Every one that did offer an offering of silver and brass brought the LORD'S offering: and every man, with whom was found shittim wood for any work of the service, brought it.

EXODUS 35:24KJV
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Exodus 35:24 (KJV)

What does Exodus 35:24 mean?

Exodus 35:24 describes how everyone who wanted to give an offering of silver or brass brought it as a gift for the LORD, and anyone who had acacia (shittim) wood suitable for the work of the sanctuary also brought it. The verse shows that people contributed materials they had, each according to what they possessed, for the construction and service of the tabernacle.

In this scene, Moses is speaking to the Israelites as they gather materials for building the tabernacle, the special tent where God would be worshiped. The verse highlights both precious metals and a specific kind of wood—acacia—needed for the sanctuary’s construction. The focus is on voluntary giving: people brought what they had, whether it was metal or wood, to support the work of the tabernacle.

The Hebrew behind Exodus 35:24

  • "Offering" (תְּרוּמָה, terumah): This word means a contribution or a lifted-up gift, often understood as something set apart for a sacred purpose. Here, it emphasizes that what was given—whether metal or wood—was dedicated specifically to God.
  • "Shittim" (שִׁטִּים, shittim): This refers to acacia wood, a durable and valuable wood in the region. Its mention shows the practical needs of the tabernacle and the importance of every kind of material, not just precious metals.
  • "Work" (מְלָאכָה, melakhah) and "service" (עֲבֹדָה, avodah): These words point to the skilled labor and ongoing duties involved in building and maintaining the tabernacle, highlighting that the offerings supported both construction and continued use.

Why Exodus 35:24 matters

  • Exodus 35:24 makes clear that everyone could participate, not just the wealthy with silver or brass, but also those with useful materials like wood, showing the value of every contribution.
  • The verse connects to the larger theme of communal involvement in building the tabernacle, emphasizing that the sanctuary was a shared project, not the work of a few.
  • By naming specific materials and their uses, the verse helps readers understand the practical side of worship in ancient Israel and the real resources required for sacred spaces.

Where else these words appear

“shittim” Hebrew H7848 · used in 28 verses

  • Exodus 25:5 And rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, and shittim wood,
  • Exodus 27:1 And thou shalt make an altar of shittim wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and the height thereof shall be three cubits.
  • Exodus 37:4 And he made staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold.

“offering” Hebrew H8641 · used in 63 verses

  • Exodus 25:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.
  • Numbers 15:20 Ye shall offer up a cake of the first of your dough for an heave offering: as ye do the heave offering of the threshingfloor, so shall ye heave it.
  • Nehemiah 10:37 And that we should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of wine and of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground unto the Levites, that the same Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our tillage.

“brass” Hebrew H5178 · used in 119 verses

  • Genesis 4:22 And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubalcain was Naamah.
  • Deuteronomy 28:23 And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron.
  • 1 Chronicles 29:2 Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for things to be made of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and the brass for things of brass, the iron for things of iron, and wood for things of wood; onyx stones, and stones to be set, glistering stones, and of divers colours, and all manner of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance.

“service” Hebrew H5656 · used in 125 verses

  • Genesis 29:27 Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.
  • Numbers 4:31 And this is the charge of their burden, according to all their service in the tabernacle of the congregation; the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and sockets thereof,
  • 1 Chronicles 23:26 And also unto the Levites; they shall no more carry the tabernacle, nor any vessels of it for the service thereof.