Exodus 37

Making the Ark of the Covenant

1 And Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood, two and a half cubits its length and a cubit and a half its width and a cubit and a half its height.

2 And he overlaid it [with] pure gold inside and outside, and he made for it a gold molding all around.

3 And he cast for it four gold rings on its four feet; and two rings were on its one side, and two rings were on its second side.

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

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

6 And he made an atonement cover of pure gold, two and a half cubits its length and a cubit and a half its width.

7 And he made two cherubim of gold; he made them of hammered work at the two ends of the atonement cover.

8 One cherub [was] {at one end}, and one cherub [was] {at the other end} of the atonement cover; he made the cherubim at its two ends.

9 And the cherubim were [with] outspread wings above, covering with their wings over the atonement cover {and facing each other}; the faces of the cherubim were toward the atonement cover.

Making the Table and the Lampstand

10 And he made the table of acacia wood, two cubits its length and a cubit its width and a cubit and a half its height.

11 And he overlaid it [with] pure gold, and he made for it a gold molding all around.

12 And he made for it a handbreadth rim all around, and he made a gold molding for its rim all around.

13 And he cast for it four gold rings, and he put the rings on the four corners where its four {legs} [were].

14 The rings were near the rim as {holders} for the poles to carry the table.

15 And he made the poles of acacia wood, and he overlaid them [with] gold to carry the table.

16 And he made the vessels that [were] on the table--its plates and its ladles, and its bowls and its pitchers with which [libations] were poured--[of] pure gold.

17 And he made the lampstand of pure gold; he made the lampstand of hammered work--its base and its branch, its cups, its buds, and its blossoms were {all part of it}.

18 And six branches [were] going out from its sides, three branches of the lampstand from its one side and three branches of the lampstand from its second side.

19 Three almond-flower cups [were] on the one branch [with] a bud and a blossom, and three almond-flower cups [were] on the one branch [with] a bud and a blossom--likewise for the six branches going out from the lampstand.

20 And on the lampstand [were] four almond-flower cups, [with] its buds and its blossoms.

21 And a bud [was] under the two branches [that came] from it, and a bud under the two branches from it, and a bud under the two branches from it, [likewise] for the six branches coming out from the lampstand.

22 Their buds and their branches were from it, all of it one [piece] of pure gold, hammered work.

23 And he made its seven lamps and its snuffers and its fire pans of pure gold.

24 He made it [from] a talent of pure gold and all its [pieces of] equipment.

Making the Incense Altar and Anointing Oil

25 And he made the incense altar of acacia wood, a cubit its length and a cubit its width--a square--and two cubits its height; its horns were {of one piece with it}.

26 And he overlaid it [with] pure gold--its top and its sides all around and its horns--and he made for it a gold molding all around.

27 And he made for it two gold rings under its molding {on two opposite sides} as {holders} for poles to carry it with them.

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

29 And he made the holy anointing oil and the pure fragrant incense--work of a 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]. Literally "from end from this"
• [b]. Literally "from end from this"
• [c]. Literally "and their faces a man to his brother"
• [d]. Literally "feet"
• [e]. Literally "houses"
• [f]. Or "bowls"
• [g]. Literally "from it"
• [h]. Refers to the lampstand
• [i]. Literally "from it"
• [j]. Literally "on two of its sides on two of its sides"
• [k]. Literally "houses"

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