Exodus 38:1-20

Exodus: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13a 13b 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30a 30b 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38a 38b 39 40


38:1 VA YA'AS ET MIZBACH HA OLAH ATSEY SHITIM CHAMESH AMOT ARKO VE CHAMESH AMOT RACHBO RAVU'A VE SHALOSH AMOT KOMATO

וַיַּעַשׂ אֶת מִזְבַּח הָעֹלָה עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים חָמֵשׁ אַמּוֹת אָרְכּוֹ וְחָמֵשׁ אַמּוֹת רָחְבּוֹ רָבוּעַ וְשָׁלֹשׁ אַמּוֹת קֹמָתוֹ

KJ (King James translation): And he made the altar of burnt offering of shittim wood: five cubits was the length thereof, and five cubits the breadth thereof; it was foursquare; and three cubits the height thereof.

BN (BibleNet translation): And he made the altar for the burnt-offerings out of acacia-wood, five cubits long, five cubits wide, four-square, and three cubits high thereof.


Every artists' impression I have looked at imagines the altar as rectangular, side-on to the congregation, and the equivalents in both synagogue and churches always mirror this; yet the instruction here is unequivocal: the altar was square.


38:2 VA YA'AS KARNOTAV AL ARBA PINOTAV MIMENU HAYU KARNOTAV VA YETSAPH OTO NECHOSHET

וַיַּעַשׂ קַרְנֹתָיו עַל אַרְבַּע פִּנֹּתָיו מִמֶּנּוּ הָיוּ קַרְנֹתָיו וַיְצַף אֹתוֹ נְחֹשֶׁת

KJ: And he made the horns thereof on the four corners of it; the horns thereof were of the same: and he overlaid it with brass.

BN: And he made horns for its four corners; these horns were integrated with it as a single piece; and he overlaid it with brass.


Brass, not gold - necessary, because this is going to be the holy barbecue, so it has to absorb heat without extruding damaging chemicals. Gold would not work so well, nor would it endure. Gold is ornamental, brass functional - so we can see another layer of difference between this and the horned altar described in the previous chapter.


38:3 VA YA'AS ET KOL KELEY HA MIZBE'ACH ET HA SIROT VE ET HA YA'IM VE ET HA MIZRAKOT ET HA MIZLAGOT VE ET HA MACHTOT KOL KELAV ASAH NECHOSHET

וַיַּעַשׂ אֶת כָּל כְּלֵי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ אֶת הַסִּירֹת וְאֶת הַיָּעִים וְאֶת הַמִּזְרָקֹת אֶת הַמִּזְלָגֹת וְאֶת הַמַּחְתֹּת כָּל כֵּלָיו עָשָׂה נְחֹשֶׁת

KJ: And he made all the vessels of the altar, the pots, and the shovels, and the basons, and the fleshhooks, and the firepans: all the vessels thereof made he of brass.

BN: And he made all the utensils for the altar, the pots, the shovels, the basins, the flesh-hooks and the fire-pans; all these utensils too he made out of brass.

As many times previously, why sometimes Mizbach and sometimes Mizbe'ach?


38:4 VA YA'AS LA MIZBE'ACH MICHBAR MA'ASEH RESHET NECHOSHET TACHAT KARKUBO MI LEMATAH AD CHETS'YO

וַיַּעַשׂ לַמִּזְבֵּחַ מִכְבָּר מַעֲשֵׂה רֶשֶׁת נְחֹשֶׁת תַּחַת כַּרְכֻּבּוֹ מִלְּמַטָּה עַד חֶצְיוֹ

KJ: And he made for the altar a brasen grate of network under the compass thereof beneath unto the midst of it.

BN: And he made for the altar a meshed grate of brass, under and around the ledge beneath it, reaching halfway up.


Much as we might place a metal grate in front of a log-fireplace in our own country cottages today.


38:5 VA YITSOK ARBA TABA'OT BE ARBA HA KETSA'OT LE MICHBAR HA NECHOSHET BATIM LABADIM

וַיִּצֹק אַרְבַּע טַבָּעֹת בְּאַרְבַּע הַקְּצָו‍ֹת לְמִכְבַּר הַנְּחֹשֶׁת בָּתִּים לַבַּדִּים

KJ: And he cast four rings for the four ends of the grate of brass, to beplaces for the staves.

BN: And he cast four rings for the four ends of the brass grate, to provide holders for the staves.


38:6 VA YA'AS ET HA BADIM ATSEY SHITIM VA YETSAPH OTAM NECHOSHET

וַיַּעַשׂ אֶת הַבַּדִּים עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים וַיְצַף אֹתָם נְחֹשֶׁת

KJ: And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with brass.

BN: And he made the staves of acacia-wood, and overlaid them with brass.


