The big picture
Exodus 25 opens in verse 1 with “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,”, reaches its middle movement near verse 20 with “And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with…”, and closes in verse 40 with “And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.” Repeated or prominent terms include gold, branches, pure, rings, candlestick. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Exodus · King James Version · 40Exodus 25:1-8
1–8: The LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Exodus 25:1–8 opens with “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,” and reaches “And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Exodus 25 develops its own movement around gold, branches, pure, rings, candlestick, with particular weight carried by offering, skins, stones.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,” Naming Moses keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And this is the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass,” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Exodus 25:1-8
King James Version1And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.
3And this is the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass,
4And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats’ hair,
5And rams’ skins dyed red, and badgers’ skins, and shittim wood,
6Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense,
7Onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in the breastplate.
8And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.
Exodus 25:9-16
9–16: According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle…
Exodus 25:9–16 opens with “According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all…” and reaches “And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Exodus 25 develops its own movement around gold, branches, pure, rings, candlestick, with particular weight carried by rings, gold, half.
Context that brings the passage to life
“According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of…” The line’s distinctive content terms include gold, overlay, crown. Its relationship to verses 10 and 12 shows what work it does in this passage.
Exodus 25:9-16
King James Version9According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.
10And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.
11And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about.
12And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in the four corners thereof; and two rings shall be in the one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it.
13And thou shalt make staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold.
14And thou shalt put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, that the ark may be borne with them.
15The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it.
16And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee.
Exodus 25:17-24
17–24: Thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall…
Exodus 25:17–24 opens with “And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length…” and reaches “And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make thereto a crown of gold round about.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Exodus 25 develops its own movement around gold, branches, pure, rings, candlestick, with particular weight carried by mercy, seat, cherubims.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Exodus 25:17-24
King James Version17And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.
18And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.
19And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof.
20And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be.
21And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.
22And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.
23Thou shalt also make a table of shittim wood: two cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.
24And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make thereto a crown of gold round about.
Exodus 25:25-32
25–32: Thou shalt make unto it a border of an hand breadth round about, and…
Exodus 25:25–32 opens with “And thou shalt make unto it a border of an hand breadth round about, and thou shalt make a…” and reaches “And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Exodus 25 develops its own movement around gold, branches, pure, rings, candlestick, with particular weight carried by branches, candlestick, gold.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And thou shalt make unto it a border of an hand breadth round about, and thou shalt make a golden crown to the border…” The line’s distinctive content terms include border, round, breadth. Its relationship to verses 26 shows what work it does in this passage.
“Over against the border shall the rings be for places of the staves to bear the table.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Exodus 25:25-32
King James Version25And thou shalt make unto it a border of an hand breadth round about, and thou shalt make a golden crown to the border thereof round about.
26And thou shalt make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings in the four corners that are on the four feet thereof.
27Over against the border shall the rings be for places of the staves to bear the table.
28And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be borne with them.
29And thou shalt make the dishes thereof, and spoons thereof, and covers thereof, and bowls thereof, to cover withal: of pure gold shalt thou make them.
30And thou shalt set upon the table shewbread before me alway.
31And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same.
32And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side:
Exodus 25:33-40
33–40: Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one…
Exodus 25:33–40 opens with “Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made…” and reaches “And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Exodus 25 develops its own movement around gold, branches, pure, rings, candlestick, with particular weight carried by branches, knop, almonds.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the…” The number three makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“And there shall be a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Exodus 25:33-40
King James Version33Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick.
34And in the candlestick shall be four bowls made like unto almonds, with their knops and their flowers.
35And there shall be a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches that proceed out of the candlestick.
36Their knops and their branches shall be of the same: all it shall be one beaten work of pure gold.
37And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it.
38And the tongs thereof, and the snuffdishes thereof, shall be of pure gold.
39Of a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with all these vessels.
40And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Exodus 25:1 begins with “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,”
Where the chapter turns
Exodus 25:20 forms a natural hinge: “And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the…”
The final note
Exodus 25:40 leaves the reader with “And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words gold, branches, pure, rings, candlestick, mercy help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What fulfills the earlier promise concerning Ishmael?
The named twelve princes and the account of his descendants.
What family pattern increases the twins' conflict?
Isaac favors Esau and Rebekah favors Jacob.
KJV words made clear
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- spake
- spoke
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.