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Exodus Chapter 37

Old Testament Law (Torah) 29 Verses

What is Exodus 37 about?

Israel's deliverance from Egypt, the Ten Commandments given at Sinai, and the construction of the Tabernacle. The complete chapter text below provides the immediate literary context for study.

Text — American Standard Version (1901)

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. For original Hebrew/Greek interlinear text, open in BibleWord.ai.
1And Bezalel made the ark of acacia 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, in the four feet thereof; even two rings on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it.
4And he made staves of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold.
5And he put the staves into the rings on the sides of the ark, to bear the ark.
6And he made a mercy-seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half [was] the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.
7And he made two cherubim of gold; of beaten work made he them, at the two ends of the mercy-seat;
8one cherub at the one end, and one cherub at the other end: of one piece with the mercy-seat made he the cherubim at the two ends thereof.
9And the cherubim spread out their wings on high, covering the mercy-seat with their wings, with their faces one to another; toward the mercy-seat were the faces of the cherubim.
10And he made the table of acacia 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 thereto a crown of gold round about.
12And he made unto it a border of a handbreadth round about, and made a golden crown to the border thereof round about.
13And he cast for it four rings of gold, and put the rings in the four corners that were on the four feet thereof.
14Close by the border were the rings, the places for the staves to bear the table.
15And he made the staves of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold, to bear the table.
16And he made the vessels which were upon the table, the dishes thereof, and the spoons thereof, and the bowls thereof, and the flagons thereof, wherewith to pour out, of pure gold.
17And he made the candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work made he the candlestick, even its base, and its shaft; its cups, it knops, and its flowers, were of one piece with it:
18and there were 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 cups made like almond-blossoms in one branch, a knop and a flower, and three cups made like almond-blossoms in the other branch, a knop and a flower: so for the six branches going out of the candlestick.
20And in the candlestick were four cups made like almond-blossoms, the knops thereof, and the flowers thereof;
21and a knop under two branches of one piece with it, and a knop under two branches of one piece with it, and a knop under two branches of one piece with it, for the six branches going out of it.
22Their knops and their branches were of one piece with it: the whole of it was one beaten work of pure gold.
23And he made the lamps thereof, seven, and the snuffers thereof, and the snuffdishes thereof, of pure gold.
24Of a talent of pure gold made he it, and all the vessels thereof.
25And he made the altar of incense of acacia wood: a cubit was the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, foursquare; and two cubits was the height thereof; the horns thereof were of one piece with it.
26And he overlaid it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns of it: and he made unto it a crown of gold round about.
27And he made for it two golden rings under the crown thereof, upon the two ribs thereof, upon the two sides of it, for places for staves wherewith to bear it.
28And he made the staves of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold.
29And he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure incense of sweet spices, after the art of the perfumer.
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What do historical commentaries say about this chapter?

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“FURNITURE OF THE TABERNACLE. (Exo. 37:1-29) 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 Exo. 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" [Exo 25:40]; and the knowledge of this exact correspondence between the prescription and the execution was essential to the purposes of the fabric.”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“See the notes to Exodus 25:0. return to 'Top of Page' Footnotes: Copyright Statement These files are public domain. Bibliographical Information Barnes, Albert. "Commentary on Exodus 37". "Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible". https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/bnb/exodus-37.html. 1870. StudyLight.org © 2001-2026 Powered by Lightspeed Technology”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · on verse 1
“These several ornaments where with the tabernacle was furnished, the people were not admitted to see, but the priests only; and therefore it was requisite they should be thus largely described, particularly to them. And Moses would thus shew the great care which he and his workmen took to make every thing exactly according to the pattern shewed him in the mount. Thus he appeals to every reader concerning his fidelity to him that appointed him, in all his house. And thus he teacheth us to have respect to all God's commandments, even to every jot and tittle of them. In these verses we have an account of the making…”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · on verse 1
“37:1-29 While it is said that Bezalel made the Ark and all the rest of the furnishings (37:1, 10, 17, 25) as well as the courtyard and its furnishings (38:1, 8, 9, 18), this is probably only a way of saying that he was responsible and directed the other craftsmen and seamstresses.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · on verse 1
“Exo 25:10-16, Exo 26:33, Exo 31:7, Exo 40:3, Exo 40:20, Exo 40:21; Num 10:33-36 Exodus 37:2”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · on verse 1
“Preparation of the vessels of the dwelling: viz., the ark of the covenant ( Exo 37:1-9, as in Exo 25:10-22); the table of shew-bread and its vessels ( Exo 37:10-16, as in Exo 25:23-30); the candlestick ( Exo 37:17-24, as in Exo 25:31-40); the altar of incense ( Exo 37:25-28, as in Exo 30:1-10); the anointing oil and incense ( Exo 37:29), directions for the preparation of which are given in Ex 30:22-38; the altar of burnt-offering ( Exo 38:1-7, as in Exo 27:1-8); the laver ( Exo 37:8, as in Exo 30:17-21); and the court ( Exo 37:9-20, as in Exo 27:9-19). The order corresponds on the whole to the list of the…”
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