Exodus 27:4 · Bible study
Exodus 27:4 Commentary: The Altar's Bronze Net
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
What was the bronze grating for? Study the altar's design, its practical role, and how it prefigures Christ's sacrifice.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The bronze grating supported the fire and sacrifice, allowed ashes to fall, and was carried by poles inserted through four rings.
- Key words: מִכְבָּר (mikhbar): grating; רֶשֶׁת (reshet): net; טַבַּעַת (tabbaat): ring; נְחֹשֶׁת (nechoshet): bronze.
- Main debate: Whether the grating was a simple grate within the altar or a net that wrapped around the outside, and its precise relationship to the ledge.
- Theological theme: Typology of Christ’s sacrifice: the altar, bronze as judgment, the net as support for atonement.
- Best use: Teaching the Tabernacle’s structure as a shadow of Christ’s work, encouraging confidence in His complete sacrifice.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Construct for it a grate of bronze mesh, and make a bronze ring at each of the four corners of the mesh.
WEB World English Bible 2000
You shall make a grating for it of network of bronze. On the net you shall make four bronze rings in its four corners.
KJV King James Version 1769
And thou shalt make for it a grate of network of brass; and upon the net shalt thou make four brasen rings in the four corners thereof.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And thou shalt make for it a grating of network of brass: and upon the net shalt thou make four brazen rings in the four corners thereof.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
`And thou hast made for it a grate of net-work of brass, and hast made on the net four rings of brass on its four extremities,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And thou shalt make for it a grating of network of copper; and on the net shalt thou make four copper rings at its four corners;
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And a grate of brass in manner of a net; at the four corners of which, shall be four rings of brass,
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y le harás un enrejado de metal de obra de malla; y sobre el enrejado harás cuatro anillos de metal á sus cuatro esquinas.
E lhe farás uma grelha de bronze de obra de malha; e sobre a grelha farás quatro anéis de bronze a seus quatro cantos.
Tu feras à l’autel une grille d’ airain, en forme de treillis, et tu mettras quatre anneaux d’ airain aux quatre coins du treillis.
Du sollst auch ein ehernes Gitter machen wie ein Netz und vier eherne Ringe an seine vier Enden.
Gij zult het een rooster maken van koperen netwerk; en gij zult aan dat net vier koperen ringen maken aan zijn vier einden.
E farai una gratella di rame in forma di rete; e sopra la rete, ai suoi quattro canti, farai quattro anelli di rame;
Uczynisz też do niego kratę, na kształt sieci, miedzianą; a uczynisz u tej kraty cztery kolce miedziane na czterech rogach jej.
Сделай к нему решетку, род сетки, из меди, и сделай на сетке, на четырех углах ее, четыре кольца медных;
要為壇 做 一個 銅 網，在 網 的四 角 上 做 四個 銅 環，
And make a network of brass, with four brass rings at its four angles.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Exodus 27:4
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators largely agree on the grating's basic function. Adam Clarke notes it allowed air for the fire and let ashes fall into the pan below. Keil and Delitzsch describe the grating as 'a covering of brass made in the form of a net,' placed under the ledge (carcob) halfway up the altar. The four bronze rings at its corners received poles for carrying the altar (Exodus 38:5). Matthew Henry and John Wesley read the grating, and the whole brazen altar, as a type of Christ. Wesley writes that the altar 'was a type of Christ dying to make atonement for our sins.' Barnes and Cambridge add details about the ledge and grating supporting the priest. The consensus holds the grating served both practical and symbolic purposes: it made the altar functional for sacrifice and portable for Israel's journey, while foreshadowing Christ's sustaining work in atonement.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The bronze grating was a functional component of the altar, supporting the fire and allowing ashes to fall; it had four rings at the corners for carrying with poles.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Position and purpose of the grating | Placed under the ledge halfway up the altar, it functioned to support the fire and sacrifice and allow ashes to fall. | Some commentators (e.g., Gill) suggest the grating may have extended to the horns; others (e.g., Keil and Delitzsch) see it as free-standing and supporting the ledge. |
| Symbolic significance | The grating is part of the altar that points to sacrifice and atonement. | Matthew Henry and Wesley read it as a direct type of Christ; Barnes and Cambridge lean toward a primarily functional reading without suppressing the symbolic. |
| The rings and carrying | Four bronze rings were attached to the grating, used for poles to carry the altar. | Whether the rings were on the corners of the grating or placed a bit lower on the sides of the altar (Gill notes a possible reading of the Hebrew particle ‘al as “by” rather than “in”). |
Historical & Cultural Context
The altar of burnt offering stood in the tabernacle courtyard, directly in front of the tent. Its dimensions, five cubits square and three high (about 7.5 feet across and 4.5 feet tall), made it the largest furnishing in the court. Built of acacia planks and overlaid with bronze, it had a hollow interior. According to Keil and Delitzsch, a projecting bench called the carcob surrounded the altar at its midpoint, and the bronze grating was fastened from the outer edge of that bench down to the ground. This arrangement created a ledge for the priest to stand on (Leviticus 9:22). The grating itself was a network of bronze, strong enough to hold the wood and the sacrificial animal, yet open enough to allow ashes to fall into pans below (Exodus 27:3). Four bronze rings were attached at the four corners of this grating, not on the main body of the altar. Through these rings, poles made of acacia wood overlaid with bronze could be inserted for carrying the altar when the camp moved. Practical design met theological meaning: bronze, as a metal that endures fire, pointed to the judgment sin deserved. The grating's position halfway up the altar recalled the meeting of heaven and earth at the place of atonement.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts.
