To Workers For Jesus Online Bible Study Table of Contents

About this Bible Study........The King James Version of the Bible is written in a beautiful form of the English language. It can be hard for modern English readers to understand.  In this study, you will find notes and summaries in brown just above the the verses from the Bible. We recommend that you read the notes and summaries first, and then read the verses in their KJV form. 


The book of Exodus was written by Moses.  The word "exodus" means to "go out" or "leave".  This book is about the Israelites leaving Egypt and going back to Canaan. Exodus begins about 350 after Joseph died.  The date that the Israelites leave Egypt is about  1445 B.C. (1, 445 years before Jesus Christ was born).


Exodus 29-31
God gives Moses instructions for making Aaron and his sons the priests.
God gives instructions for the Sabbath.
God gives instructions for offerings.

Exodus 29

Aaron and his sons become priests

God told the Israelites to have a special ceremony. The ceremony would make Aaron and his sons the priests. They should bring sacrifices to the ceremony.  They should bring these-- a young bull and two perfect male sheep. They should also bring 3 kinds of flat bread with no yeast--some loaves, some cakes that have olive oil in them, and some thin bread with oil on them.
[1] And this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them to hallow them, to minister unto me in the priest's office: Take one young bullock, and two rams without blemish,
[2] And unleavened bread, and cakes unleavened tempered with oil, and wafers unleavened anointed with oil: of wheaten flour shalt thou make them.

They should put all of the bread into one basket.  They should carry the basket of bread and the bull and the rams (male sheep). 
[3] And thou shalt put them into one basket, and bring them in the basket, with the bullock and the two rams.

Aaron and his sons should go to the door of the tabernacle. They should wash themselves. Aaron should put on the special clothing--the shirt, the robe, the ephod (vest), the breastplate, the sash, and the turban (hat) with the special gold strip on it. 
[4] And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them with water.
[5] And thou shalt take the garments, and put upon Aaron the coat, and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastplate, and gird him with the curious girdle of the ephod:
[6] And thou shalt put the mitre upon his head, and put the holy crown upon the mitre.

Moses should pour special oil on Aaron's head. This is to anoint him. This shows everyone that God chose him to be the priest.
[7] Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and pour it upon his head, and anoint him.

Then Aaron's sons should put on their special clothes--their special shirts, hats, and sashes.  Moses should make them priests. All of their descendants will be priests, too.
[8] And thou shalt bring his sons, and put coats upon them.
[9] And thou shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and put the bonnets on them: and the priest's office shall be theirs for a perpetual statute: and thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons.

They should bring a bull to the tabernacle. Aaron and his sons should put their hands on the bull. Then they should kill the bull. They should take some of the bull's blood and put it on the horns of the altar. The rest of the blood should be poured on the ground by the bottom of the altar.
[10] And thou shalt cause a bullock to be brought before the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the bullock.
[11] And thou shalt kill the bullock before the LORD, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
[12] And thou shalt take of the blood of the bullock, and put it upon the horns of the altar with thy finger, and pour all the blood beside the bottom of the altar.

They should take some parts of the bull and burn them on the altar. These parts are: the fat that covers the intestines, a part on the top of the liver, two kidneys, and the fat around the kidneys.
[13] And thou shalt take all the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul that is above the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, and burn them upon the altar.

The other parts of the bull should be burned outside the fence of the tabernacle. These parts are: the meat, the skin, and the food that is inside the bull's stomach and intestines.  These parts should be burned as a sin offering.  This offering takes away the sins of the priests. 
[14] But the flesh of the bullock, and his skin, and his dung, shalt thou burn with fire without the camp: it is a sin offering.


There should also be a male sheep--a ram.  Aaron and his sons should put their hands on the ram's head. Then they should kill the ram. They should sprinkle the ram's blood around the altar.
[15] Thou shalt also take one ram; and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the ram.
[16] And thou shalt slay the ram, and thou shalt take his blood, and sprinkle it round about upon the altar.


They should cut up the ram. They should wash the insides and the legs. The should put the insides and the legs on top of the other pieces and the head. They should burn all of the pieces on the altar.  It is a burnt offering.  It will make a smell, and God will like the smell. 
[17] And thou shalt cut the ram in pieces, and wash the inwards of him, and his legs, and put them unto his pieces, and unto his head.
[18] And thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar: it is a burnt offering unto the LORD: it is a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

Then they should take the other ram. Aaron and his sons should put their hands on the ram's head. They should kill the ram. They should take some of the ram's blood and put it on Aaron and his sons.  They should put the blood on the lobes of their right ears, the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet. Putting the blood on them was a symbol. The blood on their ears was a symbol of them hearing the word of God.  The blood on their hands was a symbol of them doing the work of God. The blood on their feet was a symbol of them walking in the way of God.
T
hey should also sprinkle some blood on the sides of the altar.  
[19] And thou shalt take the other ram; and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the ram.
[20] Then shalt thou kill the ram, and take of his blood, and put it upon the tip of the right ear of Aaron, and upon the tip of the right ear of his sons, and upon the thumb of their right hand, and upon the great toe of their right foot, and sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about.

