Exodus 37:5-15

5 and which bars he put into the rings that were in the sides of the ark, to bear it. (and he put the bars through the rings that were fastened to the sides of the Ark, to carry it.)
6 He made also a propitiatory, that is, God's answering place, of purest gold, of two cubits and an half in length, and one cubit and an half in breadth. (And he made the propitiatory, that is, God's answering place, or the lid for the Box, out of pure gold, two and a half cubits in length, and one and a half cubits in breadth.)
7 Also he made two cherubims (out) of gold, beaten out with an hammer, which he set on ever either side of the propitiatory, (And he made two gold cherubim, beaten out with a hammer, which he put at either end of the propitiatory,)
8 one cherub in the height of the one part, and the tother cherub in the height of the tother part; two cherubims, one in each highness of the propitiatory, (one cherub at one end, and the other cherub at the other end; two cherubim, but each joined with the lid to make one piece,)
9 stretching out the wings, and covering the propitiatory, and beholding themselves together, and that propitiatory. (stretching out their wings, and covering the propitiatory, and facing each other, but with their faces turned down toward the propitiatory.)
10 He made also a board of the wood of shittim, in the length of two cubits, and in the breadth of one cubit, which board had a cubit and an half in height. (And he made a table out of shittim wood, or acacia wood, two cubits in length, and one cubit in breadth, and one and a half cubits in height.)
11 And he compassed the table with cleanest gold, and made to it a golden brink by compass; (And he covered the table with pure gold, and put a gold band all around it;)
12 and he made to that brink a golden crown, raised betwixt of four fingers; and on the same crown he made another golden crown. (and he made a gold rim four fingers wide around that band, and then another gold band around that rim.)
13 Also he melted out four golden rings, which he put into the four corners, by all the feet of the table against the crown, (And he made four rings out of melted gold, which he fastened to the four corners of the table, by each leg, close to the rim,)
14 and he put bars into the circles, or rings, that the table might be borne. (and he put bars through the rings, so that the table could be carried.)
15 And he made the bars (out) of the wood of shittim, and compassed those with gold (and covered them with gold).

Exodus 37:5-15 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

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.