36:7 VA YAV'E ET HA BADIM BA TABA'OT AL TSAL'OT HA MIZBE'ACH LASE'T OTO BA HEM NEVUV LUCHOT ASAH OTO

וַיָּבֵא אֶת הַבַּדִּים בַּטַּבָּעֹת עַל צַלְעֹת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ לָשֵׂאת אֹתוֹ בָּהֶם נְבוּב לֻחֹת עָשָׂה אֹתוֹ

KJ: And he put the staves into the rings on the sides of the altar, to bear it withal; he made the altar hollow with boards.

BN: And he put the staves into the rings on the sides of the altar, so that they could carry it; he made it hollow, using planks.




38:8 VA YA'AS ET HA KIYOR NECHOSHET VE ET KANO NECHOSHET BE MAR'OT HA TSOV'OT ASHER TSAV'U PETACH OHEL MO'ED

וַיַּעַשׂ אֵת הַכִּיּוֹר נְחֹשֶׁת וְאֵת כַּנּוֹ נְחֹשֶׁת בְּמַרְאֹת הַצֹּבְאֹת אֲשֶׁר צָבְאוּ פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד

KJ: And he made the laver of brass, and the foot of it of brass, of the lookingglasses of the women assembling, which assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

BN: And he made the laver, and its base also, of brass, for the mirrors of the serving women who served at the door of the Tent of Meeting. {S}


Serving women at the door of the Tent of Meeting! What was their role? Greeters? Usherettes? Priestesses? Some Christian churches today have lay deacons in these roles - is this the same intention?

samech break, on this occasion denoting a paragraph division in a list.


38:9 VA YA'AS ET HE CHATSER LIPH'AT NEGEV TEYMANAH KAL'EY HE CHATSER SHESH MASHZAR ME'AH BA AMAH

וַיַּעַשׂ אֶת הֶחָצֵר לִפְאַת נֶגֶב תֵּימָנָה קַלְעֵי הֶחָצֵר שֵׁשׁ מָשְׁזָר מֵאָה בָּאַמָּה

KJ: And he made the court: on the south side southward the hangings of the court were of fine twined linen, an hundred cubits:

BN: And he made the courtyard; for the south-facing side the hangings of the courtyard were of fine, twined linen, a hundred cubits.


CHATSER: Court or courtyard? It isn't really either, in a tent, though it was mostly definitely a courtyard in the Temple in Yeru-Shala'im. And look at the size - way larger than the Ohel itself.


38:10 AMUDEYHEM ESRIM VE ADNEYHEM ESRIM NECHOSHET VAVEY HA AMUDIM VA CHASHUKEYHEM KASEPH

עַמּוּדֵיהֶם עֶשְׂרִים וְאַדְנֵיהֶם עֶשְׂרִים נְחֹשֶׁת וָוֵי הָעַמּוּדִים וַחֲשֻׁקֵיהֶם כָּסֶף

KJ: Their pillars were twenty, and their brasen sockets twenty; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver.

BN: These had twenty rods, and twenty sockets, all of brass; the hooks for the rods and their fillets were made of silver.


AMUDEYHEM: cannot mean "pillars"; but they are hanging curtains, not building a paapet. A hundred cubits is equivalent to 583 feet, which is a lot of curtain, and needs support. If there are twenty rods, that means one every 29 feet.Presumably they didn't need groundpegs as they dug them deep into the sand.


38:11 VE LIPH'AT TSAPHON ME'AH V AMAH AMUDEYHEM ESRIM VE ADNEYHEM ESRIM NECHOSHET VAVEY HA AMUDIM VE CHASHUKEYHEM KASEPH

וְלִפְאַת צָפוֹן מֵאָה בָאַמָּה עַמּוּדֵיהֶם עֶשְׂרִים וְאַדְנֵיהֶם עֶשְׂרִים נְחֹשֶׁת וָוֵי הָעַמּוּדִים וַחֲשֻׁקֵיהֶם כָּסֶף

KJ: And for the north side the hangings were an hundred cubits, their pillars were twenty, and their sockets of brass twenty; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver.

BN: And for the north side a hundred cubitsof curtain, with twenty rods, and twenty sockets, likewise of brass; the hooks for the rods and their fillets were also of silver.


38:12 VE LIPH'AT YAM KELA'IM CHAMISHIM BA AMAH AMUDEYHEM ASARAH VE ADNEYHEM ASARAH VAVEY HA AMUDIM VE CHASHUKEYHEM KASEPH

וְלִפְאַת יָם קְלָעִים חֲמִשִּׁים בָּאַמָּה עַמּוּדֵיהֶם עֲשָׂרָה וְאַדְנֵיהֶם עֲשָׂרָה וָוֵי הָעַמֻּדִים וַחֲשׁוּקֵיהֶם כָּסֶף

KJ: And for the west side were hangings of fifty cubits, their pillars ten, and their sockets ten; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver.

BN: And for the west side fifty cubits of curtain, ten rods in this case, and ten sockets; the hooks for the pillars and their fillets likewise made of silver.


