Exodus 37

Making the Furnishings

¹Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood. Its length was two and a half cubits, and its width a cubit and a half, and a cubit and a half its height.

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

³He cast four rings of gold for it in its four feet—two rings on its one side, and two rings on its other side.

⁴He made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.

⁵He put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to bear the ark.

⁶He made a mercy seat of pure gold. Its length was two and a half cubits, and a cubit and a half its width.

⁷He made two cherubim of gold. He made them of beaten work, at the two ends of the mercy seat:

⁸one 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.

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

¹⁰He made the table of acacia wood. Its length was two cubits, and its width was a cubit, and its height was a cubit and a half.

¹¹He overlaid it with pure gold, and made a gold molding around it.

¹²He made a border of a hand’s width around it, and made a golden molding on its border around it.

¹³He cast four rings of gold for it, and put the rings in the four corners that were on its four feet.

¹⁴The rings were close by the border, the places for the poles to carry the table.

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

¹⁶He 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.

¹⁷He made the lamp stand of pure gold. He made the lamp stand of beaten work. Its base, its shaft, its cups, its buds, and its flowers were of one piece with it.

¹⁸There were six branches going out of its sides: three branches of the lamp stand out of its one side, and three branches of the lamp stand out of its other side:

¹⁹three 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 lamp stand.

²⁰In the lamp stand were four cups made like almond blossoms, its buds and its flowers;

²¹and 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.

²²Their buds and their branches were of one piece with it. The whole thing was one beaten work of pure gold.

²³He made its seven lamps, and its snuffers, and its snuff dishes, of pure gold.

²⁴He made it of a talent of pure gold, with all its vessels.

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

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

²⁷He 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.

²⁸He made the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold.

²⁹He made the holy anointing oil and the pure incense of sweet spices, after the art of the perfumer.

Previous Exodus 36

Next Exodus 38

Exodus 37 details the skilled craftsman Bezalel's construction of the sacred furnishings for the tabernacle, following the divine specifications given to Moses. The chapter methodically describes the creation of the ark of the covenant with its mercy seat and cherubim, the table of showbread, the golden lampstand, and the altar of incense. This careful craftsmanship demonstrates Israel's obedience to God's detailed instructions and their commitment to creating a holy space for divine worship.

Context

This chapter continues the tabernacle construction narrative from chapter 36, showing the completion of the sacred furnishings before the final assembly in chapters 39-40.

Key Themes

Outline

1-9
The Ark and Mercy Seat Bezalel constructs the ark of acacia wood overlaid with gold, complete with carrying poles and the mercy seat topped with golden cherubim.
10-16
The Table of Showbread The table is made of gold-overlaid acacia wood with rings and poles for transport, along with all its golden vessels and utensils.
17-24
The Golden Lampstand The lampstand is crafted from one talent of beaten gold, featuring six branches with almond blossom decorations and seven lamps.
25-29
The Altar of Incense The square incense altar is built of acacia wood with gold overlay, horns, and carrying poles, along with the holy anointing oil and incense.

Making the Furnishings

37:1–37:29

narrative narration solemn

Bezalel crafts the sacred furnishings of the tabernacle including the ark, mercy seat, table, and lampstand from precious materials. These items represent God's presence and provision for worship among the Israelites.

person_contrast

Bezalel's name appears exclusively in construction contexts throughout Exodus, yet here his craftsmanship transforms ordinary materials into vessels of divine holiness through precise sacred geometry.