Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 27:3
And thou shalt make his pans to receive his ashes, and his shovels, and his basins, and his fleshhooks, and his firepans: all the vessels thereof thou shalt make [of] brass.
3. The vessels of the altar, for use in connexion with the sacrifices.
its pots and its shovels ] cf., in the Temple, 1Ki 7:45 , 2Ki 25:14.
its ashes ] lit. its fat, i.e. the fat, which, when a sacrifice was burnt, ran down and mixed with the ashes: cf. Num 4:13, Lev 1:16; Lev 4:12; Lev 6:10 f. Not used of ordinary ashes. The shovels would be for collecting and sweeping away (cf. the same root, Isa 28:17) the ashes.
basons ] lit. tossing-vessels, large bowls, used for tossing the blood in a volume against the sides of the altar: see on Exo 24:6, and Exo 29:16. Cf. Zec 9:15; Zec 14:20 (‘bowls’).
fleshhooks ] Exo 38:3, Num 4:14 , 1Ch 28:17, 2Ch 4:16 .
firepans ] 1Ki 7:50. Cf. the note on ‘snuffdishes,’ Exo 25:38.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 3. Thou shalt make his pans] sirothaiv, a sort or large brazen dishes, which stood under the altar to receive the ashes that fell through the grating.
His shovels] yaaiv. Some render this besoms; but as these were brazen instruments, it is more natural to suppose that some kind of fire-shovels are intended, or scuttles, which were used to carry off the ashes that fell through the grating into the large pan or siroth.
His basins] mizrekothaiv, from zarak, to sprinkle or disperse; bowls or basins to receive the blood of the sacrifices, in order that it might be sprinkled on the people before the altar, c.
His flesh-hooks] mizlegothaiu. That this word is rightly translated flesh-hooks is fully evident from 1Sa 2:13, where the same word is used in such a connection as demonstrates its meaning: And the priest’s custom with the people was, that when any man offered sacrifice, the priest’s servant came, while the flesh was in the seething, with a FLESH-HOOK ( mazleg) of three teeth (prongs) in his hand, and he struck it into the pan, c. all that the FLESH-HOOK ( mazleg) brought up, the priest took for himself. It was probably a kind of trident, or fork with three prongs, and these bent to a right angle at the middle, as the ideal meaning of the Hebrew seems to imply crookedness or curvature in general.
His fire-pans] machtothaiu. Bishop Patrick and others suppose that “this was a larger sort of vessel, wherein, probably, the sacred fire which came down from heaven (Le 9:24) was kept burning, whilst they cleansed the altar and the grate from the coals and the ashes and while the altar was carried from one place to another, as it often was in the wilderness.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Basons, to receive the blood of the sacrifices, which they were to sprinkle.
Flesh-hooks, wherewith they took flesh out of the pot in which it was seethed, as 1Sa 2:14. But this seems not proper here, because the flesh was never boiled upon the altar, but in other places appointed for that use. And the Hebrew word is general, and may signify either tongs or fire-forks.
Firepans, in which they carried live coals from this altar to that of incense, as occasion required.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. shovelsfire shovels forscraping together any of the scattered ashes.
basonsfor receivingthe blood of the sacrifice to be sprinkled on the people.
fleshhookscurved,three-pronged forks (1Sa 2:13;1Sa 2:14).
fire-pansA large sortof vessel, wherein the sacred fire which came down from heaven (Le9:24) was kept burning, while they cleaned the altar and thegrate from the coals and ashes, and while the altar was carried fromone place to another in the wilderness [PATRICK,SPENCER, LECLERC].
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And thou shall make his pans to receive his ashes,…. Not to receive them in as they fell, but to gather them up in, and carry them away; and this was done every morning about cockcrowing, not much sooner nor later c:
and his shovels; to throw up the ashes together to be put into the pans; Jarchi describes this vessel to be like the cover of a brass pot, with a handle to it; the same we call a fire shovel:
and his basins: to receive the blood of the sacrifice, and out of which it was sprinkled, as the word signifies, and may be rendered sprinkling basins:
and his flesh hooks; not such as were used to take flesh out of the pot, 1Sa 2:13 for there could be no use for such at the altar of burnt offering; but were, as Jarchi says, like hooks recurved, with which they struck into the flesh, and turned it upon the coals to hasten the burning of it; and with which very probably they kept the fire and the parts of the sacrifices in good order, until they were consumed:
and his fire pans; which were a kind of censers in which coals of fire were taken off from the altar of burnt offering, and carried to the altar of incense, as Jarchi and Ben Gersom observe, see Le 16:12 but as censers did not belong to the altar of burnt offering, but to the altar of incense, Fortunatus Scacchus d is of opinion, that these were a larger sort of vessels, wherein the fire which came down from heaven was kept burning while the altar and grate were cleansed from the coals and ashes, and when the altar was had from place to place:
all the vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass; as being fittest for the use of this altar.
c Misn. Yoma, c. 1. sect. 8. & Maimon, in ib. d Sacr. Elaeochrism. Myrothec. l. 2. c. 73. p. 676, 677.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(3) His pans to receive his ashes.Scuttles, in which the ashes were placed for removal from the sanctuary, are intended. The word translated to receive his ashes is a rare one, and implies a mixture with the ashes of unburnt fat.
His shovels.A right rendering. The shovels would be used in clearing away the ashes from off the altar.
His basons.Basins were needed to receive the blood of the victims (Exo. 24:6), which was cast from basins upon the foot of the altar.
His fleshhooks.Implements with three prongs, used for arranging the pieces of the victim upon the altar. The priests servants sometimes applied them to a different purpose (1Sa. 2:13).
His firepans.The word here used is elsewhere translated either snuffdishes, or censers. Probably vessels employed in carrying embers from the brazen altar to the altar of incense (Lev. 16:12) are intended.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3. Pans shovels basins fleshhooks firepans These several vessels were all requisite in the service of the altar, for taking up and removing ashes, receiving the blood of victims, adjusting the pieces of flesh, and carrying coals of fire .
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Let not the Reader overlook the exact attention commanded, concerning these things. Heb 8:5 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 27:3 And thou shalt make his pans to receive his ashes, and his shovels, and his basons, and his fleshhooks, and his firepans: all the vessels thereof thou shalt make [of] brass.
Ver. 3. His shovels, and his basons. ] These several instruments figured the ministry of the word, say some; the sundry callings that Christ hath in his Church, say others, for her edification.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
his shovels: Lev 16:12, 1Ki 7:40, 1Ki 7:45, 2Ch 4:11, Jer 52:18
basins: Exo 24:6
fleshhooks: Exo 38:3, Num 4:14, 1Sa 2:13, 1Sa 2:14, 1Ch 28:17, 2Ch 4:16
firepans: 1Ki 7:45, 2Ki 25:15, Jer 52:19, Jer 52:20
Reciprocal: Exo 27:19 – all the pins thereof Lev 10:1 – censer Num 4:13 – General 2Ki 25:13 – pillars 2Ki 25:14 – the pots 2Ti 2:20 – vessels