The Law · Chapter 37 of 40

Exodus 37

Bezaleel crafts the sacred furniture for the tabernacle's interior. He builds the ark of shittim wood overlaid with pure gold and its mercy seat crowned by two cherubim facing one another. He makes the golden table for the shewbread, the candlestick of pure gold with its seven lamps and almond-shaped bowls, the golden incense altar, and the holy anointing oil and fragrant incense.

What happens in Exodus 37

This chapter records Bezaleel personally making the most sacred objects of the sanctuary. He forms the ark of the covenant from acacia wood, overlays it with pure gold inside and out, crowns it with gold, and fits it with rings and gilded staves for carrying. On top he sets the mercy seat of pure gold, hammering two cherubim of one piece with it, their wings arched over the seat and their faces turned toward it.

He then builds the table of gold for the shewbread with its dishes and vessels, and the candlestick beaten from a single talent of pure gold, its six branches bearing bowls shaped like almond blossoms, its seven lamps and snuffers. He fashions the golden altar of incense with its horns and staves, and compounds the holy anointing oil and the pure, sweet incense after the art of the apothecary.

Exodus 37 in context

Exodus 37 continues the making of the tabernacle, focusing on the furniture for the holy place and the most holy place. It matches the instructions of chapters 25 and 30, now carried out by Bezaleel of the tribe of Judah. Each item served worship: the ark held the testimony and was God's throne, the table and candlestick supplied bread and light, and the incense altar carried prayer upward.

The craftsmanship in gold expressed the surpassing holiness of the God who dwelt within.

Main themes of Exodus 37

Exodus 37 (KJV)

1And Bezaleel made the ark of shittim wood: 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: 2And he overlaid it with pure gold within and without, and made a crown of gold to it round about. 3And he cast for it four rings of gold, to be set by the four corners of it; even two rings upon the one side of it, and two rings upon the other side of it. 4And he made staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold. 5And he put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, to bear the ark. 6And he made the mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half was the length thereof, and one cubit and a half the breadth thereof. 7And he made two cherubims of gold, beaten out of one piece made he them, on the two ends of the mercy seat; 8One cherub on the end on this side, and another cherub on the other end on that side: out of the mercy seat made he the cherubims on the two ends thereof. 9And the cherubims spread out their wings on high, and covered with their wings over the mercy seat, with their faces one to another; even to the mercy seatward were the faces of the cherubims. 10And he made the table of shittim wood: two cubits was the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof: 11And he overlaid it with pure gold, and made thereunto a crown of gold round about. 12Also he made thereunto a border of an handbreadth round about; and made a crown of gold for the border thereof round about. 13And he cast for it four rings of gold, and put the rings upon the four corners that were in the four feet thereof. 14Over against the border were the rings, the places for the staves to bear the table. 15And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold, to bear the table. 16And he made the vessels which were upon the table, his dishes, and his spoons, and his bowls, and his covers to cover withal, of pure gold. 17And he made the candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work made he the candlestick; his shaft, and his branch, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, were of the same: 18And 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: 19Three bowls made after the fashion of almonds 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. 20And in the candlestick were four bowls made like almonds, his knops, and his flowers: 21And 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. 22Their knops and their branches were of the same: all of it was one beaten work of pure gold. 23And he made his seven lamps, and his snuffers, and his snuffdishes, of pure gold. 24Of a talent of pure gold made he it, and all the vessels thereof. 25And he made the incense altar of shittim wood: the length of it was a cubit, and the breadth of it a cubit; it was foursquare; and two cubits was the height of it; the horns thereof were of the same. 26And he overlaid it with pure gold, both the top of it, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns of it: also he made unto it a crown of gold round about. 27And he made two rings of gold for it under the crown thereof, by the two corners of it, upon the two sides thereof, to be places for the staves to bear it withal. 28And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold. 29And he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure incense of sweet spices, according to the work of the apothecary.

Verses to carry from Exodus 37

“And he made the mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half was the length thereof, and one cubit and a half the breadth thereof.”Exodus 37:6

“And the cherubims spread out their wings on high, and covered with their wings over the mercy seat, with their faces one to another; even to the mercy seatward were the faces of the cherubims.”Exodus 37:9

“And he made the candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work made he the candlestick; his shaft, and his branch, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, were of the same:”Exodus 37:17

Reflection

The candlestick gave light and the table held bread continually before God. Consider how the LORD keeps provision and revelation ever before you. Are you drawing near to the place of mercy He has provided, trusting the cover He set over your failures rather than hiding from Him?

A prayer from Exodus 37