38:13 VE LIPH'AT KEDMAH MIZRACHAH CHAMISHIM AMAH

וְלִפְאַת קֵדְמָה מִזְרָחָה חֲמִשִּׁים אַמָּה

KJ: And for the east side eastward fifty cubits.

BN: And for the east side eastward fifty cubits.


38:14 KELA'IM CHAMESH ESREY AMAH EL HA KATEPH AMUDEYHEM SHELOSHAH VE ADNEYHEM SHELOSHAH

קְלָעִים חֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה אַמָּה אֶל הַכָּתֵף עַמּוּדֵיהֶם שְׁלֹשָׁה וְאַדְנֵיהֶם שְׁלֹשָׁה

KJ: The hangings of the one side of the gate were fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.

BN: The curtains on one shoulder of the gate were fifteen cubits in length, with three rods and three sockets.


KATEPH: Is really a shoulder, not a side. Which part of the gate might that be? To which the answer is: that depends what type of gate you build. And we are not given sufficient information to know that. My assumption is that gates are basically two-dimensional when closed, but that they create a virtual three-dimensional space when they open, and that it was this area that also needed to be curtained off, to maintain the separation of the sacred from the profane.


38:15 VE LA KATEPH HA SHENIT MI ZEH U MI ZEH LE SHA'AR HE CHATSER KELA'IM CHAMESH ESREY AMAH AMUDEYHEM SHELOSHAH VE ADNEYHEM SHELOSHAH

וְלַכָּתֵף הַשֵּׁנִית מִזֶּה וּמִזֶּה לְשַׁעַר הֶחָצֵר קְלָעִים חֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה אַמָּה עַמֻּדֵיהֶם שְׁלֹשָׁה וְאַדְנֵיהֶם שְׁלֹשָׁה

KJ: And for the other side of the court gate, on this hand and that hand, were hangings of fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.

BN: Likewise for the other shoulder; on this side, as on that side of the gate of the courtyard, there were fifteen cubits of curtain, with three rods and three sockets.


KATEPH HA SHENIT...MI ZEH U MI ZEH: "The other shoulder... this side... that side" seems to indicate that the gate could swing both inwards and outwards, and therefore there was a need for curtaining on both sides.


38:16 KOL KAL'EY HE CHATSER SAVIV SHESH MASHZAR

כָּל קַלְעֵי הֶחָצֵר סָבִיב שֵׁשׁ מָשְׁזָר

KJ: All the hangings of the court round about were of fine twined linen.

BN: Every curtain draped throughout the courtyard was made of fine twined linen.


38:17 VE HA ADANIM LA AMUDIM NECHOSHET VAVEY HA AMUDIM VE CHASHUKEYHEM KESEPH VE TSIPU'I RA'SHEYHEM KASEPH VE HEM MECHUSHAKIM KESEPH KOL AMUDEY HE CHATSER

וְהָאֲדָנִים לָעַמֻּדִים נְחֹשֶׁת וָוֵי הָעַמּוּדִים וַחֲשׁוּקֵיהֶם כֶּסֶף וְצִפּוּי רָאשֵׁיהֶם כָּסֶף וְהֵם מְחֻשָּׁקִים כֶּסֶף כֹּל עַמֻּדֵי הֶחָצֵר

KJ: And the sockets for the pillars were of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver; and the overlaying of their chapiters ofsilver; and all the pillars of the court were filleted with silver.

BN: And the sockets for the rods were made of brass; the hooks for the rods and their fillets were made of silver, as was the overlay for their capitals, and all the rods for the courtyard were filleted with silver.



maphtir


38:18 U MASACH SHA'AR HE CHATSER MA'ASEH ROKEM TECHELET VE ARGAMAN VE TOLA'AT SHANI VE SHESH MASHZAR VE ESRIM AMAH ORECH VE KOMAH VE ROCHAV CHAMESH AMOT LE'UMAT KAL'EY HE CHATSER

וּמָסַךְ שַׁעַר הֶחָצֵר מַעֲשֵׂה רֹקֵם תְּכֵלֶת וְאַרְגָּמָן וְתוֹלַעַת שָׁנִי וְשֵׁשׁ מָשְׁזָר וְעֶשְׂרִים אַמָּה אֹרֶךְ וְקוֹמָה בְרֹחַב חָמֵשׁ אַמּוֹת לְעֻמַּת קַלְעֵי הֶחָצֵר

KJ: And the hanging for the gate of the court was needlework, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: and twenty cubits was the length, and the height in the breadth was five cubits, answerable to the hangings of the court.

BN: And the screen for the gate into the courtyard was the work of the weaver, in colours of blue and purple and scarlet and fine twined linen; twenty cubits in length, five cubits wide at its highest point, where it overlapped with the curtains in the courtyard.


