Exodus Chapter 27 — The Altar and the Court
God provides specific instructions for building the bronze altar and the surrounding courtyard of the tabernacle, as well as the requirement for pure olive oil.
1“You shall make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits*A cubit is the length from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow on a man’s arm, or about 18 inches or 46 centimeters. long, and five cubits wide. The altar shall be square. Its height shall be three cubits.†The altar was to be about 2.3×2.3×1.4 meters or about 7½×7½×4½ feet.
2You shall make its horns on its four corners. Its horns shall be of one piece with it. You shall overlay it with bronze.
3You shall make its pots to take away its ashes; and its shovels, its basins, its meat hooks, and its fire pans. You shall make all its vessels of bronze.
4You shall make a grating for it of network of bronze. On the net you shall make four bronze rings in its four corners.
5You shall put it under the ledge around the altar beneath, that the net may reach halfway up the altar.
6You shall make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with bronze.
7Its poles shall be put into the rings, and the poles shall be on the two sides of the altar when carrying it.
8You shall make it hollow with planks. They shall make it as it has been shown you on the mountain.
9“You shall make the court of the tabernacle: for the south side southward there shall be hangings for the court of fine twined linen one hundred cubits long for one side.
10Its pillars shall be twenty, and their sockets twenty, of bronze. The hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver.
11Likewise for the length of the north side, there shall be hangings one hundred cubits long, and its pillars twenty, and their sockets twenty, of bronze; the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets, of silver.
12For the width of the court on the west side shall be hangings of fifty cubits; their pillars ten, and their sockets ten.
13The width of the court on the east side eastward shall be fifty cubits.
14The hangings for the one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.
15For the other side shall be hangings of fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.
16For the gate of the court shall be a screen of twenty cubits, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of the embroiderer; their pillars four, and their sockets four.
17All the pillars of the court around shall be filleted with silver; their hooks of silver, and their sockets of bronze.
18The length of the court shall be one hundred cubits, and the width fifty throughout, and the height five cubits, of fine twined linen, and their sockets of bronze.
19All the instruments of the tabernacle in all its service, and all its pins, and all the pins of the court, shall be of bronze.
20“You shall command the children of Israel, that they bring to you pure olive oil beaten for the light, to cause a lamp to burn continually.
21In the Tent of Meeting, outside the veil which is before the covenant, Aaron and his sons shall keep it in order from evening to morning before the LORD: it shall be a statute forever throughout their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel.
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
Exodus 27:1
“You shall make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long, and five cubits wide. The altar shall be square. Its height shall be three cubits.”
This verse specifies the dimensions and materials for the altar where sacrifices were to be made.
Exodus 27:20
“You shall command the children of Israel, that they bring to you pure olive oil beaten for the light, to cause a lamp to burn continually.”
This verse emphasizes the community's responsibility to provide high-quality oil for the sanctuary's light.
Chapter Summary
Exodus Chapter 27 details the design for the outer structures of the tabernacle. It begins with the construction of the bronze altar, made of acacia wood and overlaid with bronze, used for burnt offerings. This square altar featured horns on its four corners and was equipped with bronze utensils and carrying poles. The chapter then describes the courtyard of the tabernacle, which was to be a rectangular area measuring one hundred cubits by fifty cubits. The perimeter was defined by fine linen hangings supported by pillars with bronze sockets and silver hooks. Finally, the chapter concludes with a command for the Israelites to bring pure, beaten olive oil for the lampstand in the Tent of Meeting. Aaron and his sons were responsible for ensuring the lamp burned continually from evening until morning, establishing a permanent statute for the priestly line.
Frequently Asked Questions
The altar was made of acacia wood and overlaid with bronze. It was a square structure equipped with bronze horns and various bronze utensils, such as pots and meat hooks.
The courtyard was one hundred cubits long on the north and south sides and fifty cubits wide on the east and west sides. It was enclosed by linen hangings five cubits high.
The pure beaten olive oil was used to keep the lamp in the Tent of Meeting burning continually. Aaron and his sons were tasked with maintaining it from evening to morning.
Study Note
The use of bronze for the exterior altar and courtyard fixtures, as opposed to gold used in the interior, signifies a gradient of holiness within the tabernacle structure.
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