Exodus 38: The Courtyard and Its Cost
The bronze altar, the basin, and the courtyard are made, and a careful account is given of all the gold, silver, and bronze used in the work.
Exodus 38 (WEB)
1 He made the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood. It was square. Its length was five cubits, its breadth was five cubits, and its height was three cubits.
2 He made its horns on its four corners. Its horns were of one piece with it, and he overlaid it with brass.
3 He made all the vessels of the altar, the pots, the shovels, the basins, the forks, and the fire pans. He made all its vessels of brass.
4 He made for the altar a grating of a network of brass, under the ledge around it beneath, reaching halfway up.
5 He cast four rings for the four ends of brass grating, to be places for the poles.
6 He made the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with brass.
7 He put the poles into the rings on the sides of the altar, with which to carry it. He made it hollow with planks.
8 He made the basin of brass, and its base of brass, out of the mirrors of the ministering women who ministered at the door of the Tent of Meeting.
9 He made the court: for the south side southward the hangings of the court were of fine twined linen, one hundred cubits;
10 their pillars were twenty, and their sockets twenty, of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver.
11 For the north side one hundred cubits, their pillars twenty, and their sockets twenty, of brass; the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets, of silver.
12 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.
13 For the east side eastward fifty cubits.
14 The hangings for the one side were fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three;
15 and so for the other side: on this hand and that hand by the gate of the court were hangings of fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.
16 All the hangings around the court were of fine twined linen.
17 The sockets for the pillars were of brass. The hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver; and the overlaying of their capitals, of silver; and all the pillars of the court were filleted with silver.
18 The screen for the gate of the court was the work of the embroiderer, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen. Twenty cubits was the length, and the height in the breadth was five cubits, like to the hangings of the court.
19 Their pillars were four, and their sockets four, of brass; their hooks of silver, and the overlaying of their capitals, and their fillets, of silver.
20 All the pins of the tabernacle, and around the court, were of brass.
21 This is the amount of material used for the tabernacle, even the Tabernacle of the Testimony, as they were counted, according to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest.
22 Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that Yahweh commanded Moses.
23 With him was Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver, and a skillful workman, and an embroiderer in blue, in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen.
24 All the gold that was used for the work in all the work of the sanctuary, even the gold of the offering, was twenty-nine talents, and seven hundred thirty shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary.
25 The silver of those who were numbered of the congregation was one hundred talents, and one thousand seven hundred seventy-five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:
26 a beka a head, that is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for everyone who passed over to those who were numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred three thousand five hundred fifty men.
27 The one hundred talents of silver were for casting the sockets of the sanctuary, and the sockets of the veil; one hundred sockets for the one hundred talents, a talent for a socket.
28 Of the one thousand seven hundred seventy-five shekels he made hooks for the pillars, overlaid their capitals, and made fillets for them.
29 The brass of the offering was seventy talents, and two thousand four hundred shekels.
30 With this he made the sockets to the door of the Tent of Meeting, the bronze altar, the bronze grating for it, all the vessels of the altar,
31 the sockets around the court, the sockets of the gate of the court, all the pins of the tabernacle, and all the pins around the court.
Exodus 38 (KJV)
1 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.
2 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.
3 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.
4 And he made for the altar a brasen grate of network under the compass thereof beneath unto the midst of it.
5 And he cast four rings for the four ends of the grate of brass, to be places for the staves.
6 And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with brass.
7 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.
8 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.
9 And he made the court: on the south side southward the hangings of the court were of fine twined linen, an hundred cubits:
10 Their pillars were twenty, and their brasen sockets twenty; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver.
11 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.
12 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.
13 And for the east side eastward fifty cubits.
14 The hangings of the one side of the gate were fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.
15 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.
16 All the hangings of the court round about were of fine twined linen.
17 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 of silver; and all the pillars of the court were filleted with silver.
18 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.
19 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.
20 And all the pins of the tabernacle, and of the court round about, were of brass.
21 This is the sum of the tabernacle, even of the tabernacle of testimony, as it was counted, according to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, son to Aaron the priest.