AMAH ORECH VE KOMAH: How does something have height in its breadth? I assume by being circular or oval or elliptical in shape, and therefore the "height" is really "the high point", the screen's apogee. What we cannot tell from this is whether the flat part was at the top or the bottom, the round part ditto. Given the relative sizes, it seems unlikely that the rounded part would be below and the flat above, but this is pure surmise.


38:19 VE AMUDEYHEM ARBA'AH VE ADNEYHEM ARBA'AH NECHOSHET VAVEYHEM KESEPH VE TSIPU'IY RA'SHEYHEM VE CHASHUKEYHEM KASEPH

וְעַמֻּדֵיהֶם אַרְבָּעָה וְאַדְנֵיהֶם אַרְבָּעָה נְחֹשֶׁת וָוֵיהֶם כֶּסֶף וְצִפּוּי רָאשֵׁיהֶם וַחֲשֻׁקֵיהֶם כָּסֶף

KJ: And their pillars were four, and their sockets of brass four; their hooks of silver, and the overlaying of their chapiters and their fillets of silver.

BN: And they had four rods, and four sockets, made of brass; their hooks were of silver, and the overlay for their capitals and fillets was of silver.


38:20 VE CHOL HA YETEDOT LA MISHKAN VE LE CHATSER SAVIV NECHOSHET

וְכָל הַיְתֵדֹת לַמִּשְׁכָּן וְלֶחָצֵר סָבִיב נְחֹשֶׁת

KJ: And all the pins of the tabernacle, and of the court round about, were of brass.

BN: And all the pins for the Mishkan, and for the circumference of the courtyard, were made of brass.


MISHKAN: I have an issue with the King James; see verse 8, where "tabernacle" is used, but the Yehudit gives OHEL MO'ED, which is the "Tent of Meeting"; but here, where "tabernacle" is again used, the Yehudit gives MISHKAN - for a complete design-plan, and an explanation of the difference, click here.

This is the end of the sedra in the Yehudit version; chapter 38 in the Christian version continues into the next sedra.




Exodus: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13a 13b 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30a 30b 31 32 33 34 36 37 38a 38b 39 40



Copyright © 2020 David Prashker
All rights reserved
The Argaman Press

Exodus 37:1-29

Exodus: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13a 13b 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30a 30b 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38a 38b 39 40



37:1 VA YA'AS BETSAL-EL ET HA ARON ATSEY SHITIM AMATAYIM VA CHETSI ARKO VE AMAH VA CHETSI RACHBO VE AMAH VA CHETSI KOMATO

וַיַּעַשׂ בְּצַלְאֵל אֶת הָאָרֹן עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים אַמָּתַיִם וָחֵצִי אָרְכּוֹ וְאַמָּה וָחֵצִי רָחְבּוֹ וְאַמָּה וָחֵצִי קֹמָתוֹ

KJ: And Bezaleel made the ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half was the length of it, and a cubit and a half the breadth of it, and a cubit and a half the height of it:

BN: And Betsal-El made the ark of acacia-wood, two and a half cubits long, one and a half cubits wide, and one and a half cubits high.


2.5 cubits = 43.75 inches - a little under four foot feet
1.5 cubits = 26.25 inches- a little over two feet
click here for more detail

So a very tiny, albeit a very ornate, box. Large enough to store two tablets of stone containing the Ten Commandments, but no chance of any other stones for any other commandments. Yet Mosheh was told to write them all down (and we noted that papyrus was likely to have been lacking, and alphabet even more so); where might he have stored those?


37:2 VA YETSAPEHU ZAHAV TAHOR MI BAYIT U MI CHUTS VA YA'AS LO ZER ZAHAV SAVIV

וַיְצַפֵּהוּ זָהָב טָהוֹר מִבַּיִת וּמִחוּץ וַיַּעַשׂ לוֹ זֵר זָהָב סָבִיב

KJ: And he overlaid it with pure gold within and without, and made a crown of gold to it round about.

BN: And he overlaid it with pure gold, inside and out, and he made a crown of gold to go around it.


37:3 VA YITSOK LO ARBA TAB'OT ZAHAV AL ARBA PA'AMOTAV U SHETEY TABA'OT AL TSAL'O HA ECHAT U SHETEY TABA'OT AL TSAL'O HA SHENIT

וַיִּצֹק לוֹ אַרְבַּע טַבְּעֹת זָהָב עַל אַרְבַּע פַּעֲמֹתָיו וּשְׁתֵּי טַבָּעֹת עַל צַלְעוֹ הָאֶחָת וּשְׁתֵּי טַבָּעֹת עַל צַלְעוֹ הַשֵּׁנִית

KJ: And he cast for it four rings of gold, to be set by the four corners of it; even two rings upon the one side of it, and two rings upon the other side of it.

BN: And he cast four rings of gold for it, one for each of the four feet: two rings on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it.


