Exodus 37:1-7

1 Forsooth Bezaleel made also an ark of the wood of shittim, having two cubits and an half in length, and a cubit and an half in breadth; forsooth the height was of one cubit and an half; (Then Bezaleel made the Ark, that is, the Box for the tablets of the Law, out of shittim wood, or acacia wood, two and a half cubits in length, and one and a half cubits in breadth, and one and a half cubits in height;)

2 and he covered the ark with purest gold, within and withoutforth. And he made to it a golden crown by compass (And he put a gold band all around it),

3 and he melted out four golden rings, (to be set) by the four corners thereof, two rings in one side, and two rings in the other side. (and he made four rings out of melted gold, to be fastened to its four corners, two rings on one side, and two rings on the other side.)

4 And he made (its) bars (out) of the wood of shittim, the which he covered with gold,

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,)

Exodus 37:1-7 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