itemque Hecataeus (apud Euseb. : Praep. evang. IX cap. 4; M. 21. 689) lampades diu noctuque accensas perseverasse affirmat. Cui asserto responderi potest, Moysen lampades noctu lucere iussisse, etiam interdiu lucere non prohibuisse : potuit igitur liberalior postmodum praxis invalescere, imprimis Pharisaeorum aevo, qui illud ?*!3n urgerent. Cuius praxeos ansam fortasse iam dederat Salomo 3 Reg. 7,49 uni candelabro decem substituens candelabra. Imo mirum minime est, Pharisaeos suam praxin, licet immerito, ipsi Salomoni adscripsisse, quod colligas e Ios. Ant. VIII. 3. 7. asserente, fecisse Salomonem « lampadas decem mille secundum Moysis mandatum (!), quarum unam in templo dedicaverit, ut arderet xa0* 2u£pav &xoAod0oc zi vópo ». Masor. à v. 20 novam ordiuntur divisionem maiorem. Verum est, uti v. 17-19, ita etiam v. 20 sq. minus arcte cum praecedentibus cohaerere : tamen a 28,1 nova incipit pericope de Aarone ad sacerdotium assumendo. Eadem, quae v. 20 sq., verba fere verbotenus et quibusdam additis leguntur Lev. 24,2 sqq. Admirationem facit v. 21 aliquod iam cirea sanctuarium offieium Aaroni assignari, cum nonnisi 28,1 is ad sacerdotium assumendus renuntietur. Hinc putavit Dillm. verba e Lev. 24,2 sqq. esse huc translata intuitu eorum, quae 29,38-42; 30,1-10. 34-38 dicenda sint. Haec ratio longius petitur. Potest autem dici, v. 20 sq. e suo Lev. 24,2 sqq. vel alibi loco delapsos, nullique iam certo contextui adhaerentes, ab Esdra vel alio, qui textum sacrum recensuerit, extremae pericopae de exstruendo sanctuario esse adscriptos. Quod sine difficultate concedi potest. — Tamen et alia explanatio in promptu est. Adverte v. 20 3nw', ad instar nrw" 28,1. 3 effictum. Neque oleum purissimum, quod v. 20 afferri iubetur, idem esse censendum est, atque oleum 25,6. Lucerna vero in tabernaculo lucens symbolum est Dei praesentis, praesentis imprimis ad lucernam primi accendant, invitantur, mox vestibus sacris induendi et. oleo unctionis sacrae ungendi. Arg. — Post introductionem v. 1-5 describuntur v. 6-39 summi pontifieis, v. 0-43 reliquorum sacerdotum vestes. Pontificis vestes describuntur ephod v. 6-14, rationale v. 15-30, tunica v. 31-35, diadema, tunica interior, balteus v. 36-39. reliqua turba » (Bonfr.), et accedere fac ad te (LXX) ordinatorem , sensibili quippe ritu a te ordinandi sunt, « Aaron fratrem tuum cum filiis suis de medio filiorum Israel, ut sacerdotio fungantur mah » (Hebr. 5,9) : « Aaron, Nadab et Abiu, Eleazar et Ithamar », filii Aaron. Cf. 6,23. Post quam generalem consecrationis annuntiationem vestes sacrae enumerantur, earum materia generatim designatur. v. 9 « Faciesque vestem sanctam » — Hebr. vestes — « Aaron fratri tuo in gloriam et decorem », ut sit reverendus et decorus (Sylv.). Totus enim cultus externus ordinatur ad hoc, ut homines inducantur ad Dei reverentiam ; et quia homines minus reverentur ea, quae sunt communia et ab aliis non distineta, ideo oportuit pro Dei cultu specialia tempora, loea, vasa, vestimenta, ministros provideri (S. TÀom. 1* 2** q. 102 art. & et 5). v. 3 « Et » tu « loqueris cunctis sapientibus corde », artificibus natura peritis (Tost.), « quos replevi spiritu prudentiae », providentia sive naturali sive supernaturali (Calm.), « ut faciant vestes Aaron, in quibus sancttficatus », a plebe segregatus, « ministret mihi ». v. « Haec autem erunt vestimenta, quae facient : rationale et superhumerale , tunicam et lineam striciam, cidarim et balteum ». Singula infra describuntur. « Factent vestimenta sancta fratr? tuo Aaron et. filiis eius, ut sacerdotio fungantur mihi ». v. 5 « Acciptentque aurum. et hyacinthum, et purpuram , coccumque bis linctum , et byssum ». Vocatur superhumerale seu ephod ; LXX Ios. izopíc, 1. e. scapulare, Ag. Symm. &xév3oya.
27:2
A particularity of the Hebrew altar are the "horns" or projections (Ex. 27:2; 37:25; I Reg. 1:50; Ez. 43:20), at the four upper corners. …
27:6
Kittim (Kittijīm, in Jer. 2, 10)
KITTIM (Kittijīm, in Jer. 2, 10). - Gentilic name of the inhabitants of Cyprus ([v.], cf. Is. 23:1, 12; Ex. 27:6 and probably Jer. 2:10), so called from the important city of Kition or Kitton (Lat. Citium), one of the best-known colonies among those founded by the Phoenicians. …
27:21
Candelabrum with Seven Branches
The seven lamps were lit during the night (Ex. 27:21; Lev. 24:3); whether and how many lamps were also lit during the day cannot be deduced with certainty from the biblical texts; the tradition is uncertain: according to some, the lamps …
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Douay 1609-10), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.