Once again we have TAB'OT and then TABA'OT, both apparently with the identical meaning

PA'AMOTAV: Pa'amot are usually drums, but here they are feet. A nice piece of etymology this - the root, PA'AM, gives the idea of "striking" or "beating",which one does with a drum, and also with one's bare feet when walking on wood, or running on any surface. So the root develops in both directions.

HA SHENIT: Why does the writer sometimes say HA ECHAT (or ACHAT)... HA ECHAT (or ACHAT), for 'this one... the other one', but here, and elsewhere, HA ECHAT ... HA SHENIT? Is it just a desire to vary the language, which good writing should? Or is there some subtle difference of meaning that I am missing (and all the translators I have looked at as well - which is dozens)?


37:4 VA YA'AS BADEY ATSEY SHITIM VA YETSAPH OTAM ZAHAV

וַיַּעַשׂ בַּדֵּי עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים וַיְצַף אֹתָם זָהָב

KJ: And he made staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold.

BN: And he made staves of acacia-wood, and overlaid them with gold.


37:5 VA YAV'E ET HA BADIM BA TABA'OT AL TSAL'OT HA ARON LASET ET HA ARON

וַיָּבֵא אֶת הַבַּדִּים בַּטַּבָּעֹת עַל צַלְעֹת הָאָרֹן לָשֵׂאת אֶת הָאָרֹן

KJ: And he put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, to bear the ark.

BN: And he put the staves into the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry the ark.


37:6 VA YA'AS KAPORET ZAHAV TAHOR AMATAYIM VA CHETSIY ARKAH VE AMAH VA CHETSIY RACHBAH

וַיַּעַשׂ כַּפֹּרֶת זָהָב טָהוֹר אַמָּתַיִם וָחֵצִי אָרְכָּהּ וְאַמָּה וָחֵצִי רָחְבָּהּ

KJ: And he made the mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half was the length thereof, and one cubit and a half the breadth thereof.

BN: And he made an ark-cover of pure gold, two and a half cubits long, and a cubit and a half wide.


Which is precisely the size of the box, no overlap (see verse 1).


37:7 VA YA'AS SHENEY CHERUVIM ZAHAV MIKSHAH ASAH OTAM MI SHENEY KETSOT HA KAPORET

וַיַּעַשׂ שְׁנֵי כְרֻבִים זָהָב מִקְשָׁה עָשָׂה אֹתָם מִשְּׁנֵי קְצוֹת הַכַּפֹּרֶת

KJ: And he made two cherubims of gold, beaten out of one piece made he them, on the two ends of the mercy seat;

BN: And he made two gold keruvim; of wrought brass he made them, and set them at the two ends of the ark-cover.


KERUVIM: See the link.


37:8 KERUV ECHAD MI KATSAH MI ZEH U CHERUV ECHAD MI KATSAH MI ZEH MIN HA KAPORET ASAH ET HA KERUVIM MI SHENEY KETSOTAV

כְּרוּב אֶחָד מִקָּצָה מִזֶּה וּכְרוּב אֶחָד מִקָּצָה מִזֶּה מִן הַכַּפֹּרֶת עָשָׂה אֶת הַכְּרֻבִים מִשְּׁנֵי קְצוֹתָיו

KJ: One cherub on the end on this side, and another cherub on the other end on that side: out of the mercy seat made he the cherubims on the two ends thereof.

BN: One cherub at one end, and one cherub at the other end, the ark-cover and the keruvim at the two ends integrated as a single piece.


KETSOTAV: The Yehudit text is actually קצוותו, with a double Vav in the middle; but most Jewish editions, even Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox Jewish editions, "correct" it to a single Vav (rather than offering the alternative in brackets, as they often do), though I do believe that questioning the validity and accuracy of a text written by the finger of Elohim is an act of apostasy and blasphemy and heresy and disrespect for which instant excommunication (both cherem and nichretah) should be the automatic minimal punishment!


37:9 VA YEHEYU HA KERUVIM PORSHEY CHENAPHAYIM LEMA'LAH SOCH'CHIM BE CHANPHEYHEM AL HA KAPORET U PHENEYHEM ISH EL ACHAV EL HA KAPORET HAYU PENEY HA KERUVIM

וַיִּהְיוּ הַכְּרֻבִים פֹּרְשֵׂי כְנָפַיִם לְמַעְלָה סֹכְכִים בְּכַנְפֵיהֶם עַל הַכַּפֹּרֶת וּפְנֵיהֶם אִישׁ אֶל אָחִיו אֶל הַכַּפֹּרֶת הָיוּ פְּנֵי הַכְּרֻבִים

KJ: And the cherubims spread out their wings on high, and covered with their wings over the mercy seat, with their faces one to another; even to the mercy seatward were the faces of the cherubims.

BN: And the Keruvim spread out their wings on high, screening the ark-cover with their wings, with their faces one to another, pointed in the direction of the ark-cover.


