1 Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood. Its length was two and a half cubits, and its breadth a cubit and a half, and a cubit and a half its height.
2 He overlaid it with pure gold inside and outside, and made a molding of gold for it round about.
3 He cast four rings of gold for it, in its four feet; even two rings on its one side, and two rings on its other side.
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 bear the ark.
6 He made a mercy seat of pure gold. Its length was two and a half cubits, and a cubit and a half its breadth.
7 He made two cherubim of gold. He made them of beaten work them, 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 its two ends.
9 The cherubim spread out their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces toward one another. The faces of the cherubim were toward the mercy seat.
10 He made the table of acacia wood. Its length was two cubits, and its breadth was a cubit, and its height was a cubit and a half.
11 He overlaid it with pure gold, and made a gold molding around it.
12 He made a border of a handbreadth around it, and made a golden molding on its border around it.
13 He cast four rings of gold for it, and put the rings in the four corners that were on its four feet.
14 The rings were close by the border, the places 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 vessels which were on the table, its dishes, its spoons, its bowls, and its pitchers with which to pour out, of pure gold.
17 He made the lampstand of pure gold. He made the lampstand of beaten work. Its base, its shaft, its cups, its buds, and its flowers were of one piece with it.
18 There were six branches going out of its sides: three branches of the lampstand out of its one side, and three branches of the lampstand out of its other side:
19 three cups made like almond-blossoms in one branch, a bud and a flower, and three cups made like almond-blossoms in the other branch, a bud and a flower: so for the six branches going out of the lampstand.
20 In the lampstand were four cups made like almond-blossoms, its buds and its flowers;
21 and a bud under two branches of one piece with it, and a bud under two branches of one piece with it, and a bud under two branches of one piece with it, for the six branches going out of it.
22 Their buds and their branches were of one piece with it. The whole thing was one beaten work of pure gold.
23 He made its seven lamps, and its snuffers, and its snuff dishes, of pure gold.
24 He made it of a talent of pure gold, with all its vessels.
25 He made the altar of incense of acacia wood. It was square: its length was a cubit, and its breadth a cubit. Its height was two cubits. Its horns were of one piece with it.
26 He overlaid it with pure gold, its top, its sides around it, and its horns. He made a gold molding around it.
27 He made two golden rings for it under its molding crown, on its two ribs, on its two sides, for places for poles with which to carry it.
28 He made the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold.
29 He made the holy anointing oil and the pure incense of sweet spices, after the art of the perfumer.
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.