Exodus 37

Making the Ark

1 ¹Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood. Two cubits^[a] and a half was its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height.

2 And he overlaid it with pure gold inside and outside, and made a molding of gold around it.

3 And he cast for it four rings of gold for its ²four feet, two rings on its one side and two rings on its other side.

4 And he made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold

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

6 And he made a mercy seat of pure gold. Two cubits and a half was its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth.

7 And he made two cherubim of gold. He made them of hammered work on the two ends of the mercy seat,

8 one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end. Of one piece with the mercy seat he made the cherubim on its two ends.

9 The cherubim spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat were the faces of the cherubim.

Making the Table

10 ³He also made the table of acacia wood. Two cubits was its length, a cubit its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height.

11 And he overlaid it with pure gold, and made a molding of gold around it.

12 And he made a rim around it a handbreadth^[b] wide, and made a molding of gold around the rim.

13 He cast for it four rings of gold and fastened the rings to the four corners at its four legs.

14 Close to the frame were the rings, as holders for the poles to carry the table.

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

16 And he made the vessels of pure gold that were to be on the table, its plates and dishes for incense, and its bowls and flagons with which to pour drink offerings.

Making the Lampstand

17 ⁴He also made the lampstand of pure gold. He made the lampstand of hammered work. Its base, its stem, its cups, its calyxes, and its flowers were of one piece with it.

18 And there were six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it;

19 three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on one branch, and three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on the other branch--so for the six branches going out of the lampstand.

20 And on the lampstand itself were four cups made like almond blossoms, with their calyxes and flowers,

21 and a calyx of one piece with it under each pair of the six branches going out of it.

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

23 And he made its seven lamps and its tongs and its trays of pure gold.

24 He made it and all its utensils out of a talent^[c] of pure gold.

Making the Altar of Incense

25 ⁵He made the altar of incense of acacia wood. Its length was a cubit, and its breadth was a cubit. It was square, and two cubits was its height. Its horns were of one piece with it.

26 He overlaid it with pure gold, its top and around its sides and its horns. And he made a molding of gold around it,

27 and made two rings of gold on it under its molding, on two opposite sides of it, as holders for the poles with which to carry it.

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

29 ⁶He made the holy anointing oil also, and the ⁷pure fragrant incense, blended as by the 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. For ver. 1-9, see Exodus 25:10-20
• 2. Exodus 25:12
• 3. For ver. 10-16, see Exodus 25:23-29
• 4. For ver. 17-24, see Exodus 25:31-39
• 5. For ver. 25-28, see Exodus 30:1-5
• 6. Exodus 30:23, 24, 34, 35
• 7. Exodus 30:7

Footnotes

• [a]. A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
• [b]. A handbreadth was about 3 inches or 7.5 centimeters
• [c]. A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms

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