Which, you have to admit, sounds like the most gorgeous piece of art-work. Has anyone ever tried to make a copy of it? (Internet-surf that, and you will find literally dozens of attempts, most of them fantasising angels as add-ons, most of them stuck with the mediaeval Christian fallacy of "cherubs", which is to say little babies in diapers with grown-up faces. One at least has invented a version of No'ach's Ark, and mounted it on the roof of the box. Several very abstract-modernist imaginings, nothing much to do with the detailed instruction given here, but beautiful nonetheless.



37:10 VA-YA'AS ET HA SHULCHAN ATSEY SHITIM AMATAYIM ARKO VE AMAH RACHBO VE AMAH VA CHETSIY KOMATO

וַיַּעַשׂ אֶת הַשֻּׁלְחָן עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים אַמָּתַיִם אָרְכּוֹ וְאַמָּה רָחְבּוֹ וְאַמָּה וָחֵצִי קֹמָתוֹ

KJ: And he made the table of shittim wood: two cubits was the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof:

BN: And he made the table of acacia-wood, two cubits long, a cubit wide, and a cubit and a half high.


37:11 VA YETSAPH OTO ZAHAV TAHOR VA YA'AS LO ZER ZAHAV SAVIV

וַיְצַף אֹתוֹ זָהָב טָהוֹר וַיַּעַשׂ לוֹ זֵר זָהָב סָבִיב

KJ: And he overlaid it with pure gold, and made thereunto a crown of gold round about.

BN: And he overlaid it with pure gold, and and he made a crown of gold to go around it.


37:12 VA YA'AS LO MISGERET TOPACH SAVIV VA YA'AS ZER ZAHAV LE MISGARTO SAVIV

וַיַּעַשׂ לוֹ מִסְגֶּרֶת טֹפַח סָבִיב וַיַּעַשׂ זֵר זָהָב לְמִסְגַּרְתּוֹ סָבִיב

KJ: Also he made thereunto a border of an handbreadth round about; and made a crown of gold for the border thereof round about.

BN: And he made a border, one hand-breadth around it, with a golden crown all around the border.


37:13 VA YITSOK LO ARBA TAB'OT ZAHAV VA YITEN ET HA TABA'OT AL ARBA HA PE'OT ASHER LE ARBA RAGLAV

וַיִּצֹק לוֹ אַרְבַּע טַבְּעֹת זָהָב וַיִּתֵּן אֶת הַטַּבָּעֹת עַל אַרְבַּע הַפֵּאֹת אֲשֶׁר לְאַרְבַּע רַגְלָיו

KJ: And he cast for it four rings of gold, and put the rings upon the four corners that were in the four feet thereof.

BN: And he cast for it four rings of gold, and set the rings in the four corners, one on each on its four feet.


see my note to verse 3, above


37:14 LE UMAT HA MISGERET HAYU HA TABA'OT BATIM LAVADIM LAS'ET ET HA SHULCHAN

לְעֻמַּת הַמִּסְגֶּרֶת הָיוּ הַטַּבָּעֹת בָּתִּים לַבַּדִּים לָשֵׂאת אֶת הַשֻּׁלְחָן

KJ: Over against the border were the rings, the places for the staves to bear the table.

BN: Close to the edge were the rings, the holders for the staves to carry the table.


37:15 VA YA'AS ET HA BADIM ATSEY SHITIM VA YETSAPH OTAM ZAHAV LAS'ET ET HA SHULCHAN

וַיַּעַשׂ אֶת הַבַּדִּים עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים וַיְצַף אֹתָם זָהָב לָשֵׂאת אֶת הַשֻּׁלְחָן

KJ: And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold, to bear the table.

BN: And he made the staves of acacia-wood, and overlaid them with gold, to carry the table.


37:16 VA YA'AS ET HA KELIM ASHER AL HA SHULCHAN ET KE'AROTAV VE ET KAPOTAV VE ET MENAKIYOTAV VE ET HA KESAVOT ASHER YUSACH BAHEN ZAHAV TAHOR

וַיַּעַשׂ אֶת הַכֵּלִים אֲשֶׁר עַל הַשֻּׁלְחָן אֶת קְעָרֹתָיו וְאֶת כַּפֹּתָיו וְאֵת מְנַקִּיֹּתָיו וְאֶת הַקְּשָׂו‍ֹת אֲשֶׁר יֻסַּךְ בָּהֵן זָהָב טָהוֹר

KJ: And he made the vessels which were upon the table, his dishes, and his spoons, and his bowls, and his covers to cover withal, of pure gold.

