Bible Commentaries
Exodus 37

Verses 1-9

The Ark

v. 1. And Bezaleel made the ark of shittim wood, the light, but strong wood of the Arabian acacia; two cubits and a half was the length of it, and a cubit and a half the breadth of it, and a cubit and a half the height of it;

v. 2. and he overlaid it with pure gold within and without, and made a crown, a molding, of gold to it round about.

v. 3. And he cast for it four rings of gold, to be set by (on or at ) the four corners of it: even two rings upon the one side of it and two rings upon the other side of it.

v. 6. And he made the mercy-seat, the lid, or covering, of the ark, of pure gold; two cubits and a half was the length thereof and one cubit and a half the breadth thereof.

v. 7. And he made two cherubim of gold, beaten out of one piece made he them, enchased and fashioned with a hammer, on the two ends of the mercy-seat:

v. 8. one cherub on the end on this side and another cherub on the other end on that side, one at the north end, the other at the south end of the lid; out of the mercy-seat made he the cherubim on the two ends thereof, not merely set on top, but so firmly attached to the covering of the ark as to be an integral part of it.

v. 9. And the cherubim spread out their wings on high, and covered with their wings over the mercy-seat, with their faces to another, even to the mercy-seatward were the faces of the cherubim; they were facing toward each other, and bending forward over the ark. Cf Exodus 25:10-22.

Verses 10-16

The Table of the Showbread

v. 11. And he overlaid it with pure gold, and made thereunto a crown of gold round about, heavy crosspieces connecting the legs of the table.

v. 12. Also he made thereunto a border of an handbreadth round about, a heavy molding just beneath the edge of the plate; and made a crown of gold for the border thereof round about, a rim which stood up above the plate of the table.

v. 14. Over against the border were the rings, next to the heavy molding at the top, the places for the staves to bear the table.

v. 16. And he made the vessels which were upon the table, his dishes, the showbread plates, and his spoons, the small incense vessels, and his bowls, and his covers to cover withal, pitchers and goblets for the drink-offering, of pure gold. Cf Exodus 25:23-30.

Verses 17-24

The Candlestick

v. 17. And he made the candlestick of pure gold; of beaten work made he the candlestick, of chased workmanship; his shaft, the base, and his branch, the heavy upright holder, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, were of the same;

v. 18. and six branches going out of the sides thereof; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side thereof and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side thereof;

v. 19. three bowls made after the fashion of almonds, shaped like the blossoms of the almond-tree, in one branch, a knop and a flower; and three bowls made like almonds in another branch, a knop and a flower; so throughout the six branches going out of the candlestick.

v. 20. And in the candlestick, in the shaft itself, were four bowls made like almonds, his knops, and his flowers;

v. 21. and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches going out of it, the knobs thus serving as ornaments at the branching of the arms.

v. 23. And he made his seven lamps, which were set into the bowls, and his snuffers and his snuff-dishes, the shears and pincers for trimming the wicks and the small plates for the trimmings, of pure gold.

v. 24. of a talent of pure gold made he it, and all the vessels thereof, their value, by a rough estimate, being some $30,000. Cf Exodus 25:31-40.

Verses 25-29

The Altar of Incense

v. 26. And he overlaid it with pure gold, both the top, the plate, of it, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns of it; also he made unto it a crown of gold round about, a heavy, decorated molding.

v. 27. And he made two rings of gold for it under the crown thereof, next to the heavy molding, by the two corners of it, upon the two sides thereof, to be places for the staves to bear it withal. Thus was the "golden altar" finished.

v. 28. And he made the staves of shittim wood and overlaid them with gold. Cf Exodus 30:1-10.

v. 29. And he made the holy anointing oil and the pure incense of sweet spices according to the work of the apothecary. Cf Exodus 30:22-28.