Exodus 37:1-10

1 Bez'alel made the ark of acacia wood; two cubits and a half was its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height.

2 And he overlaid it with pure gold within and without, and made a molding of gold around it.

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

4 And he made poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold,

5 and put the poles 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 was its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth.

7 And he made two cherubim of hammered gold; on the two ends of the mercy seat he made them,

8 one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end; of one piece with the mercy seat he made the cherubim on its two ends.

9 The cherubim spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat were the faces of the cherubim.

10 He also made the table of acacia wood; two cubits was its length, a cubit its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height;

Exodus 37:1-10 Meaning and Commentary

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