BN: And he made the utensils that were on the table of pure gold - its dishes, its pans, its bowls and its pouring-jars.


pey break; end of 5th fragment


37:17 VA YA'AS ET HA MENORAH ZAHAV TAHOR MIKSHAH ASAH ET HA MENORAH YERECHA VE KANAH GEVIY'EYHA KAPHTOREYHA U PHERACHEYHA MIMENA HAYU

וַיַּעַשׂ אֶת הַמְּנֹרָה זָהָב טָהוֹר מִקְשָׁה עָשָׂה אֶת הַמְּנֹרָה יְרֵכָהּ וְקָנָהּ גְּבִיעֶיהָ כַּפְתֹּרֶיהָ וּפְרָחֶיהָ מִמֶּנָּה הָיוּ

KJ: And he made the candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work made he the candlestick; his shaft, and his branch, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, were of the same:

BN: And he made the Menorah of pure gold: of beaten work he made the Menorah, including its base and its shaft; its cups, knops and flowers were integrated as a single piece.


37:18 VE SHISHAH KANIM YOTS'IM MI TSIDEYHA SHELOSHA KENEY MENORAH MI TSADAH HA ECHAD U SHELOSHA KENEY MENORAH MI TSADAH HA SHENI

וְשִׁשָּׁה קָנִים יֹצְאִים מִצִּדֶּיהָ שְׁלֹשָׁה קְנֵי מְנֹרָה מִצִּדָּהּ הָאֶחָד וּשְׁלֹשָׁה קְנֵי מְנֹרָה מִצִּדָּהּ הַשֵּׁנִי

KJ: And six branches going out of the sides thereof; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side thereof, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side thereof:

BN: And there were six branches going out of each side: three branches of the Menorah out of one side, and three branches of the Menorah out of the other side.


The seventh, the central candle, being the extension of the main shaft.


37:19 SHELOSHAH GEVI'IM MESHUKADIM BA KANEH HA ECHAD KAPHTOR VA PHERACH U SHELOSHA GEVI'IM MESHUKADIM BE KANEH ECHAD KAPHTOR VA PHARACH KEN LE SHESHET HA KANIM HA YOTS'IM MIN HA MENORAH

שְׁלֹשָׁה גְבִעִים מְשֻׁקָּדִים בַּקָּנֶה הָאֶחָד כַּפְתֹּר וָפֶרַח וּשְׁלֹשָׁה גְבִעִים מְשֻׁקָּדִים בְּקָנֶה אֶחָד כַּפְתֹּר וָפָרַח כֵּן לְשֵׁשֶׁת הַקָּנִים הַיֹּצְאִים מִן הַמְּנֹרָה

KJ: Three bowls made after the fashion of almonds in one branch, a knop and a flower; and three bowls made like almonds in another branch, a knop and a flower: so throughout the six branches going out of the candlestick.

BN: Three cups were made on one branch, in the shape of almond-blossoms, a knop and a flower; and three cups were made on the other branch, , in the shape of almond-blossoms, a knop and a flower. Thus for the six branches that came out of the Menorah.


37:20 U VA MENORAH ARBA'AH GEVI'IM MESHUKADIM KAPHTOREYHA U PHERACHEYHA

וּבַמְּנֹרָה אַרְבָּעָה גְבִעִים מְשֻׁקָּדִים כַּפְתֹּרֶיהָ וּפְרָחֶיהָ

KJ: And in the candlestick were four bowls made like almonds, his knops, and his flowers:

BN: And on the Menorah itself four cups in the shape of almond-blossoms, with their knops and flowers.


37:21 VE CHAPHTOR TACHAT SHENEY HA KANIM MIMENAH VE CHAPHTOR TACHAT SHENEY HA KANIM MIMENAH VE CHAPHTOR TACHAT SHENEY HA KANIM MIMENAH LE SHESHET HA KANIM HA YOTSIM MIMENAH

וְכַפְתֹּר תַּחַת שְׁנֵי הַקָּנִים מִמֶּנָּה וְכַפְתֹּר תַּחַת שְׁנֵי הַקָּנִים מִמֶּנָּה וְכַפְתֹּר תַּחַת שְׁנֵי הַקָּנִים מִמֶּנָּה לְשֵׁשֶׁת הַקָּנִים הַיֹּצְאִים מִמֶּנָּה

KJ: And a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches going out of it.

BN: And a knop under two of its branches, integrated as a single piece, and a knop under the next two branches, integrated as a single piece, and a knop under the third pair of branches, integrated as a single piece. Thus for the six branches coming out of it.


That is a really bizarrely long-windedly unnecessarily repetitive way of saying it.


37:22 KAPHTOREYHEM U KENOTAM MIMENAH HAYU KULAH MIKSHAH ACHAT ZAHAV TAHOR

כַּפְתֹּרֵיהֶם וּקְנֹתָם מִמֶּנָּה הָיוּ כֻּלָּהּ מִקְשָׁה אַחַת זָהָב טָהוֹר

KJ: Their knops and their branches were of the same: all of it was one beaten work of pure gold.

BN: Their knops and their branches were likewise integrated as a single piece; the whole of it was a single piece of wrought work, made of pure gold.


