Exodus 27:1-8
The Lord commands a bronze altar for sacrificial approach to His holy dwelling, built according to the pattern shown on the mountain.
1 “You shall make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long, and five cubits wide. The altar shall be square. Its height shall be three cubits.
2 You shall make its horns on its four corners. Its horns shall be of one piece with it. You shall overlay it with bronze.
3 You shall make its pots to take away its ashes; and its shovels, its basins, its meat hooks, and its fire pans. You shall make all its vessels of bronze.
4 You shall make a grating for it of network of bronze. On the net you shall make four bronze rings in its four corners.
5 You shall put it under the ledge around the altar beneath, that the net may reach halfway up the altar.
6 You shall make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with bronze.
7 Its poles shall be put into the rings, and the poles shall be on the two sides of the altar when carrying it.
8 You shall make it hollow with planks. They shall make it as it has been shown you on the mountain.
The LORD commands a bronze altar for sacrificial approach to his holy dwelling, built according to the pattern shown on the mountain.
To give the LORD’s instructions for the bronze altar, the courtyard altar of sacrifice, including its dimensions, horns, utensils, grating, poles, hollow construction, and conformity to the mountain pattern.
After the instructions for the tabernacle curtains, coverings, frames, inner veil, and entrance screen, Exodus 27 begins the outer-court furniture with the altar. The movement is significant: the holy dwelling has been described, the interior boundary has been established, and now the worshiper-facing place of sacrifice is given. Before the courtyard itself is described, the altar stands as the necessary site of approach. The passage therefore belongs to the larger sanctuary sequence where presence, holiness, mediation, sacrifice, and obedient craftsmanship are woven together.
The bronze altar instructions follow the veil and screen instructions that establish the tabernacle’s holy boundaries. The text now moves outward to the altar associated with sacrificial approach in the courtyard.
The Altar, Courtyard, and Oil for the Lamp
The LORD orders Israel’s worship through sacrifice at the bronze altar, guarded access in the courtyard, and continual priestly light before His presence.