Read Exodus 35:1-38:20 at Bible Gateway.
The teaching tools of scripture
Gen 1:1-2:3 and the teaching tools of scripture part one and part two
Gen 1:1-6:8 and finding the topic themes of scripture
Hebrew paragraph divisions
35:1-3 {p} Work shall be done on six days, but the seventh is the Sabbath of rest
35:4-29 {p} Freewill offering for the work of the tabernacle commanded + children of Israel brought
35:30-36:7 {s} Bezalel and artisans called to do the work + received what the children of Israel brought
36:8-13 {p} He made the fine linen curtains for the tabernacle
36:14-19 {s} He made the goats’ hair + rams’ skins dyed red + seals’ skins coverings for the tabernacle
36:20-38 {p} He made the boards + sockets + bars/ veil/ screen for the door and its pillars
37:1-9 {p} He made the ark of the covenant and the mercy seat
37:10-16 {p} He made the table of showbread and its utensils
37:17-24 {p} He made the lampstand and its utensils
37:25-29 {s} He made the altar of incense + utensils + anointing oil + incense
38:1-7 {s} He made the altar of burnt offering + utensils
38:8 {s} He made the laver of bronze and its base
38:9-20 {s} He made the hangings + pillars + sockets + screen of the gate for the outer court
Strong themes of the parashah
34:27-35:3 {s+p} Moses reflected God’s glory encompassed by obedience + rest
35:4-29 {p} Freewill offering for the work of the tabernacle
35:30-36:13 {s+p} Called, equipped, provided to make the tabernacle
36:14-36:38 {s+p} He made the Most Holy + Holy Place coverings, frame, veil, screen
37:1-24 {px3} He made the ark, table, lampstand for the Most Holy + Holy Place
37:25-39:1 {sx5+p} He made the incense, anointing oil, altar, laver, outer court/ accounting of what was made + materials used for tabernacle + garments
The strong themes don’t divide into neat little packets. Firstly they extend beyond the boundaries of Vayakhel. The freewill offering of one theme flows into the next, in that Bezalel was provided with the materials to do as he was called. The curtains for the tabernacle (that is, the Most Holy + Holy Place) of one theme flows into the coverings for the tabernacle of the next theme. The furniture for the Most Holy and Holy Place of one theme flows into the furniture (altar of incense) for the Holy Place of the next theme. And lastly, the outer court theme flows into the garments for the priesthood. Instead of putting coverings in one theme, furniture in another, the Most Holy and Holy Place separated from the outer court, and the structure of the tabernacle separated from the garments for the priesthood, as a human mind would have done, all is joined one to another.
It reminds me of 1 Cor 12:4-6:
There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.
Every diversity of the tabernacle is joined one to another in worship of the one God.
Exo 35:1-38:20 triennial Torah portions
35:1-36:38, triennial Vayakhel, “And he assembled”
37:1-38:20, triennial Vaya’as Betzalel, “Betzalel made”
Exo 35:1-38:20 Chiastic structure
Download the fully expanded Exo 35:1-38:20 Vayakhel chiasm pdf.
Theme of the parashah
God calls, equips, and provides for the work of the ministry done according to the commandments.
Finding Messiah in Vayakhel
Additional readings for this parashah
2 Kin 11:17-12:17 | Mat 12:1-13
Studies in Vayakhel
Exo 34:27-40:38, Vayakhel + Pekudei Chiastic structure
Exo 35:1-38:20, Vayakhel Strong themes
Exo 35 and 36, Sabbath rest even from Kingdom work
Exo 37 and 38, The covenant of grace under Moses
Further study off site
Vayakhel – Restoration of Torah (pdf download)
Vayakhel Torah Pearls – Nehemiah Gordon and Keith Johnson
SCRIPTURE REVEALED SERIES by CHRISTINE MILLER:
THE LAW of LOVE | FINDING MESSIAH in TORAH | EXODUS in CHIASTIC STRUCTURE
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