Magnificent, again! Rococo masterpieces from the reign of Louis XIV, faience gems from the epoch of the Sforzas and the Medici, gold boxes made by ex-slaves in the waterless desert. It can be done!


37:23 VA YA'AS ET NEROTEYHA SHIV'AH U MALKACHEYHA U MACHTOTEYHA ZAHAV TAHOR

וַיַּעַשׂ אֶת נֵרֹתֶיהָ שִׁבְעָה וּמַלְקָחֶיהָ וּמַחְתֹּתֶיהָ זָהָב טָהוֹר

KJ: And he made his seven lamps, and his snuffers, and his snuffdishes, of pure gold.

BN: And he made seven lamps for it, and its tongs, and its snuff-dishes, all of pure gold.


Lamps presumably meaning candle-holders, rather than anything more ornamental that might require what would not be invented for another three and a half thousand years: the light-bulb.


37:24 KIKAR ZAHAV TAHOR ASAH OTAH VE ET KOL KELEYHA

כִּכָּר זָהָב טָהוֹר עָשָׂה אֹתָהּ וְאֵת כָּל כֵּלֶיהָ

KJ: Of a talent of pure gold made he it, and all the vessels thereof.

BN: Of a talent of pure gold made he it, and all the vessels thereof. 


Again so much gold - and pure gold at that - is simply implausible from these refugee slaves. About 30 kilograms - more detail here (same link as v1)

pey break


37:25 VA YA'AS ET MIZBACH HA KETORET ATSEY SHITIM AMAH ARKO VE AMAH RACHBO RAVU'A VE AMATAYIM KOMATO MIMENAH HAYU KARNOTAV

וַיַּעַשׂ אֶת מִזְבַּח הַקְּטֹרֶת עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים אַמָּה אָרְכּוֹ וְאַמָּה רָחְבּוֹ רָבוּעַ וְאַמָּתַיִם קֹמָתוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ הָיוּ קַרְנֹתָיו

KJ: And he made the incense altar of shittim wood: the length of it was a cubit, and the breadth of it a cubit; it was foursquare; and two cubits was the height of it; the horns thereof were of the same.

BN: And he made the incense-altar of acacia-wood: a cubit long, a cubit wide, four-square, and two cubits high; the horns were integrated with it to make a single piece.


37:26 VA YETSAPH OTO ZAHAV TAHOR ET GAGO VE ET KIYROTAV SAVIV VE ET KARNOTAV VA YA'AS LO ZER ZAHAV TAHOR

וַיְצַף אֹתוֹ זָהָב טָהוֹר אֶת גַּגּוֹ וְאֶת קִירֹתָיו סָבִיב וְאֶת קַרְנֹתָיו וַיַּעַשׂ לוֹ זֵר זָהָב סָבִיב

KJ: And he overlaid it with pure gold, both the top of it, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns of it: also he made unto it a crown of gold round about.

BN: And he overlaid it with pure gold, its top, its sides, all around, and its horns; and he made a crown of gold to go around it.


37:27 U SHETEY TAB'OT ZAHAV ASAH LO MI TACHAT LE ZERO AL SHETEY TSAL'OTAV AL SHENEY TSIDAV LE VATIM LE VADIM LA'SET OTO BA HEM

וּשְׁתֵּי טַבְּעֹת זָהָב עָשָׂה לוֹ מִתַּחַת לְזֵרוֹ עַל שְׁתֵּי צַלְעֹתָיו עַל שְׁנֵי צִדָּיו לְבָתִּים לְבַדִּים לָשֵׂאת אֹתוֹ בָּהֶם

KJ: And he made two rings of gold for it under the crown thereof, by the two corners of it, upon the two sides thereof, to be places for the staves to bear it withal.

BN: And he made two golden rings for it, underneath its crown, on its two ribs, on both sides of it, as holders for the staves with which it was to be carried.


37:28 VA YA'AS ET HA BADIM ATSEY SHITIM VA YETSAPH OTAM ZAHAV

וַיַּעַשׂ אֶת הַבַּדִּים עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים וַיְצַף אֹתָם זָהָב

KJ: And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold.

BN: And he made the staves of acacia-wood, and overlaid them with gold.


37:29 VA YA'AS ET SHEMEN HA MISHCHAH KODESH VE ET KETORET HA SAMIM TAHOR MA'ASEH ROK'E'ACH

וַיַּעַשׂ אֶת שֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה קֹדֶשׁ וְאֶת קְטֹרֶת הַסַּמִּים טָהוֹר מַעֲשֵׂה רֹקֵחַ

KJ: And he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure incense of sweet spices, according to the work of the apothecary.

BN: And he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure incense of sweet spices, after the art of the perfumer.


samech break; end of sixth fragment; end of chapter 37.





Surf The SiteExodus: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13a 13b 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30a 30b 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38a 38b 39 40



Copyright © 2020 David Prashker
All rights reserved
The Argaman Press