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Exodus 38

Ex. 38:2 KJV (With Strong’s)

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2
And he made
`asah (Hebrew #6213)
to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application (as follows)
KJV usage: accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, X certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, + displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, + feast, (fight-)ing man, + finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, + hinder, hold ((a feast)), X indeed, + be industrious, + journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, + officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, X sacrifice, serve, set, shew, X sin, spend, X surely, take, X thoroughly, trim, X very, + vex, be (warr-)ior, work(-man), yield, use.
Pronounce: aw-saw'
Origin: a primitive root
the horns
qeren (Hebrew #7161)
a horn (as projecting); by implication, a flask, cornet; by resembl. an elephant's tooth (i.e. ivory), a corner (of the altar), a peak (of a mountain), a ray (of light); figuratively, power
KJV usage: X hill, horn.
Pronounce: keh'-ren
Origin: from 7160
thereof on the four
'arba` (Hebrew #702)
from 7251; four
KJV usage: four.
Pronounce: ar-bah'
Origin: masculine oarbaah {ar-baw-aw'}
corners
pinnah (Hebrew #6438)
an angle; by implication, a pinnacle; figuratively, a chieftain
KJV usage: bulwark, chief, corner, stay, tower.
Pronounce: pin-naw'
Origin: feminine of 6434
of it; the horns
qeren (Hebrew #7161)
a horn (as projecting); by implication, a flask, cornet; by resembl. an elephant's tooth (i.e. ivory), a corner (of the altar), a peak (of a mountain), a ray (of light); figuratively, power
KJV usage: X hill, horn.
Pronounce: keh'-ren
Origin: from 7160
thereof were of the same: and he overlaid
tsaphah (Hebrew #6823)
to sheet over (especially with metal)
KJV usage: cover, overlay.
Pronounce: tsaw-faw'
Origin: a primitive root (probably identical with 6822 through the idea of expansion in outlook, transferring to action)
it with brass
nchosheth (Hebrew #5178)
copper, hence, something made of that metal, i.e. coin, a fetter; figuratively, base (as compared with gold or silver)
KJV usage: brasen, brass, chain, copper, fetter (of brass), filthiness, steel.
Pronounce: nekh-o'-sheth
Origin: for 5154
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More on:

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Brass,
Horns

Cross References

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Ministry on This Verse

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he made.
Ex. 27:2• 2And thou shalt make its horns at the four corners thereof; its horns shall be of itself; and thou shalt overlay it with copper. (Ex. 27:2)
brass.
Job 6:12• 12Is my strength the strength of stones?{HR}Is my flesh copper? (Job 6:12)
• Copper is spoken of very early in the Scriptures (Gen. 4:22), where Tubal-cain is described as an instructor to those who worked in brass (copper, as we shall hereafter call it). Suggestively, gold is mentioned first and before the fall: “The gold of that land is good” (Gen. 2:11, 12). God’s glory is first. It may be suggestive also that copper is mentioned in connection with the family of Cain. (“The Altar of Burnt-offering” by S. Ridout)
• Copper is spoken of as a symbol of complete defense. Thus God promises Jeremiah: “I have made thee this day a defensed city, and an iron pillar and brazen walls against the whole land “(Jer. 1:18; 15: 20). The unyielding character of this metal is also suggestive of judgment: “I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as copper” (Levs. 26:19). This order is reversed in Deut. 28:23. These scriptures and others which could be cited make clear the symbolic meaning of the copper durability, strength, unyieldingness, whether in protection, bondage, or warfare. Applied to the nature of God, it would declare His unchanging character, His strength, and the impossibility of escape from His judgment; on the other hand, the security of those beneath His protection. (“The Altar of Burnt-offering” by S. Ridout)
• God’s unchanging judgment of sin, which must visit wrath upon the ungodly; but in the cross of Christ it finds expression not in the punishment of the sinner, but in the outpouring of judgment upon the sinless Substitute. As we look upon the altar glowing with its “red and lowering” copper, we are thus reminded that righteousness and judgment are the foundation of God’s throne. He must judge sin: He would not be the God that He is if this were not the case. (“The Altar of Burnt-offering” by S. Ridout)
• (Rom. 2:11). But from each corner of this foursquare altar rose a horn, an integral part of the altar, while also distinct. One beautiful and obvious meaning of these horns is connected with the verse just quoted: inflexible, even-handed justice marked all God’s ways, and nowhere more perfectly than here. None could hope for any mitigation of justice in his case. Nothing but even-handed justice would be meted out here. (“The Altar of Burnt-offering” by S. Ridout)
• These horns, however, pointed toward the four quarters of the world. Their message was worldwide; and if they declared “all the world guilty before God “ (Rom. 3:19), they equally proclaimed the gospel message of sins borne by the Substitute, for “whosoever” in the whole world. (“The Altar of Burnt-offering” by S. Ridout)
• Horns in Scripture symbolize strength: “My horn shalt Thou exalt like the horn of a unicorn” (Psa. 92:10). They were the badge or symbol of power: “My horn is exalted in the Lord” (1 Sam. 2:1). (“The Altar of Burnt-offering” by S. Ridout)

J. N. Darby Translation

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2
And he made its horns on the four corners thereof; its horns were of itself; and he overlaid it with copper.

W. Kelly Translation

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2
And he made its horns on the four corners thereof; its horns were of itself; and he overlaid it with copper.

WK Verse Note

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(Note: Words in italics have been inserted from the J. N. Darby translation where the W. Kelly translation doesn’t exist.)