The Ark(A)

37 Bezalel(B) made the ark(C) of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.[a] He overlaid it with pure gold,(D) both inside and out, and made a gold molding around it. He cast four gold rings for it and fastened them to its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other. Then he made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. And he inserted the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry it.

He made the atonement cover(E) of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. Then he made two cherubim(F) out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. He made one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; at the two ends he made them of one piece with the cover. The cherubim had their wings spread upward, overshadowing(G) the cover with them. The cherubim faced each other, looking toward the cover.(H)

The Table(I)

10 They[b] made the table(J) of acacia wood—two cubits long, a cubit wide and a cubit and a half high.[c] 11 Then they overlaid it with pure gold(K) and made a gold molding around it. 12 They also made around it a rim a handbreadth[d] wide and put a gold molding on the rim. 13 They cast four gold rings for the table and fastened them to the four corners, where the four legs were. 14 The rings(L) were put close to the rim to hold the poles used in carrying the table. 15 The poles for carrying the table were made of acacia wood and were overlaid with gold. 16 And they made from pure gold the articles for the table—its plates and dishes and bowls and its pitchers for the pouring out of drink offerings.

The Lampstand(M)

17 They made the lampstand(N) of pure gold. They hammered out its base and shaft, and made its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms of one piece with them. 18 Six branches extended from the sides of the lampstand—three on one side and three on the other. 19 Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms were on one branch, three on the next branch and the same for all six branches extending from the lampstand. 20 And on the lampstand were four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms. 21 One bud was under the first pair of branches extending from the lampstand, a second bud under the second pair, and a third bud under the third pair—six branches in all. 22 The buds and the branches were all of one piece with the lampstand, hammered out of pure gold.(O)

23 They made its seven lamps,(P) as well as its wick trimmers and trays, of pure gold. 24 They made the lampstand and all its accessories from one talent[e] of pure gold.

The Altar of Incense(Q)

25 They made the altar of incense(R) out of acacia wood. It was square, a cubit long and a cubit wide and two cubits high[f]—its horns(S) of one piece with it. 26 They overlaid the top and all the sides and the horns with pure gold, and made a gold molding around it. 27 They made two gold rings(T) below the molding—two on each of the opposite sides—to hold the poles used to carry it. 28 They made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.(U)

29 They also made the sacred anointing oil(V) and the pure, fragrant incense(W)—the work of a perfumer.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 37:1 That is, about 3 3/4 feet long and 2 1/4 feet wide and high or about 1.1 meters long and 68 centimeters wide and high; similarly in verse 6
  2. Exodus 37:10 Or He; also in verses 11-29
  3. Exodus 37:10 That is, about 3 feet long, 1 1/2 feet wide and 2 1/4 feet high or about 90 centimeters long, 45 centimeters wide and 68 centimeters high
  4. Exodus 37:12 That is, about 3 inches or about 7.5 centimeters
  5. Exodus 37:24 That is, about 75 pounds or about 34 kilograms
  6. Exodus 37:25 That is, about 1 1/2 feet long and wide and 3 feet high or about 45 centimeters long and wide and 90 centimeters high

Making the Ark

37 (A)Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood. Two cubits[a] and a half was its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. And he overlaid it with pure gold inside and outside, and made a molding of gold around it. And he cast for it four rings of gold for its (B)four feet, two rings on its one side and two rings on its other side. And he made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold and put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark. And he made a mercy seat of pure gold. Two cubits and a half was its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth. And he made two cherubim of gold. He made them of hammered work on the two ends of the mercy seat, one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end. Of one piece with the mercy seat he made the cherubim on its two ends. The cherubim spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat were the faces of the cherubim.

Making the Table

10 (C)He also made the table of acacia wood. Two cubits was its length, a cubit its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. 11 And he overlaid it with pure gold, and made a molding of gold around it. 12 And he made a rim around it a handbreadth[b] wide, and made a molding of gold around the rim. 13 He cast for it four rings of gold and fastened the rings to the four corners at its four legs. 14 Close to the frame were the rings, as holders for the poles to carry the table. 15 He made the poles of acacia wood to carry the table, and overlaid them with gold. 16 And he made the vessels of pure gold that were to be on the table, its plates and dishes for incense, and its bowls and flagons with which to pour drink offerings.

