1 And Bezaleel maketh the ark of shittim wood, two cubits and a half its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height;
2 and he overlayeth it with pure gold within and without, and maketh for it a wreath of gold round about;
3 and he casteth for it four rings of gold, on its four feet, even two rings on its one side, and two rings on its second side;
4 and he maketh staves of shittim wood, and overlayeth them with gold,
5 and he bringeth in the staves into the rings, by the sides of the ark, to bear the ark.
6 And he maketh a mercy-seat of pure gold, two cubits and a half its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth;
7 and he maketh two cherubs of gold, of beaten work he hath made them, at the two ends of the mercy-seat;
8 one cherub at the end on this `side', and one cherub at the end on that, out of the mercy-seat he hath made the cherubs, at its two ends;
9 and the cherubs are spreading out wings on high, covering over the mercy-seat with their wings, and their faces `are' one towards another; towards the mercy-seat have the faces of the cherubs been.
10 And he maketh the table of shittim wood; two cubits its length, and a cubit its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height,
11 and overlayeth it with pure gold, and maketh for it a wreath of gold round about.
12 And he maketh for it a border of a handbreadth round about, and maketh a wreath of gold for its border round about;
13 and he casteth for it four rings of gold, and putteth the rings on the four corners which `are' to its four feet;
14 over-against the border have the rings been, places for staves to bear the table.
15 And he maketh the staves of shittim wood, and overlayeth them with gold, to bear the table;
16 and he maketh the vessels which `are' upon the table, its dishes, and its bowls, and its cups, and the cups by which they pour out, of pure gold.
17 And he maketh the candlestick of pure gold; of beaten work he hath made the candlestick, its base, and its branch, its calyxes, its knops, and its flowers, have been of the same;
18 and six branches are coming out of its sides, three branches of the candlestick out of its one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of its second side;
19 three calyxes, made like almonds, in the one branch, a knop and a flower; and three calyxes, made like almonds, in another branch, a knop and a flower; so to the six branches which are coming out of the candlestick.
20 And in the candlestick `are' four calyxes, made like almonds, its knops, and its flowers,
21 and a knop under the two branches of the same, and a knop under the two branches of the same, and a knop under the two branches of the same, `are' to the six branches which are coming out of it;
22 their knops and their branches have been of the same; all of it one beaten work of pure gold.
23 And he maketh its seven lamps, and its snuffers, and its snuff-dishes, of pure gold;
24 of a talent of pure gold he hath made it, and all its vessels.
25 And he maketh the perfume-altar of shittim wood; a cubit its length, and a cubit its breadth (square), and two cubits its height; its horns have been of the same;
26 and he overlayeth it with pure gold, its top and its sides round about, and its horns; and he maketh for it a wreath of gold round about;
27 and two rings of gold he hath made for it under its wreath, at its two corners, at its two sides, for places for staves to bear it with them.
28 And he maketh the staves of shittim wood, and overlayeth them with gold;
29 and he maketh the holy anointing oil, and the pure spice-perfume -- work of a compounder.
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.