22 And Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the Lord commanded Moses.
23 And with him was Aholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver, and a cunning workman, and an embroiderer in blue, and in purple, and in scarlet, and fine linen.
24 All the gold that was occupied for the work in all the work of the holy place, even the gold of the offering, was twenty and nine talents, and seven hundred and thirty shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary.
25 And the silver of them that were numbered of the congregation was an hundred talents, and a thousand seven hundred and threescore and fifteen shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:
26 A bekah for every man, that is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for every one that went to be numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty men.
27 And of the hundred talents of silver were cast the sockets of the sanctuary, and the sockets of the vail; an hundred sockets of the hundred talents, a talent for a socket.
28 And of the thousand seven hundred seventy and five shekels he made hooks for the pillars, and overlaid their chapiters, and filleted them.
29 And the brass of the offering was seventy talents, and two thousand and four hundred shekels.
30 And therewith he made the sockets to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the brasen altar, and the brasen grate for it, and all the vessels of the altar,
31 And the sockets of the court round about, and the sockets of the court gate, and all the pins of the tabernacle, and all the pins of the court round about.
Exodus 38 (ASV)
1 And he made the altar of burnt-offering of acacia wood: five cubits was the length thereof, and five cubits the breadth thereof, foursquare; and three cubits the height thereof.
2 And he made the horns thereof upon the four corners of it; the horns thereof were of one piece with it: and he overlaid it with brass.
3 And he made all the vessels of the altar, the pots, and the shovels, and the basins, the flesh-hooks, and the firepans: all the vessels thereof made he of brass.
4 And he made for the altar a grating of network of brass, under the ledge round it beneath, reaching halfway up.
5 And he cast four rings for the four ends of the grating of brass, to be places for the staves.
6 And he made the staves of acacia wood, and overlaid them with brass.
7 And he put the staves into the rings on the sides of the altar, wherewith to bear it; he made it hollow with planks.
8 And he made the laver of brass, and the base thereof of brass, of the mirrors of the ministering women that ministered at the door of the tent of meeting.
9 And he made the court: for the south side southward the hangings of the court were of fine twined linen, a hundred cubits;
10 their pillars were twenty, and their sockets twenty, of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver.
11 And for the north side a hundred cubits, their pillars twenty, and their sockets twenty, of brass; the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets, of silver.
12 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.
13 And for the east side eastward fifty cubits.
14 The hangings for the one side of the gate were fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three;
15 and so for the other side: on this hand and that hand by the gate of the court were hangings of fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.
16 All the hangings of the court round about were of fine twined linen.
17 And the sockets for the pillars were of brass; the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets, of silver; and the overlaying of their capitals, of silver; and all the pillars of the court were filleted with silver.
18 And the screen for the gate of the court was the work of the embroiderer, 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.
19 And their pillars were four, and their sockets four, of brass; their hooks of silver, and the overlaying of their capitals, and their fillets, of silver.
20 And all the pins of the tabernacle, and of the court round about, were of brass.
21 This is the sum of the things for the tabernacle, even the tabernacle of the testimony, as they were counted, according to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest.
22 And Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that Jehovah commanded Moses.
23 And with him was Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver, and a skilful workman, and an embroiderer in blue, and in purple, and in scarlet, and in fine linen.
24 All the gold that was used for the work in all the work of the sanctuary, even the gold of the offering, was twenty and nine talents, and seven hundred and thirty shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary.
25 And the silver of them that were numbered of the congregation was a hundred talents, and a thousand seven hundred and threescore and fifteen shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:
26 a beka a head, that is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for every one that passed over to them that were numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty men.
27 And the hundred talents of silver were for casting the sockets of the sanctuary, and the sockets of the veil; a hundred sockets for the hundred talents, a talent for a socket.
28 And of the thousand seven hundred seventy and five shekels he made hooks for the pillars, and overlaid their capitals, and made fillets for them.
29 And the brass of the offering was seventy talents, and two thousand and four hundred shekels.
30 And therewith he made the sockets to the door of the tent of meeting, and the brazen altar, and the brazen grating for it, and all the vessels of the altar,
31 and the sockets of the court round about, and the sockets of the gate of the court, and all the pins of the tabernacle, and all the pins of the court round about.
