3854. 'Jehovah saw' means the Lord's foresight and providence. This is clear from the meaning of 'seeing' in reference to the Lord as foresight and providence, dealt with in the next verse where Reuben is the subject, who was so named from the expression 'to see' - 'Jehovah' being the Lord, see 1343, 1736, 1793, 2156, 2329, 2921, 3023, 3035.

[2] As regards foresight and providence in general, foresight has reference more to man, providence more to the Lord. The Lord foresaw from eternity what the human race was going to be like in the future and what every member of it was going to be like, and that evil was going to increase all the time, so that at length man, of himself, would rush headlong into hell. That being so, the Lord has provided not only the means by which He makes it possible for him to be diverted from hell and led towards heaven, but also does in His providence divert and lead him all the time. The Lord also foresaw that it would be impossible for any good to take root in man except in his freedom, for that which does not take root in freedom is dispelled at the first sign of evil and of temptation. This the Lord foresaw, as well as the fact that of himself, that is, from his own freedom, man would be inclined towards the deepest hell. That being so, the Lord provided that if he would not allow himself to be led in freedom towards heaven he could still be diverted towards a milder hell; but if he would allow himself to be led in freedom towards good then he could be diverted towards heaven. From these considerations one may see what foresight is and what providence is, and that appropriate provisions are made for things that are foreseen.

[3] From this it may be seen how far someone errs who believes that the Lord has not foreseen and does not see the smallest individual thing with man, or that within the smallest individual thing He does not foresee and lead, when in fact the Lord's foresight and providence are present within the tiniest details of all the smallest individual things with him, and in details so tiny that it is impossible to comprehend in any manner of thought one in many millions of them. For every smallest fraction of a moment of a person's life entails a chain of consequences extending into eternity. Indeed every one is like a new beginning to those that follow, and so every single moment of the life both of his understanding and of his will is a new beginning. And since the Lord foresaw from eternity what man was going to be like in the future and even into eternity it is clear that providence is present in the smallest individual things, and, as has been stated, is governing him and diverting him so that he may be such, this being achieved by constant re-shaping of his freedom. But this subject will in the Lord's Divine mercy be discussed further later on.

10725. Exodus 35

1. And Moses gathered together all the assembly of the children of Israel, and said to them, These are the words which Jehovah has commanded, to do them.

2. Six days shall work be done, and the seventh day shall be a holy day for you, a sabbath of rest to Jehovah ¹ ; everyone doing work on it shall die.

3. You shall not kindle a fire in any of your dwelling-places on the sabbath day.

4. And Moses spoke to all the assembly of the children of Israel, saying, This is the word which Jehovah commanded, saying,

5. Take from among you an offering to Jehovah. Everyone who is willing in heart shall bring Jehovah's offering: gold and silver and bronze,

6. And violet, and purple, and twice-dyed scarlet, and fine linen, and [wool of] she-goats,

7. And skins of red rams ² , and skins of badgers, and pieces of shittim wood ³ ,

8. And oil for the light, and spices for the anointing oil, and for the incense of spices,

9. And shoham ⁴ stones, and stones of fillings ⁵ for the ephod and for the breastplate.

10. And let everyone wise in heart among you come and make all the things which Jehovah has commanded:

11. The dwelling-place, its tent, and its covering, its clasps, and its boards, its bars, its pillars, and its bases,

12. The ark and its poles, the mercy-seat, and the veil of the screen ⁶ ,

13. The table and its poles, and all its vessels, and the bread of the Presence ⁷ ,

14. And the lampstand for the light and its vessels, and its lamps, and the oil for the light,

15. And the altar of incense and its poles, and the anointing oil, and the incense of spices, and the screen of the door at the door of the dwelling-place,

16. The altar of burnt offering and the grating of bronze made for it, its poles, and all its vessels, the laver and its pedestal,

17. The hangings of the court, its pillars, and its bases, and the screen of the gate of the court,

18. The pins of the dwelling-place, and the pins of the court, and their ropes,

19. The garments of service for serving in the holy place, the holy garments ⁸ for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons for serving in the priestly office.

20. And all the assembly of the children of Israel went out from before Moses.

21. And they came, every man whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit was willing ⁹ ; they brought Jehovah's offering for the work of the tent of meeting, and for all its service, and for the holy garments ⁸ .

22. And they came, the men with the women, everyone willing in heart; they brought brooches, and earrings, and rings, and girdles, and all jewellery made of gold ¹⁰ ; and every man who waved a wave-offering of gold to Jehovah.

23. And every man with whom was found violet and purple and twice-dyed scarlet and fine linen and [wool of] she-goats and skins of red rams ² and skins of badgers brought them.

24. And everyone bearing an offering of silver and bronze brought Jehovah's offering; and everyone with whom was found pieces of shittim wood ³ for any work of the service brought them.

25. And every woman wise at heart spun with her hands; and they brought the yarn, violet and purple, twice-dyed scarlet and fine linen.

26. And all the women whose hearts stirred them in wisdom spun [the yarn of] she-goats.

27. And the leaders brought shoham ⁴ stones and stones of fillings ⁵ for the ephod and for the breastplate,

28. And spices, and oil for the light and for the anointing oil and for the incense of spices.

29. Every man and woman whose hearts were willing to bring something for all the work which Jehovah had commanded through Moses to be done ¹¹ [came]; the children of Israel brought a freewill offering to Jehovah.

30. And Moses said to the children of Israel, See, Jehovah has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, belonging to the tribe of Judah.

31. And He has filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in intelligence, and in knowledge, and in all [manner of] work ¹² ,

32. To compose designs ¹³ , to work ¹⁴ in gold, and in silver, and in bronze,

33. And in the cutting of stones for filling ¹⁵ , and in the carving of wood to work ¹ in all [manner of] work of the designer ¹⁶ .

34. And He has put [wisdom] into his heart in order that he - he and Aholiab the son of Ahisamach belonging to the tribe of Dan - may teach [others].

35. He has filled them with wisdom of heart to do every work of a craftsman, and of a designer, and of an embroiderer in violet and in purple and in twice-dyed scarlet and in fine linen, and of a weaver - of those doing every work, of those who compose designs ¹⁷ .

CONTENTS

The internal sense of this chapter makes brief reference to every kind of goodness and truth which exists in the Church and in heaven, and from which worship of the Lord springs. These are the things that are meant by the materials which the children of Israel brought willingly to make the tabernacle and everything in it, also the altar of burnt offering, and the garments of Aaron and his sons as well.

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