Exodus 35

Exodus 35-40 gives the account of the construction of the tabernacle; and these six chapters, in the principal part, are an almost verbatim repetition of the instructions given earlier in Exodus. Of course, the imperatives are changed to the declaratives, and the tenses from future to past. "The contents of these chapters (Exodus 35-40) simply reproduce with minor variations the contents of Exodus 25-31."[1]

Much has been said about the extensive repetition that confronts us in these chapters, but, as Gordon accurately noted, "The repetition of lengthy passages without modification is characteristic of Near Eastern Literature in general."[2] It is also characteristic of the Bible. Bible critics are apparently ignorant of this, and some of them have "discovered" variable sources, different authors, or combinations by editors and/or redactors, but there is no proof whatever related to any such theories. Cassuto, a highly-respected commentator frequently quoted by modern writers, stated categorically that all such theories "are based on ignorance of the methods employed in the composition of books in the Ancient East."[3] It is the conviction of this writer that all destructive criticism aimed at the Bible is fundamentally due to ignorance!

An example of the characteristic mentioned by Cassuto is that of the epic Ugaritic poem regarding the Dream of King Keret (about 1400 B.C.) who received ninety lines of instruction regarding a number of things, including the mustering of an army; "The following ninety lines are a repetition, with certain small changes, describing how King Keret did exactly as his god had instructed him in the dream!"[4] Nobody has ever suggested "multiple sources" for that epic poem. "The idea of two different sources would be sensible perhaps if Exodus was a modern book, but such an idea does not fit in with the methods and style of ancient writers."[5] Unger's comment on the divine reason for the repetition here states that, "It emphasized the importance of the tabernacle and its ritual in the history of redemption as foreshadowing the person and work of the coming Redeemer."[6]

In our discussion of these final chapters, we shall vary our form, giving the sacred text of each chapter in unbroken sequence, with any comments in the form of footnotes to the text, instead of footnotes to the comments.

(PARALLEL PASSAGES: Exodus 35:1-3; ON SABBATH: Exodus 20:8-11; Exodus 35:4-9,20-29; ON OFFERING; Exodus 25:1-7; Exodus 35:10-19 ON CRAFTSMEN: Exodus 31:1-11).