Exodus 37

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.

10 ²Then he made the table of acacia wood, two cubits long and a cubit wide and one and a half cubits high.

11 He overlaid it with pure gold, and made a gold molding for it all around.

12 He made a rim for it of a handbreadth all around, and made a gold molding for its rim all around.

13 He cast four gold rings for it and put the rings on the four corners that were on its four feet.

14 Close by the rim were the rings, the holders for the poles to carry the table.

15 He made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold, to carry the table.

16 He made the utensils which were on the table, its dishes and its pans and its bowls and its jars, with which to pour out drink offerings, of pure gold.

17 ³Then he made the lampstand of pure gold. He made the lampstand of hammered work, its base and its shaft; its cups, its bulbs and its flowers were of one piece with it.

18 There were six branches going out of its sides; three branches of the lampstand from the one side of it and three branches of the lampstand from the other side of it;

19 three cups shaped like almond blossoms, a bulb and a flower in one branch, and three cups shaped like almond blossoms, a bulb and a flower in the other branch -so for the six branches going out of the lampstand.

20 In the lampstand there were four cups shaped like almond blossoms, its bulbs and its flowers;

21 and a bulb was under the first pair of branches coming out of it, and a bulb under the second pair of branches coming out of it, and a bulb under the third pair of branches coming out of it, for the six branches coming out of the lampstand.

22 Their bulbs and their branches were of one piece with it; the whole of it was a single hammered work of pure gold.

23 He made its seven lamps with its snuffers and its trays of pure gold.

24 He made it and all its utensils from a talent of pure gold.

25 ⁴Then he made the altar of incense of acacia wood: a cubit long and a cubit wide, square, and two cubits high; its horns were of one piece with it.

26 He overlaid it with pure gold, its top and its sides all around, and its horns; and he made a gold molding for it all around.

27 He made two golden rings for it under its molding, on its two sides -on opposite sides -as holders for poles with which to carry it.

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

29 ⁵And he made the holy anointing oil and the pure, fragrant incense of spices, the 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.

Cross References

• 1. Exodus 25:10-20
• 2. Exodus 25:23-29
• 3. Exodus 25:31-39
• 4. Exodus 30:1-5
• 5. Ex 30:23-25, 34, 35

Footnotes

• [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"
• [l]. I.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in.
• [m]. Lit "its length"
• [n]. Lit "its width"
• [o]. Lit "its height"
• [p]. Or "platters"
• [q]. Lit "libation bowls"
• [r]. Or "calyxes"
• [s]. Lit "second"
• [t]. Or "calyx"
• [u]. Or "calyx"
• [v]. Or "calyxes"
• [w]. Or "calyx"
• [x]. Or "calyx"
• [y]. Or "calyx"
• [z]. Or "calyxes"
• [aa]. Lit "snuff dishes"
• [ab]. Lit "its length"
• [ac]. Lit "its width"
• [ad]. Lit "its height"
• [ae]. Lit "walls"

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