Exodus - The Tabernacle & Garments

The story of the Exodus is amazing for many reasons.

God demonstrates His power over Pharoah ten times.
Before the Israelites leave Egypt, they ask the Egyptians for gold, silver, and clothing...and they give them these things willingly. Why? Because the Lord makes the Egyptians favorably disposed to them. (Exodus 12:35-36)

Now, I don't think the Isrealites would have ever thought of this on their own. "Ask our slave masters for their gold, silver, and clothing? Yeah, right!"

Of course gold and silver are desirable things of value. But when you are fleeing slavery at the risk of death, you probably wouldn't want to haul something heavy along with you. Even gold would probably be something you would leave behind. But the Israelities ask for it and take it with them in faith.

Why would God want them to take gold, silver and clothes with them. Obviously God can provide for all of their physical needs (quail meat, manna, clothing that does not wear out {ref}, etc.). Well, we find out later in Exodus why the gold, silver, and clothing was needed. They were used to build the tabernacle and all of the sacred objects to be used by the priests, and the garments worn by the priests.

Now, is it very likely that Israelite slaves who to the best of our knowledge were used as slaves to make bricks out of mud, would have any talent for working with wood, making drapes, or the unlikely skill of gold metal working? No, though not entirely out of the realm of possibility, it is unlikely that they learned these skills as slaves in Egypt. Therefore God had to provide these skills to the craftsmen who were responsible for making the tabernacle and the holy objects (Exodus 28:3)