Making the Lampstand

17 (D)He also made the lampstand of pure gold. He made the lampstand of hammered work. Its base, its stem, its cups, its calyxes, and its flowers were of one piece with it. 18 And there were six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it; 19 three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on one branch, and three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on the other branch—so for the six branches going out of the lampstand. 20 And on the lampstand itself were four cups made like almond blossoms, with their calyxes and flowers, 21 and a calyx of one piece with it under each pair of the six branches going out of it. 22 Their calyxes and their branches were of one piece with it. The whole of it was a single piece of hammered work of pure gold. 23 And he made its seven lamps and its tongs and its trays of pure gold. 24 He made it and all its utensils out of a talent[c] of pure gold.

Making the Altar of Incense

25 (E)He made the altar of incense of acacia wood. Its length was a cubit, and its breadth was a cubit. It was square, and two cubits was its height. Its horns were of one piece with it. 26 He overlaid it with pure gold, its top and around its sides and its horns. And he made a molding of gold around it, 27 and made two rings of gold on it under its molding, on two opposite sides of it, as holders for the poles with which to carry it. 28 And he made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.

29 (F)He made the holy anointing oil also, and the (G)pure fragrant incense, blended as by the perfumer.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 37:1 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
  2. Exodus 37:12 A handbreadth was about 3 inches or 7.5 centimeters
  3. Exodus 37:24 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms

The Ark of the Covenant

37 Bezalel made the Ark of the Covenant of acacia wood. The Ark of the Covenant was 45 inches long, 27 inches wide and 27 inches high. He covered the inside and outside of the Ark of the Covenant with pure gold. Then he put a gold strip around it. He made four gold rings for it and attached them to its four feet. There were two rings on each side. Then he made poles of acacia wood and covered them with gold. He put the poles through the rings on each side of the Ark of the Covenant to carry it. Then he made a lid of pure gold. It was 45 inches long and 27 inches wide. Then Bezalel hammered gold to make two creatures with wings. He attached them to each end of the lid. He made one creature with wings on one end of the lid. He made the other creature with wings on the other end. He attached them to the lid so that it would be one piece. The creatures’ wings were spread out over the lid. The creatures faced each other across the lid.

The Table

10 Then he made the table of acacia wood. The table was 36 inches long, 18 inches wide and 27 inches high. 11 He covered the table with pure gold. He put a gold strip around it. 12 Then he made a frame 3 inches high that stood up all around the edge. He put a gold strip around the frame. 13 Then he made four gold rings for the table. He attached them to the four corners of the table, where the four legs were. 14 The rings were put close to the frame around the top of the table. The rings held the poles that were used to carry the table. 15 The poles for carrying the table were made of acacia wood. They were covered with gold. 16 Then he made of pure gold all the things that were used on the table: the plates, bowls, cups and jars used for pouring the drink offerings.

The Lampstand

17 Then he made the lampstand of pure gold. He hammered out its base and stand. Its flower-like cups, buds and petals were joined together in one piece with the base and stand. 18 There were three branches on one side of the lampstand and three branches on the other. 19 Each branch had three cups shaped like almond flowers. Each cup had a bud and a petal. 20 There were four more cups shaped like almond flowers on the lampstand itself. Each cup had its buds and petals. 21 Three pairs of branches went out from the lampstand. A bud was under the place where each pair was attached to the lampstand. 22 The buds, branches and lampstand were all one piece of pure, hammered gold. 23 He made seven pure gold lamps for this lampstand. Then he made pure gold wick trimmers and trays. 24 He used about 75 pounds of pure gold to make the lampstand and all the things that go with it.

The Altar for Burning Incense

25 Then he made the altar of incense of acacia wood. The altar was square. It was 18 inches long, 18 inches wide and 36 inches high. Each corner stuck out like a horn. Each corner was joined into one piece with the altar. 26 He covered the top and all the sides and the corners with pure gold. Then he put gold trim around the altar. 27 He made two gold rings and put them below the trim on opposite sides of the altar. These rings held the poles for carrying the altar. 28 He made the poles of acacia wood and covered them with gold.

29 Then he made the holy olive oil for appointing the priests. He also made the pure, sweet-smelling incense. He made them like a person who mixes perfumes.