 

Then they should take some of the blood that is on the altar and some of the special oil. They should sprinkle it on Aaron, his clothes, his sons, and his sons' clothes.  Then Aaron and his sons will be dedicated (made special) to do God's work.
[21] And thou shalt take of the blood that is upon the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon the garments of his sons with him: and he shall be hallowed, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons' garments with him.

The ram is part of the special ceremony. They should take parts of the ram:  the fat, the fat tail, the fat that covers the insides, a part on top of the liver, two kidneys, the fat on the kidneys, and the right shoulder. 
[22] Also thou shalt take of the ram the fat and the rump, and the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul above the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, and the right shoulder; for it is a ram of consecration:

They should get one loaf of bread, one cake of bread with oil in it, and one thin piece of bread from the basket of bread. 
[23] And one loaf of bread, and one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer out of the basket of the unleavened bread that is before the LORD:

They should put all of the food into Aaron and his sons' hands.  They should wave the food from side to side to show it to God. 

[24] And thou shalt put all in the hands of Aaron, and in the hands of his sons; and shalt wave them for a wave offering before the LORD.

Then they should burn the food on the altar. It will be a burnt offering that God can smell.
[25] And thou shalt receive them of their hands, and burn them upon the altar for a burnt offering, for a sweet savour before the LORD: it is an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

They should take the breast of the ram and wave it back and forth. A wave offering belongs to God. After they wave it and show that it is for God, they are allowed to eat it. 
[26] And thou shalt take the breast of the ram of Aaron's consecration, and wave it for a wave offering before the LORD: and it shall be thy part.

In the future, when someone sacrifices a ram to make someone a priest or to ask for God's blessing, the breast and the thighs of the offerings may be eaten by the priests. This will be a law forever.
[27] And thou shalt sanctify the breast of the wave offering, and the shoulder of the heave offering, which is waved, and which is heaved up, of the ram of the consecration, even of that which is for Aaron, and of that which is for his sons:
[28] And it shall be Aaron's and his sons' by a statute for ever from the children of Israel: for it is an heave offering: and it shall be an heave offering from the children of Israel of the sacrifice of their peace offerings, even their heave offering unto the LORD.

After Aaron died, his special high priest clothes were supposed be given to his sons. They should wear the special clothes when they become the high priest. When each one becomes the high priest, he should wear the special clothes for  7 days during the special ceremony.
[29] And the holy garments of Aaron shall be his sons' after him, to be anointed therein, and to be consecrated in them.
[30] And that son that is priest in his stead shall put them on seven days, when he cometh into the tabernacle of the congregation to minister in the holy place.

Now, they should take the ram that is part of the special ceremony. They should boil the ram in a holy place. Then Aaron and his sons should eat the meat and the 3 kinds of bread in the basket.  They should eat this by the door of the tabernacle.
[31] And thou shalt take the ram of the consecration, and seethe his flesh in the holy place.
[32] And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

The priests should eat the food used in the ceremony of forgiveness. But no one else is allowed to eat the food.
[33] And they shall eat those things wherewith the atonement was made, to consecrate and to sanctify them: but a stranger shall not eat thereof, because they are holy.

If any of the food is leftover in the morning, it should be burned. It should not be eaten the next day because it is holy food and is special.
[34] And if ought of the flesh of the consecrations, or of the bread, remain unto the morning, then thou shalt burn the remainder with fire: it shall not be eaten, because it is holy.

They should do these special things to ordain (make) the priests. They should follow God's instructions.
[35] And thus shalt thou do unto Aaron, and to his sons, according to all things which I have commanded thee: seven days shalt thou consecrate them.


 

Tabernacle model in Timna Park, Israel
Photo from BiblePlaces.com

Making the altar holy


Every day, they should offer a bull for a sacrifice. This is for atonement (to ask God to forgive their sins). Burning this bull will clean the altar. They should also put olive oil on the altar to make it holy.  They should do this for seven days. That will make the altar holy. If anyone touches the altar, they will be holy, too.
[36] And thou shalt offer every day a bullock for a sin offering for atonement: and thou shalt cleanse the altar, when thou hast made an atonement for it, and thou shalt anoint it, to sanctify it.
[37] Seven days thou shalt make an atonement for the altar, and sanctify it; and it shall be an altar most holy: whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy.





