Exodus 37:1-9

Construction Continues

1 ¹Now Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood; its length was two and a half cubits, and its width one and a half cubits, and its height one and a half cubits;

2 and he overlaid it with pure gold inside * and out, and made a gold molding for it all around.

3 He cast four rings of gold for it on its four feet; even two rings on one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it.

4 He made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.

5 He put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry it.

6 He made a mercy seat of pure gold, two and a half cubits long and one and a half cubits wide.

7 He made two cherubim of gold; he made them of hammered work at the two ends of the mercy seat;

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

9 The cherubim had their wings spread upward, covering the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces toward each other; the faces of the cherubim were toward the mercy seat.

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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

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 1

1. Exodus 25:10-20

Footnotes 11

[a]. I.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in.
[b]. Lit "second"
[c]. Lit "the ark"
[d]. Lit "propitiatory"
[e]. Lit "its length"
[f]. Lit "its width"
[g]. Lit "from"
[h]. Lit "from"
[i]. Lit "from"
[j]. Lit "from"
[k]. Lit "propitiatory"