Exodus 37

1 And Bezaleel made the ark of acacia-wood; two cubits and a half the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.

2 And he overlaid it with pure gold inside and outside, and made a border of gold upon it round about.

3 And he cast for it four rings of gold, for its four corners: two rings on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it.

4 And he made staves of acacia-wood and overlaid them with gold.

5 And he put the staves into the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry the ark.

6 -- And he made a mercy-seat of pure gold; two cubits and a half the length thereof, and one cubit and a half the breadth thereof.

7 And he made two cherubim of gold; of beaten work did he make them, at the two ends of the mercy-seat;

8 one cherub at the end of one side, and one cherub at the end of the other side; out of the mercy-seat he made the two cherubim at the two ends thereof.

9 And the cherubim spread out [their] wings over it, covering over with their wings the mercy-seat; and their faces were opposite to one another: the faces of the cherubim were [turned] toward the mercy-seat.

10 And he made the table of acacia-wood; two cubits the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.

11 And he overlaid it with pure gold, and made upon it a border of gold round about.

12 And he made for it a margin of a hand-breadth round about; and made a border of gold for the margin thereof round about.

13 And he cast for it four rings of gold, and put the rings on the four corners that were on the four feet thereof.

14 Close to the margin were the rings, as receptacles of the staves to carry the table.

15 And he made the staves of acacia-wood, and overlaid them with gold, to carry the table.

16 And he made the utensils that were on the table, the dishes thereof, and the cups thereof, and the bowls thereof, and the goblets with which to pour out, of pure gold.

17 And he made the candlestick of pure gold; [of] beaten work he made the candlestick: its base, and its shaft, its cups, its knobs, and its flowers were of itself.

18 And six branches went out of the sides thereof -- three branches of the candlestick out of the one side thereof, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side thereof;

19 [there were] three cups shaped like almonds in the one branch, a knob and a flower; and three cups shaped like almonds in the other branch, a knob and a flower: so in the six branches which went out of the candlestick.

20 And in the candlestick were four cups, shaped like almonds, its knobs, and its flowers;

21 and a knob under two branches thereof, and [again] a knob under two branches thereof, and [again] a knob under two branches thereof, for the six branches which went out of it.

22 Their knobs and their branches were of itself -- all of one beaten work of pure gold.

23 And he made the seven lamps thereof, and the snuffers thereof, and the snuff-trays thereof, of pure gold.

24 Of a talent of pure gold he made it, and all its utensils.

25 And he made the altar of incense of acacia-wood; a cubit the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, square, and two cubits the height thereof: its horns were of itself.

26 And he overlaid it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and made upon it a border of gold round about.

27 And he made two rings of gold for it under its border, by its two corners, on the two sides thereof, as receptacles for the staves with which to carry it.

28 And he made the staves of acacia-wood, and overlaid them with gold.

29 And he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure incense of fragrant drugs, according to the work of the perfumer.

Exodus 37 Commentary

Chapter 37

The making of the ark, and the furniture of the tabernacle.

- In the furniture of the tabernacle were emblems of a spiritual and acceptable service. The incense represented the prayers of the saints. The sacrifice of the alter represented the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world. The golden pot with manna, or bread from heaven, the flesh of Jesus Christ, which he gave for the life of the world. The candlestick, with its lights, the teaching and enlightening of the Holy Spirit. The shew-bread represented that provision for those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, which the gospel, the ordinances and the sacraments of the house of prayer, abundantly bestow. The exactness of the workmen to their rule, should be followed by us; seeking for the influences of the Holy Spirit, that we may rejoice in and glorify God while in this world, and at length be with him for ever.

Footnotes

• [a]. See ch. 25.12.
• [b]. Or 'for.'
• [c]. Or 'lamp-stand,' and so in vers. 18,19,20, and ch. 25.34.
• [d]. Or 'almond-flowers,' and so elsewhere.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 37

This chapter continues the account of the making of the tabernacle, and the furniture of it, particularly the ark, mercy seat, and cherubim, Ex 37:1-9 the shewbread table, and what appertained to that, Ex 37:10-16 the candlestick, and all the vessels of it, Ex 37:17-24 and the altar of incense, together with the anointing oil, and pure incense, Ex 37:25-29.

because he gave his mind to this work more than the rest of the wise men, it is called by his name. It is a notion of some Jewish writers that the ark was made by Bezaleel, without the help of others; but there is no sufficient reason to be given for it; for other things are equally ascribed to him in this and the following chapter, as the mercy seat with the cherubim, the shewbread table, the candlestick of pure gold, the two altars, the laver of brass, with other things, which are only said to be made by him, because they were made by his direction, and he having the oversight of them while making; wherefore Aben Ezra observes, that this is particularly said for the glory of the ark. Of the ark, and all other things mentioned in this chapter, \\see Gill on "Ex 25:1"\\ &c. to end of chapter, \\see Gill on "Ex 30:1"\\ &c. to end of chapter. 10564-941108-1324-Ex37.2