1 And Bezaleel H1212 made H6213 the ark H727 of shittim H7848 wood: H6086 two cubits H520 and a half H2677 was the length H753 of it, and a cubit H520 and a half H2677 the breadth H7341 of it, and a cubit H520 and a half H2677 the height H6967 of it:
2 And he overlaid H6823 it with pure H2889 gold H2091 within H1004 and without, H2351 and made H6213 a crown H2213 of gold H2091 to it round about. H5439
3 And he cast H3332 for it four H702 rings H2885 of gold, H2091 to be set by the four H702 corners H6471 of it; even two H8147 rings H2885 upon the one H259 side H6763 of it, and two H8147 rings H2885 upon the other H8145 side H6763 of it.
4 And he made H6213 staves H905 of shittim H7848 wood, H6086 and overlaid H6823 them with gold. H2091
5 And he put H935 the staves H905 into the rings H2885 by the sides H6763 of the ark, H727 to bear H5375 the ark. H727
6 And he made H6213 the mercy seat H3727 of pure H2889 gold: H2091 two cubits H520 and a half H2677 was the length H753 thereof, and one cubit H520 and a half H2677 the breadth H7341 thereof.
7 And he made H6213 two H8147 cherubims H3742 of gold, H2091 beaten out of one piece H4749 made H6213 he them, on the two H8147 ends H7098 of the mercy seat; H3727
8 One H259 cherub H3742 on the end H7098 on this side, and another H259 cherub H3742 on the other end H7098 on that side: out of the mercy seat H3727 made H6213 he the cherubims H3742 on the two H8147 ends H7098 H7099 thereof.
9 And the cherubims H3742 spread out H6566 their wings H3671 on high, H4605 and covered H5526 with their wings H3671 over the mercy seat, H3727 with their faces H6440 one H376 to another; H251 even to the mercy seatward H3727 were the faces H6440 of the cherubims. H3742
10 And he made H6213 the table H7979 of shittim H7848 wood: H6086 two cubits H520 was the length H753 thereof, and a cubit H520 the breadth H7341 thereof, and a cubit H520 and a half H2677 the height H6967 thereof:
11 And he overlaid H6823 it with pure H2889 gold, H2091 and made H6213 thereunto a crown H2213 of gold H2091 round about. H5439
12 Also he made H6213 thereunto a border H4526 of an handbreadth H2948 round about; H5439 and made H6213 a crown H2213 of gold H2091 for the border H4526 thereof round about. H5439
13 And he cast H3332 for it four H702 rings H2885 of gold, H2091 and put H5414 the rings H2885 upon the four H702 corners H6285 that were in the four H702 feet H7272 thereof.
14 Over against H5980 the border H4526 were the rings, H2885 the places H1004 for the staves H905 to bear H5375 the table. H7979
15 And he made H6213 the staves H905 of shittim H7848 wood, H6086 and overlaid H6823 them with gold, H2091 to bear H5375 the table. H7979
16 And he made H6213 the vessels H3627 which were upon the table, H7979 his dishes, H7086 and his spoons, H3709 and his bowls, H4518 and his covers H7184 to cover H5258 withal, H2004 of pure H2889 gold. H2091
17 And he made H6213 the candlestick H4501 of pure H2889 gold: H2091 of beaten work H4749 made H6213 he the candlestick; H4501 his shaft, H3409 and his branch, H7070 his bowls, H1375 his knops, H3730 and his flowers, H6525 were of the same:
18 And six H8337 branches H7070 going out H3318 of the sides H6654 thereof; three H7969 branches H7070 of the candlestick H4501 out of the one H259 side H6654 thereof, and three H7969 branches H7070 of the candlestick H4501 out of the other H8145 side H6654 thereof:
19 Three H7969 bowls H1375 made after the fashion of almonds H8246 in one H259 branch, H7070 a knop H3730 and a flower; H6525 and three H7969 bowls H1375 made like almonds H8246 in another H259 branch, H7070 a knop H3730 and a flower: H6525 so throughout the six H8337 branches H7070 going out H3318 of the candlestick. H4501
20 And in the candlestick H4501 were four H702 bowls H1375 made like almonds, H8246 his knops, H3730 and his flowers: H6525
21 And a knop H3730 under two H8147 branches H7070 of the same, and a knop H3730 under two H8147 branches H7070 of the same, and a knop H3730 under two H8147 branches H7070 of the same, according to the six H8337 branches H7070 going out H3318 of it.
