Exodus 27:21 - Exposition

The tabernacle of the congregation. Rather, "the tent of meeting"—the tent where God would meet the earthly ruler of the people ( Exodus 25:22 ), and give him commands and directions—not the place of meeting for the people themselves, who might in no case go beyond the entrance to the structure. The testimony —i,e; the ark which contained the "testimony," or two tables of stone written with the finger of God. Aaron and his sons . Compare Exodus 24:1 . The intention to confer the priesthood on the descendants of Aaron, first openly revealed in the next chapter ( Exodus 24:1 -43), is tacitly assumed from time to time in the earlier narrative. Shall order it from evening to morning . See the comment on verse 20. It is difficult to assign these words any distinct meaning unless we accept the view, that the lamp burnt during the night only. It shall be a statute for ever. This expression is not at all common. In Exodus it occurs only here and in four other places. In Leviticus it is met with some six or seven times. The portions of the law thus characterised must be regarded as of special importance. (See the homiletics on this verse.)