Exodus 27:2

Clementine Latin Vulgate

Cui pater : Vides, inquit, quod senuerim, et ignorem diem mortis meæ.

Parallel Translations

Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405)
Cornua autem per quatuor angulos ex ipso erunt: et operies illud �re.

Nova Vulgata (1979)
Cornua autem per quattuor angulos ex ipso erunt, et operies illud aere.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

horns of it upon the four corners thereof: The horns might have been designed not only for ornament, but to prevent the sacrifices from falling off, and to tie the victim to, previous to its being sacrificed. Exodus 29:12, Leviticus 4:7, Leviticus 4:18, Leviticus 4:25, Leviticus 8:15, Leviticus 16:18, 1 Kings 1:50, 1 Kings 2:28, Psalms 118:27, Hebrews 6:18

overlay it with brass: Numbers 16:38, Numbers 16:39, 1 Kings 8:64

Reciprocal: Exodus 30:2 - the horns Exodus 38:2 - he made Ezekiel 43:15 - four horns Zechariah 9:15 - the corners

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Ver. 2 And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof,.... Which were either for ornament, or for keeping what was laid upon the altar from falling off, or for the fastening of the sacrifice to them, and were what criminals fled to for refuge, and laid hold on; and may denote the power of Christ, who is the horn of salvation to preserve his people from a final falling away, and from ruin and destruction, and his protection of those that fly to him for refuge; and these horns being at the corners of the altar may respect the four parts of the world, from whence souls come to Christ for everlasting salvation:

his horns shall be of the same; that is, made of the same wood as the altar itself and so may lead to observe the like things: or "upwards out of it" b, the altar; prominent from it, as the Arabic version, and so the sacrifices could be bound to them, Psalms 118:27:

and thou shalt overlay it with brass; with plates of brass, that it may endure the fire, and preserve the wood from being burnt with it; this may denote not only the brightness, lustre, and glory of Christ, like the shining brass, but his great strength in bearing the sins of his people, and all the punishment due unto them, even the fire of divine wrath, without being consumed by it. Jarchi observes, that it was overlaid with brass, because it was to make atonement for the impudence of the forehead, which is as brass, Isaiah 48:4.

b ממנו "sursum exeo", Noldius, p. 615.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

(Compare Exodus 38:1-7.) The great altar which stood in the court immediately in front of the tabernacle was commonly called the altar of burnt-offering, because on it were burnt the whole burnt-offerings, and all those parts of the other animal sacrifices which were offered to the Lord. It was also called the brazen altar, because it was covered with bronze, in distinction from the golden altar or altar of incense Exodus 39:38-39; Exodus 40:5-6.

Exodus 27:2

His horns shall be of the same - These horns were projections pointing upward in the form either of a small obelisk, or of the horn of an ox. They were to be actually parts of the altar, not merely superadded to it. On them the blood of the sin-offering was smeared Exodus 29:12; Leviticus 4:7; Leviticus 8:15; Leviticus 9:9; Leviticus 16:18. To take hold of them appears to have been regarded as an emphatic mode of laying claim to the supposed right of sanctuary (Exodus 21:14 note; 1 Kings 1:50).

Exodus 27:3

Pans - Rather pots as in Exodus 38:3; 1 Kings 7:45. On the use to which these pots were put in disposing of the ashes of the altar, see Leviticus 1:16.

Basons - Vessels used for receiving the blood of the victims and casting it upon the altar (see Exodus 24:6; Leviticus 1:5; etc.).

Fleshhooks - These were for adjusting the pieces of the victims upon the altar (compare 1 Samuel 2:13).

Firepans - The same word is rendered snuffdishes, Exodus 25:38; Exodus 37:23 : censers, Leviticus 10:1; Leviticus 16:12; Numbers 4:14; Numbers 16:6, etc. These utensils appear to have been shallow metal vessels which were employed merely to carry burning embers from the brazen altar to the altar of incense.

Exodus 27:5

The compass of the altar - A shelf or projecting ledge, of convenient width, carried round the altar half way between the top and the base. It was supported all round its outer edge by a vertical net-like grating of bronze that rested on the ground.

Exodus 27:8

Hollow with boards - Slabs, or planks, rather than boards. The word is that which is used for the stone tables of the law Exodus 24:12; Exodus 31:18, not that applied to the boards of the tabernacle Exodus 26:15.

The brazen altar was a hollow casing, formed of stout acacia planks covered with plates of bronze, seven feet six in length and width and four feet six in height. Jewish as well as Christian authorities have supposed that, when it was fixed for use, it was filled up with earth or rough stones. If we connect this suggestion with the old rule regarding the altar of earth and the altar of stone given in Exodus 20:24-25, the woodwork might in fact be regarded merely as the case of the altar on which the victims were actually burned. The shelf round the sides Exodus 27:5 was required as a stage for the priests to enable them to carry on their work conveniently on the top of the altar. Hence, it is said of Aaron that he came down from the altar Leviticus 9:22. According to rabbinical tradition, there was a slope of earth at the south side banked up for the priest to ascend to the stage (compare Exodus 20:26).

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Exodus 27:2. Thou shalt make the horns of it — The horns might have three uses:

1. For ornament.

2. To prevent carcasses, c., from falling off.

3. To tie the victim to, previously to its being sacrificed.

So David: Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar Psalms 118:27. Horns were much used in all ancient altars among the heathen, and some of them were entirely constructed of the horns of the beasts that had been offered in sacrifice; but such altars appear to be erected rather as trophies in honour of their gods. On the reverses of several medals we find altars represented with horns at the corners. There is a medal of Antoninus on the reverse of which is an altar, on which a fire burns, consecrated Divi Pio, where the horns appear on each of the corners.

There is one of Faustina, on which the altar and its horns are very distinct, the legend Pietas Augusta. All the following have altars with horns. One of Valerian, legend Consecratio; one of Claudius Gothicus, same legend; one of Quintillus, same legend; one of Crispina, with the legend Diis Genitalibus; and several others. See Numismatica Antiq., a MUSELLIO, under Consecratio, in the index.

Callimachus, in his Hymn to Apollo, line 60 introduces him constructing an altar of the horns of the animals slain by Diana: -

- πηξε δε βωμον

Εκ κεραων κ. τ. λ.

Martial has these words: Cornibus ara frequens.