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Exodus 27 Commentary

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Exodus 27:1-8

God gives instructions on how to build the high altar that would be used for burnt offerings.

Exodus 27:9-19

The LORD describes how the court (or courtyard) was to be built. It was to surround the tabernacle. It provided a special place where the people of Israel could meet with and worship their LORD.

God’s focus shifts from the construction of the tabernacle and the courtyard to the responsibilities of the priests in and around the tabernacle. The first task is ensuring that the lamp would burn continually.

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Book Theme

The book of Exodus is the second book of the Torah (“law”). It continues the story of Genesis concerning the migration of the family of Jacob (the Israelites) to Egypt (Genesis 50). It describes the commissioning of Moses and Aaron as God’s representatives on earth to accomplish God’s deliverance of His people from slavery in Egypt and lead them to the Promised Land (the land of Canaan). It also relates the miraculous deliverance from Egypt beginning with the plagues on Egypt and the crossing of the Red Sea. It then describes the journey to Mount Sinai and the establishment of the Mosaic covenant with the Israelites. The last part of the book involves the specifications and building of the tabernacle – the place where the Lord Himself dwelt amongst His people.

In the book of Exodus, the focus shifts to the deliverance of God’s people.

Chapter Context

In Exodus 27, the LORD continued laying out the blueprints for the tabernacle. Here, the focus is on the altar, the courtyard, and the oil for the lampstand.

Chapter 27 can be outlined as follows:

The Bronze Altar (27:1 – 8)
The Courtyard Around the Tabernacle (27:9 – 19)
The Oil for the Lampstand (27:20 – 21)

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