Exodus 37: The ark, the table, the lamp stand, the altar of incense, the oil and the incense
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Hebrew. How to read a study
What happens?
Bezalel makes the ark of acacia wood overlaid with gold, and the mercy seat of pure gold with two cherubim of hammered work. He makes the table with its vessels, and the lamp stand of pure gold with six branches and seven lamps, from a talent of pure gold with all its vessels. He also makes the altar of incense, the holy anointing oil, and the pure incense.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the whole chapter. No one speaks in it. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
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.
In plain English: Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood. It was two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.
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2He overlaid it with pure gold inside and outside, and made a molding of gold for it around it.
In plain English: He overlaid it with pure gold inside and outside, and made a gold molding around it.
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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.
In plain English: He cast four gold rings for it on its four feet: two rings on one side of it and two rings on the other side.
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4He made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.
In plain English: He made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.
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5He put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to bear the ark.
In plain English: He put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry the ark.
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6He made a mercy seat of pure gold. Its length was two and a half cubits, and a cubit and a half its width.
In plain English: He made a mercy seat of pure gold. It was two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide.
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7He made two cherubim of gold. He made them of beaten work, at the two ends of the mercy seat:
In plain English: He made two cherubim of gold. He made them of hammered work, at the two ends of the mercy seat:
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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.
In plain English: one cherub at one end, and one cherub at the other end. He made the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat, on its two ends.
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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.
In plain English: The cherubim spread their wings upward, covering the mercy seat with their wings. Their faces were turned toward one another. The faces of the cherubim were toward the mercy seat.
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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.
In plain English: He made the table of acacia wood. It was two cubits long, a cubit wide, and a cubit and a half high.
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11He overlaid it with pure gold, and made a gold molding around it.
In plain English: He overlaid it with pure gold and made a gold molding around it.
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12He made a border of a hand’s width around it, and made a golden molding on its border around it.
In plain English: He made a rim around it, a hand width wide, and made a gold molding on the rim all around.
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13He cast four rings of gold for it, and put the rings in the four corners that were on its four feet.
In plain English: He cast four gold rings for it and put the rings on the four corners, at its four feet.
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14The rings were close by the border, the places for the poles to carry the table.
In plain English: The rings were close to the rim, as places for the poles to carry the table.
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15He made the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold, to carry the table.
In plain English: He made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold, to carry the table.
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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.
In plain English: He made the vessels that were on the table, its dishes, its spoons, its bowls, and its pitchers for pouring out, of pure gold.
The Hebrew word: "Pitchers" is qasah, which the dictionary gives as "a jug (from its shape)". names the same four vessels in a different order, and there this Bible says "ladles" for this word.
How it is translated: The word is in 4 verses of the Bible. This Bible says "ladles" in 25:29, "pitchers" here, and "cups" in and .
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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.
In plain English: He made the lamp stand of pure gold. He made the lamp stand of hammered work. Its base, its shaft, its cups, its buds, and its flowers were of one piece with it.
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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:
In plain English: Six branches went out of its sides: three branches of the lamp stand out of one side, and three branches of the lamp stand out of the other side.
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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.
In plain English: There were three cups made like almond blossoms on one branch, with a bud and a flower, and three cups made like almond blossoms on the other branch, with a bud and a flower. It was the same for the six branches going out of the lamp stand.
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20In the lamp stand were four cups made like almond blossoms, its buds and its flowers;
In plain English: On the lamp stand itself were four cups made like almond blossoms, with their buds and their flowers,
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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.
In plain English: and a bud under two branches of one piece with it, 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.
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22Their buds and their branches were of one piece with it. The whole thing was one beaten work of pure gold.
In plain English: Their buds and their branches were of one piece with it. The whole thing was one piece of hammered work of pure gold.
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23He made its seven lamps, and its snuffers, and its snuff dishes, of pure gold.
In plain English: He made its seven lamps, and its snuffers (or: tongs) and its snuff dishes (or: fire pans), of pure gold.
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24He made it of a talent of pure gold, with all its vessels.
In plain English: He made it, with all its vessels, of a talent of pure gold.
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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.
In plain English: He made the altar of incense of acacia wood. It was square: a cubit long and a cubit wide, and two cubits high. Its horns were of one piece with it.
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26He overlaid it with pure gold: its top, its sides around it, and its horns. He made a gold molding around it.
In plain English: He overlaid it with pure gold: its top, its sides all around, and its horns. He made a gold molding around it.
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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.
In plain English: He made two gold rings for it under its molding crown, on its two ribs, on its two sides, as places for poles with which to carry it.
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28He made the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold.
In plain English: He made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.
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29He made the holy anointing oil and the pure incense of sweet spices, after the art of the perfumer.
In plain English: He made the holy anointing oil and the pure incense of sweet spices, the work of a perfumer.
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