Exodus 36:5

And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the LORD commanded to make.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

36:1-38 The making of the tabernacle The liberality of the people restrained. - The readiness and zeal with which these builders set about their work, the exactness with which they performed it, and the faithfulness with which they objected to receive more contributions, are worthy of our imitation. Thus should we serve God, and our superiors also, in all things lawful. Thus should all who are in public trusts abhor filthy lucre, and avoid all occasions and temptations to covetousness. Where have we the representation of God's love towards us, that we by love dwell in him and he in us, save in Emmanuel? Mt 1:23. This is the sum of the ministry of reconciliation, 2Co 5:18,19. This was the design of the tabernacle of witness, a visible testimony of the love of God to the race of men, however they were fallen from their first state. And this love was shown by Christ's taking up his abode on earth; by the Word being made flesh, Joh 1:14, wherein, as the original expresses it, he did tabernacle among us.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See the notes to Exodus 26.

See the notes to Exodus 25.

For Exodus 38:1-7 and Exodus 38:9-20 see the notes to Exodus 27.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

5. they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough, &c.—By the calculations which the practised eyes of the workmen enabled them to make, they were unanimously of the opinion that the supply already far exceeded the demand and that no more contributions were required. Such a report reflects the highest honor on their character as men of the strictest honor and integrity, who, notwithstanding they had command of an untold amount of the most precious things and might, without any risk of human discovery, have appropriated much to their own use, were too high principled for such acts of peculation. Forthwith, a proclamation was issued to stop further contributions [Ex 36:6].

Matthew Poole's Commentary

No text from Poole on this verse.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And they spake unto Moses, saying,.... One in the name of the rest:

the people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the Lord commanded to make; they had taken an estimate of what was to be done, and of what was necessary for the doing of it, and of what the people brought for this service; and they found there was a great deal more brought than would be wanted, and therefore they thought proper to advise Moses of it, that no more might be brought: it is hard to say which is most to be wondered at, the great liberality of the people in contributing so freely and bountifully, and continuing to do so without being urged, or even asked; or the honesty of the workmen, one and all, who might have gone on to have received the gifts of the people by the hands of Moses, and what was superfluous might have converted to their own use; but instead of this, they agree as one man to let Moses know how the state of things was, and prevent the people from making any more contributions.

Geneva Study Bible

And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring {c} much more than enough for the service of the work, which the LORD commanded to make.

(c) A rare example and notable to see the people so ready to serve God with their goods.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

5. bring] are bringing.

There follows now (Exodus 36:8 to Exodus 39:31) an enumeration and full description of the things made, repeated for the most part verbally—with of course the necessary change of tense—from chs. 25–28, 30, 31 (for ch. 29, see Leviticus 8). The order is in certain cases different: thus the Dwelling (Exodus 36:8-38) is made before the articles (the Ark, &c.), which it is to contain (Exodus 37:1-24): and the altar of incense then follows immediately (Exodus 37:25-29), instead of coming, as in chs. 25–31, in the appendix (Exodus 30:1-10). See further above, pp. 377, 378.

8–19 (Exodus 26:1-14). The curtains forming the Dwelling (vv. 8–13); the tent over it (vv. 14–18); and the two protective coverings above this (v. 19). Mutatis mutandis, the text agrees almost verbally with Exodus 26:1-14, except in the Heb. idiom for ‘one to another’ in vv. 10, 12, 13 (so v. 22), and in the omission of the clauses relating to the erection of the Dwelling in Exodus 26:9 b, 12, 13 (without, however, their being introduced in Exodus 40:17 ff.).

Exodus 36:5

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Then the wise workmen came, every one from his work that they were making, and said to Moses, "Much make the people to bring, more than suffices for the labour (the finishing, as in Exodus 27:19) of the work," i.e., they are bringing more than will be wanted for carrying out the work (the מן in מדּי is comparative); whereupon Moses let the cry go through the camp, i.e., had proclamation made, "No one is to make any more property (מלאכה as in Exodus 22:7, Exodus 22:10, cf. Genesis 33:14) for a holy heave-offering," i.e., to prepare anything more from his own property to offer for the building of the sanctuary; and with this he put a stop to any further offerings.