Daily offerings

Every day they should sacrifice two lambs that are a year old.  They should sacrifice one lamb in the morning and one lamb at night. With each lamb, they should also sacrifice two pounds of flour mixed with a quart of pure olive oil.  They should also pour out a quart of wine.  God will smell the sacrifice on the altar, and He will like the smell. 
[38] Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year day by day continually.
[39] The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even:
[40] And with the one lamb a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil; and the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering.
[41] And the other lamb thou shalt offer at even, and shalt do thereto according to the meat offering of the morning, and according to the drink offering thereof, for a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

From that time on, they and their descendants should burn the same sacrifice by the door of the tabernacle. God will meet the Israelites there to talk to them.  God's glory (brightness) will make the tabernacle holy.
[42] This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD: where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee.
[43] And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory.

God will make the tabernacle and the altar holy. He will make Aaron and his sons to be the priests. God will live there with the Israelites. He will be their God.   
[44] And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar: I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest's office.
[45] And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God.

The Israelites will know that God is their Lord. He brought them out of Egypt so that He could live among them.
[46] And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am the LORD their God.


Exodus 30

The altar of incense

 

Tabernacle model in Timna Park, Israel
Photo from BiblePlaces.com



 In the holy place in the tabernacle, they should make another altar. This altar would be smaller than the altar that was outside.  This altar was for burning incense. Incense is something that smells good when it is burned. This altar should be made of shittim wood.

[1] And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of shittim wood shalt thou make it.

The altar of incense should be 18 inches wide and 18 inches long. It should be 36 inches tall. It should have horns on each corner. The horns should be part of the altar. 
[2] A cubit shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof; foursquare shall it be: and two cubits shall be the height thereof: the horns thereof shall be of the same.

The altar should be covered with gold. There should be a gold edge around the top.
[3] And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about.

They should make two rings of wood covered with gold. They should make two poles of wood covered with gold. The rings should be on the sides of the altar. They should put the poles through the rings to carry the altar.
[4] And two golden rings shalt thou make to it under the crown of it, by the two corners thereof, upon the two sides of it shalt thou make it; and they shall be for places for the staves to bear it withal.
[5] And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold.

They should set the altar in front of the curtain that separates the holy place from the most holy place. On the other side of the curtain is the mercy seat.  That is where God will meet with the priests.
[6] And thou shalt put it before the vail that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee.

Every morning and every evening, Aaron will put oil in the lamps and put incense on the altar.  
[7] And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it.
[8] And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations.

They should only burn incense on the altar. They should not burn meat or anything else on it.
[9] Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon.

Once a year, Aaron must make the altar pure.  He must put blood on the 4 horns. The blood should come from an animal that was sacrificed for a sin offering.  This should be done once a year from now on.  The altar is holy and belongs to the Lord God.
[10] And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto the LORD.


The first census (counting the people)

God told Moses to count the Israelites.  Also, each man must pay money. The money was called a ransom. If they paid the ransom, they would be safe while everyone was being counted.
[11] And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
[12] When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the LORD, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them.

The amount for the ransom was one-half shekel.  A shekel was a coin.  A whole shekel weighed about 1/2 of an ounce.  Half of a shekel would be about 1/4th of an ounce.  
[13] This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the LORD.

Each man who was 20 years old or older must pay the ransom. Everyone should give the same.  If they were rich, they should pay one-half shekel. If they were poor, they should also pay one-half shekel. 
[14] Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the LORD.
[15] The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls.

This ransom was for atonement (to ask God to forgive their sins).  The ransom money should be used to pay for the upkeep of the tabernacle.  God would always remember the Israelites because of it, and He would forgive them. 
[16] And thou shalt take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; that it may be a memorial unto the children of Israel before the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls.


 

Tabernacle model in Timna Park, Israel
Photo from BiblePlaces.com

The brass bowl for washing

God told Moses to make a large brass bowl and a stand to put it on.  They should put water in the bowl. They should set the bowl between the tent and the altar that is outside.  Aaron and his sons should wash their hands and feet before they go into the tent or before they go to the altar to burn meat sacrifices.  
[17] And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
[18] Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein.
[19] For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat:
[20] When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the LORD:

If they wash their hands and feet, they will not die. If they do not wash before going into the tent or offering the meat, they will die. This rule should be obeyed by the priests forever.

