Exo 25:3-4 | Clarke | e4.org | Verse 3. This is the offering ] There were three kinds of metals: 1. GOLD, zahab , which may properly signify wrought gold ; what was bright and resplendent , as the word implies. In , gold is mentioned five times, and four of the words are different in the original. 1. SEGOR, from sagar , to shut up; gold in the mine , or shut up in its ore . 2. KETHEM, from catham , to sign, seal , or stamp ; gold made current by being coined; standard or sterling gold, exhibiting the stamp expressive of its value. 3. ZAHAB, wrought gold, pure, highly polished gold ; probably what was used for overlaying or gilding . 4. PAZ, denoting solidity, compactness , and strength ; probably gold formed into different kinds of plate , as it is joined in of the above chapter with keley, vessels . The zahab , or pure gold , is here mentioned, because it was in a state that rendered it capable of being variously manufactured for the service of the sanctuary. 2. SILVER, keseph , from casaph , to be pale, wan , or white ; so called from its well-known colour. 3. BRASS, nechosheth, copper ; unless we suppose that the factitious metal commonly called brass is intended: this is formed by a combination of the oxide or ore of zinc, called lapis calaminaris , with copper. Brass seems to have been very anciently in use, as we find it mentioned ; and the preparation of copper, to transform it into this factitious metal, seems to be very pointedly referred to : Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone ; eben yatsuk nechushah , translated by the Vulgate, Lapis, solutus calore, in aes vertitur , "The stone, liquefied by heat, is turned into brass." Is it going too far to say that the stone here may refer to the lapis calaminaris , which was used to turn the copper into brass? Because brass was capable of so fine a polish as to become exceedingly bright, and keep its lustre a considerable time, hence it was used for all weapons of war and defensive armour among ancient nations; and copper seems to have been in no repute, but for its use in making brass .

‏ Exodus 25:3-4

Verse 3. This is the offering] There were three kinds of metals: 1. GOLD, zahab, which may properly signify wrought gold; what was bright and resplendent, as the word implies. In Job 28:15,16,17,19, gold is mentioned five times, and four of the words are different in the original. 1. SEGOR, from sagar, to shut up; gold in the mine, or shut up in its ore. 2. KETHEM, from catham, to sign, seal, or stamp; gold made current by being coined; standard or sterling gold, exhibiting the stamp expressive of its value. 3. ZAHAB, wrought gold, pure, highly polished gold; probably what was used for overlaying or gilding. 4.

PAZ, denoting solidity, compactness, and strength; probably gold formed into different kinds of plate, as it is joined in Ex 25:17 of the above chapter with keley, vessels. The zahab, or pure gold, is here mentioned, because it was in a state that rendered it capable of being variously manufactured for the service of the sanctuary.

2. SILVER, keseph, from casaph, to be pale, wan, or white; so called from its well-known colour.

3. BRASS, nechosheth, copper; unless we suppose that the factitious metal commonly called brass is intended: this is formed by a combination of the oxide or ore of zinc, called lapis calaminaris, with copper. Brass seems to have been very anciently in use, as we find it mentioned Ge 4:22; and the preparation of copper, to transform it into this factitious metal, seems to be very pointedly referred to Job 28:2: Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone; eben yatsuk nechushah, translated by the Vulgate, Lapis, solutus calore, in aes vertitur, "The stone, liquefied by heat, is turned into brass." Is it going too far to say that the stone here may refer to the lapis calaminaris, which was used to turn the copper into brass? Because brass was capable of so fine a polish as to become exceedingly bright, and keep its lustre a considerable time, hence it was used for all weapons of war and defensive armour among ancient nations; and copper seems to have been in no repute, but for its use in making brass.

Verse 4. Blue] techeleth, generally supposed to mean an azure or sky colour; rendered by the Septuagint ςακινθον, and by the Vulgate hyacinthum, a sky-blue or deep violet.

Purple] argaman, a very precious colour, extracted from the purpura or murex, a species of shell-fish, from which it is supposed the famous Tyrian purple came, so costly, and so much celebrated in antiquity. See this largely described, and the manner of dyeing it, in Pliny, Hist. Nat., lib. ix., c. 60-65, edit. Bipont.

Scarlet] tolaath, signifies a worm, of which this colouring matter was made; and, joined with shani, which signifies to repeat or double, implies that to strike this colour the wool or cloth was twice dipped: hence the Vulgate renders the original coccum bis tinctum, "scarlet twice dyed;" and to this Horace refers, Odar., lib. ii., od. 16, v. 35:-

------------Te BIS Afro Murice TINCTAE

Vestiunt LANAE.-----

"Thy robes the twice dyed purple stains."

It is the same colour which the Arabs call al kermez, whence the French cramoisi, and the English crimson. On this subject much may be seen in Bochart, Calmet, and Scheuchzer.

Fine linen] shesh; whether this means linen, cotton, or silk, is not agreed on among interpreters. Because shesh signifies six, the rabbins suppose that it always signifies the fine linen of Egypt, in which six folds constituted one thread; and that when a single fold was meant, bad is the term used. See Clarke on Ge 41:42.

Goats' hair] izzim, goats, but used here elliptically for goats' hair. In different parts of Asia Minor, Syria, Cilicia, and Phrygia, the goats have long, fine, and beautiful hair, in some cases almost as fine as silk, which they shear at proper times, and manufacture into garments. From Virgil, Georg. iii., v. 305-311, we learn that goats' hair manufactured into cloth was nearly of equal value with that formed from wool.

Hae quoque non cura nobis leviore tuendae;

Nec minor usus erit: quamvis Milesia magno

Vellera mutentur, Tyrios incocta rubores.

Nec minus interea barbas incanaque menta

Cinyphii tondent hirci, setasque comantes,

Usum in castrorum, et miseris velamina nautis.

"For hairy goats of equal profit are

With woolly sheep, and ask an equal care.

'Tis true the fleece when drunk with Tyrian juice

Is dearly sold, but not for needful use:

Meanwhile the pastor shears their hoary beards

And eases of their hair the loaden herds.

Their camelots, warm in tents, the soldier hold,

And shield the shivering mariner from the cold."

DRYDEN.