Summary
The work continues outward from the holy place to the courtyard where sacrifice and washing take place. Bezalel makes the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood overlaid with bronze, square with horns at its corners, fitted with a bronze grating, vessels, and poles. He makes the bronze basin and its base from the mirrors of the ministering women who served at the door of the Tent of Meeting—an offering of something precious and personal. He then constructs the courtyard, with hangings of fine twined linen supported by bronze pillars in bronze sockets, fitted with silver hooks and bands, and a beautifully embroidered screen of blue, purple, and scarlet for the gate. The chapter closes with a careful inventory of all the materials used, recorded by the hand of Ithamar son of Aaron: nearly twenty-nine talents of gold from the freewill offering, a hundred talents and more of silver from the atonement money of those who were numbered, and seventy talents of bronze. The silver is used to cast the sockets that hold up the sanctuary, and the bronze for the altar, basin, and courtyard fittings. This open accounting of every contribution honors both the people's generosity and the seriousness of stewardship in God's work.
Main Characters
- Bezalel — The chief craftsman, of the tribe of Judah, who makes the bronze altar, the basin, and the courtyard as the Lord commanded Moses.
- Oholiab — The skilled engraver and embroiderer of the tribe of Dan who works alongside Bezalel on the sanctuary.
- The ministering women — The women who served at the door of the Tent of Meeting and gave their bronze mirrors to make the basin.
- Ithamar — The son of Aaron the priest under whose oversight the careful accounting of the materials is recorded.
Key Verse
Exodus 38:22 (WEB)
Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that Yahweh commanded Moses.
Lessons Learned
- Faithful work is marked by careful obedience: Bezalel made all that the Lord commanded Moses.
- God receives even our most personal treasures, like the women's mirrors, and uses them for his glory.
- The bronze altar and basin remind us that approach to God requires both atonement and cleansing.
- Honest, transparent accounting honors the people's generosity and the trust placed in God's servants.
- Obedience does exactly what God commands. Bezalel "made all that Yahweh commanded Moses" (Exodus 38:22, WEB). Faithful service follows God's word precisely, not selectively.
- God uses what we surrender to him. The basin was made "out of the mirrors of the ministering women" (Exodus 38:8, WEB). The Lord takes our treasured possessions and turns them to holy use.
- Approach to God means atonement and cleansing. The bronze altar and the basin (Exodus 38:1-8, WEB) stand in the court, where sacrifice and washing prepare worshipers to draw near to a holy God.
- Stewardship is to be transparent. Every talent of gold, silver, and bronze is counted and recorded (Exodus 38:24-31, WEB). Handling God's resources calls for honesty and open accounting.
- What does the repeated phrase that Bezalel "made all that Yahweh commanded Moses" emphasize about the work?
- What is striking about the basin being made from the mirrors of the ministering women?
- Why do the bronze altar and basin stand in the courtyard, between the worshiper and the holy place?
- Why does the chapter carefully record the amounts of gold, silver, and bronze that were used?
- What treasured or personal thing might God be inviting you to surrender for his use?
- The summary statement (38:22) stresses obedient fidelity—the work matched God's command exactly. It honors craftsmen who served not by their own designs but by submitting to God's revealed pattern, a model of humble, careful obedience in any work done for the Lord.
- The women give up their bronze mirrors—objects of personal vanity and daily use—to make the basin where priests are cleansed (38:8). God receives what is precious and personal and consecrates it. Reflect on what it means to lay our treasured things on the altar.
- Worshipers first meet the altar of sacrifice and then the basin of washing before entering God's presence (38:1-8). Together they teach that we come to God through atonement and cleansing—needs ultimately met in Christ's once-for-all sacrifice and his washing of his people.
- The detailed inventory (38:24-31) reflects integrity and accountability in handling the people's offerings. It honors their generosity and guards the leaders' trustworthiness, modeling the transparency that should mark all stewardship of God's resources.
- This is a personal-application question. Gently invite members to consider possessions or comforts they hold tightly that could be offered to God. As leader, frame surrender as joyful trust, recalling how God transforms what we give into something that serves his purposes.