Reception History
Jewish tradition (Targum Jonathan) understood the grating as a receptacle for bones and coals. Christian interpretation from the early centuries onward has found typological significance in the altar of burnt offering. Reformation commentators like Matthew Henry and John Wesley read the grating as a type of Christ’s sustaining work in atonement. More historically focused works, such as Keil and Delitzsch, emphasize the grating’s structural role while still noting its symbolic resonance as part of the sacrificial system.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Grating Sustains the Sacrifice, Without the grating, the fire would have no support. The net holds the sacrifice, reminding us that Christ’s strength bears our sin and keeps the offering of our lives steady before God.
- The Grating Allows Ashes to Fall, The ash removal shows sin dealt with and removed. Christ’s sacrifice removes our sin completely, so we no longer carry its weight.
- The Grating Bears the Altar, The rings and poles show the altar moves with the people. Christ’s atonement travels with us, always accessible wherever we go.
Five-point outline
- Precision in Worship, Every detail of the grating shows God cares how we approach Him.
- Provision for Fire, The grating supports the fire of sacrifice; Christ supports the work of atonement.
- Purification through Ash Removal, Sin is carried away, just as the ashes fell through.
- Portability of the Presence, The rings and poles make the altar mobile; God’s grace goes with His people.
- Proclamation of Judgment and Mercy, Bronze endures fire, pointing to judgment, yet the altar is also the place of mercy.
Illustration hooks
- A barbecue grill: the grate holds the meat while allowing fat to drip away. The altar’s grating holds the sacrifice while draining away what is consumed.
- A construction scaffold: it supports workers and materials, just as the grating supported the priest and the sacrifice.
- A colander or sieve: it separates what is wanted from what is waste; the grating separated the precious offering from the ashes.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why did God specify bronze rather than gold for this altar?
- How does the grating help me understand the cost of forgiveness?
- What does it mean that the altar was portable? Does God still “move” with us?
Leading a Discussion
The grating on the brazen altar is a small detail with big meaning. As you gather, consider how God prepared for worship with precision. This structure was not accidental; it held fire, held the sacrifice, and allowed ashes to fall. It also made the altar portable, the rings and poles meant God’s presence moved with Israel.
Discussion questions
- What do you notice in Exodus 27:4, 5 that you had not seen before?
- Why might the grating be made of net-work bronze rather than a solid sheet?
- How does the grating’s location (halfway up the altar) help you picture the act of sacrifice?
- Why were there four rings on the grating? What does the number four often represent in Scripture?
- In what ways does the grating point to Jesus Christ and His work on the cross?
- How can we “carry” the presence and forgiveness of God in our daily lives?
- What does the grating teach us about the balance between God’s judgment (bronze) and His mercy (the altar)?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 25:12 | You shall cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in its four feet. Two rings shall be on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it. |
| Exodus 35:16 | the altar of burnt offering, with its grating of bronze, its poles, and all its vessels, the basin and its base; |
| Exodus 38:4 | He made for the altar a grating of a network of bronze, under the ledge around it beneath, reaching halfway up. |
| Exodus 38:5 | He cast four rings for the four corners of bronze grating, to be places for the poles. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke presents Calmet's detailed reconstruction of the bronze altar as a box-like structure with a grating on top for airflow and ash disposal, along with rings and chains for carrying. He then observes that even on these construction details, scholars hold a wide variety of opinions.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that the brazen altar was a hollow wooden frame covered with bronze, intended to be filled with earth or rough stones for use. This connects it to the earlier command for altars of earth or stone, making the woodwork simply a casing. A shelf halfway up served as a priests' stage, reached by an earthen ramp.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible identifies the ledge midway up the altar of burnt-offering as a platform for priests to stand on while sacrificing. This architectural detail explains the biblical language of going up to and coming down from an altar, since the ledge was supported by a bronze grating and accessed by priests during offerings.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Bible notes emphasize that the altar's grate is made as a bronze network or mesh, with four bronze rings fastened to each of its four corners. This specific design ensures the grate holds the fire and sacrifices while allowing ash to fall through, and the rings enable it to be carried separately.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill sees the brass grate as a sieve letting blood and ashes through, and he gives it a typological meaning: it points to the purity of Christ's sacrifice offered without spot, and to Christ himself as the altar that sanctifies our gifts and removes sin. The four rings likely allowed the grate to be lowered and raised within the altar.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB highlights that the brass grate was a sunken latticework designed to hold the fire, and the four rings at its corners were for lifting and removing the grating from the altar as needed. This practical detail served the regular maintenance of the altar.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch describe the altar's bronze grating as a net-like covering that supported a projecting bench (the carcob) around its lower half. This bench gave the priest a foothold partway up, so he could stand and tend the offerings without needing steps.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange emphasizes that the tabernacle is not merely a place of worship but the center of Israel's entire legislation, serving as the personal residence of the Lawgiver himself. From above the mercy-seat
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights that the altar stood in the court, not inside the tabernacle, because only priests entered God's dwelling as his household servants. The people, as subjects, brought their sacrifices there, and through this arrangement a regular communion between God and Israel was established.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley reads the brazen altar's grate and net-work as a type of Christ's sacrifice. He sees the altar representing Christ dying for atonement, sanctifying himself for the church, and providing refuge for sinners at its horns. The design of the altar points to Christ's mediating work.