Exodus 37:1-9

Building the chest containing the covenant document

1 Bezalel made the chest of acacia wood. It was forty-five inches long, twenty-seven inches wide, and twenty-seven inches high.

2 He covered the chest with pure gold inside and out, and made a gold molding all around it.

3 He cast four gold rings for it and put them on its four feet, two rings on one side and two rings on the other.

4 He made acacia-wood poles and covered them with gold.

5 He put the poles into the rings on the chest's sides to use to carry the chest.

6 He made a cover for the chest out of pure gold, forty-five inches long and twenty-seven inches wide.

7 He made two winged heavenly creatures of hammered gold for the two ends of the cover,

8 one winged heavenly creature at one end and one winged heavenly creature at the other. He placed the winged heavenly creatures at the cover's two ends.

9 The winged heavenly creatures spread out their wings above, shielding the cover with their wings. The winged heavenly creatures faced each other toward the cover's center.

Exodus 37:1-9 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