22 Their knops H3730 and their branches H7070 were of the same: all of it was one H259 beaten work H4749 of pure H2889 gold. H2091
23 And he made H6213 his seven H7651 lamps, H5216 and his snuffers, H4457 and his snuffdishes, H4289 of pure H2889 gold. H2091
24 Of a talent H3603 of pure H2889 gold H2091 made H6213 he it, and all the vessels H3627 thereof.
25 And he made H6213 the incense H7004 altar H4196 of shittim H7848 wood: H6086 the length H753 of it was a cubit, H520 and the breadth H7341 of it a cubit; H520 it was foursquare; H7251 and two cubits H520 was the height H6967 of it; the horns H7161 thereof were of the same.
26 And he overlaid H6823 it with pure H2889 gold, H2091 both the top H1406 of it, and the sides H7023 thereof round about, H5439 and the horns H7161 of it: also he made H6213 unto it a crown H2213 of gold H2091 round about. H5439
27 And he made H6213 two H8147 rings H2885 of gold H2091 for it under the crown H2213 thereof, by the two H8147 corners H6763 of it, upon the two H8147 sides H6654 thereof, to be places H1004 for the staves H905 to bear H5375 it withal.
28 And he made H6213 the staves H905 of shittim H7848 wood, H6086 and overlaid H6823 them with gold. H2091
29 And he made H6213 the holy H6944 anointing H4888 oil, H8081 and the pure H2889 incense H7004 of sweet spices, H5561 according to the work H4639 of the apothecary. H7543
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Exodus 37
Commentary on Exodus 37 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 37
Ex 37:1-29. Furniture of the Tabernacle.
1. Bezaleel made the ark—The description here given of the things within the sacred edifice is almost word for word the same as that contained in Ex 25:1-40. It is not on that account to be regarded as a useless repetition of minute particulars; for by the enumeration of these details, it can be seen how exactly everything was fashioned according to the "pattern shown on the mount" [Ex 25:40]; and the knowledge of this exact correspondence between the prescription and the execution was essential to the purposes of the fabric.
6-10. made the mercy seat of pure gold—To construct a figure, whether the body of a beast or a man, with two extended wings, measuring from two to three feet from tip to tip, with the hammer, out of a solid piece of gold, was what few, if any, artisans of the present day could accomplish.
17-22. he made the candlestick of pure gold—Practical readers will be apt to say, "Why do such works with the hammer, when they could have been cast so much easier—a process they were well acquainted with?" The only answer that can be given is, that it was done according to order. We have no doubt but there were reasons for so distinctive an order, something significant, which has not been revealed to us [Napier]. The whole of that sacred building was arranged with a view to inculcate through every part of its apparatus the great fundamental principles of revelation. Every object was symbolical of important truth—every piece of furniture was made the hieroglyphic of a doctrine or a duty—on the floor and along the sides of that movable edifice was exhibited, by emblematic signs addressed to the eye, the whole remedial scheme of the gospel. How far this spiritual instruction was received by every successive generation of the Israelites, it may not be easy to determine. But the tabernacle, like the law of which it was a part, was a schoolmaster to Christ [Ga 3:24, 25]. Just as the walls of schools are seen studded with pictorial figures, by which the children, in a manner level to their capacities and suited to arrest their volatile minds, are kept in constant and familiar remembrance of the lessons of piety and virtue, so the tabernacle was intended by its furniture and all its arrangements to serve as a "shadow of good things to come" [Heb 10:1]. In this view, the minute description given in this chapter respecting the ark and mercy seat, the table of showbread, the candlestick, the altar of incense, and the holy oil, were of the greatest utility and importance; and though there are a few things that are merely ornamental appendages, such as the knops and the flowers, yet, in introducing these into the tabernacle, God displayed the same wisdom and goodness as He has done by introducing real flowers into the kingdom of nature to engage and gratify the eye of man.