Take ye from among you an offering unto the LORD: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the LORD; gold, and silver, and brass,

EXODUS 35:5KJV
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Exodus 35:5 (KJV)

What does Exodus 35:5 mean?

Exodus 35:5 calls for the people of Israel to bring an offering to the LORD, but only those who are willing in their hearts should give. The verse lists gold, silver, and brass as examples of what could be brought as an offering.

Moses is speaking to the Israelites as they prepare to build the tabernacle—a special place for worship in the wilderness. The focus is on voluntary giving; no one is forced, and only those who truly want to contribute are invited. The materials mentioned are valuable, showing the importance of the project and the honor given to God.

The Hebrew behind Exodus 35:5

  • "Offering" (תְּרוּמָה, terumah): This word means a contribution or something lifted up, often used for gifts dedicated to God. It highlights that the giving is not just a donation but a sacred act.
  • "Willing" (נָדִיב, nadiv): This word describes someone generous or noble-hearted, emphasizing that the offering should come from genuine desire, not obligation.
  • "Heart" (לֵב, lev): In Hebrew thought, the heart is the center of will and intention, not just emotion. The verse stresses that the motivation for giving should come from deep within a person.

Why Exodus 35:5 matters

  • Exodus 35:5 makes it clear that God values the attitude behind the gift more than the gift itself; only those who are truly willing are called to give.
  • The verse sets the tone for the rest of the chapter, where the community comes together to build something sacred, each person contributing as they are able and moved.
  • By listing specific materials, Exodus 35:5 shows the practical needs of worship and how everyone’s unique resources can be used for a shared purpose.

Where else these words appear

“whosoever” Hebrew H3605 · used in 24 verses

  • Genesis 3:17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
  • Exodus 12:6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.
  • 2 Samuel 3:35 And when all the people came to cause David to eat meat while it was yet day, David sware, saying, So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or ought else, till the sun be down.

“willing” Hebrew H5081 · used in 25 verses

  • Exodus 35:22 And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted, and brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold: and every man that offered offered an offering of gold unto the LORD.
  • Psalms 47:9 The princes of the people are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham: for the shields of the earth belong unto God: he is greatly exalted.
  • Proverbs 17:7 Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.

“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.