[21] So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations.


The special oil for anointing (to make something holy and special)

God told Moses to mix some olive oil and spices together to make the special anointing oil.  He should take a gallon of olive oil, 12 pounds of the spice myrrh, 6 pounds of cinnamon, 6 pounds of calamus, and 12 pounds of cassia.  When they measure the ingredients, they should use the official weights and measurements.
[22] Moreover the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
[23] Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels,
[24] And of cassia five hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil olive an hin:[25] And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil.

They should use the oil to anoint the holy things. They should put oil on the tabernacle, the ark of the testimony (the box for the Ten Commandments), the table of the showbread and the table's equipment, the candlestick and its equipment, the altar of incense, the altar for burning the sacrifices, the washing bowl, and the bowl's stand.  
[26] And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony,
[27] And the table and all his vessels, and the candlestick and his vessels, and the altar of incense,
[28] And the altar of burnt offering with all his vessels, and the laver and his foot.

When they put the oil on these items, the items would become holy. Anyone who touches the items will become holy.
[29] And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy: whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy.

They should also put oil on Aaron and his sons to make them holy so they could be priests. 
[30] And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office.

This oil should always be used to anoint the priests.  They should not use it for other purposes or make any like it for themselves.  If they do, they will be cut off and will not be God's people.
[31] And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, This shall be an holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations.
[32] Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured, neither shall ye make any other like it, after the composition of it: it is holy, and it shall be holy unto you.
[33] Whosoever compoundeth any like it, or whosoever putteth any of it upon a stranger, shall even be cut off from his people.


The special oil for the most holy place

God told Moses how to make another special oil.  This oil used these spices:  stacte, onycha, galbanum, and frankincense.  They should use the same weight of each of these spices.  They should mix them together like perfume.  They should make some of it into powder.  They should sprinkle some powder in front of the ark of the testimony. This is where God meets the priests. This place is most holy.
[34] And the LORD said unto Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight:
[35] And thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together, pure and holy:
[36] And thou shalt beat some of it very small, and put of it before the testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation, where I will meet with thee: it shall be unto you most holy.
[37] And as for the perfume which thou shalt make, ye shall not make to yourselves according to the composition thereof: it shall be unto thee holy for the LORD.
[38] Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereto, shall even be cut off from his people.



Exodus 31

Skilled men to make the tabernacle and the things in the tabernacle

God told Moses that 2 men were supposed to make the tabernacle and the things in the tabernacle.  Their names were Bezaleel and Aholiab. God said He gave them the special skills they needed.  He also gave skills to the men who would help them.
[1] And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
[2] See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah:
[3] And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,
[4] To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,
[5] And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship.
[6] And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee;

Bezaleel, Aholiab, and their helpers were supposed to make the tent, the ark of the testimony, the mercy seat, the furniture in the tabernacle, the table of the showbread, the candlestick, the altar of incense, the altar for burning the sacrifices, and the bowl and stand.
[7] The tabernacle of the congregation, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is thereupon, and all the furniture of the tabernacle,
[8] And the table and his furniture, and the pure candlestick with all his furniture, and the altar of incense,
[9] And the altar of burnt offering with all his furniture, and the laver and his foot,

They should also make the priest's clothes, the anointing oil, and the special incense. The should do exactly what God told them to do.

[10] And the cloths of service, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest's office,
[11] And the anointing oil, and sweet incense for the holy place: according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do.


The law about the Sabbath (the 7th day of the week)

God told Moses that the 7th day of the week should be holy. The 7th day of the week is called the Sabbath. No one should work on the Sabbath.  If anyone worked on the Sabbath, they would die. The future Israelites should obey this law, too. When they obeyed this law, they would know that God had chosen them. 
[12] And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
[13] Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.
[14] Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

The could work for 6 days. But the 7th day is for rest. The Sabbath day is holy; it belongs to God.  It is the same as when God created the universe.  He worked for 6 days, but then on the 7th day, He rested. 
[15] Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.
[16] Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
[17] It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.


 

"Moses Gets the Law"
Water color Bible illustrations were done in Bogota, Colombia for the Communicating Christ video course. They were later scanned by Publications for Latin America, WELS. 
From From http://www.wels.net/wmc/html/clip_art_--_volume_2__part_a.html



God gives Moses the Ten Commandments on stone. 

God wrote the Ten Commandments on 2 stone (rock) tablets.  He gave the tablets to Moses. Then Moses left the top of Mount Sinai and returned to the Israelites.

[18] And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.

 



 

 

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