Building the Ark of the Covenant

37 Next Bezalel made the Ark of acacia wood—a sacred chest 45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches high.^[a]

³³ They marched for three days after leaving the mountain of the Lord, with the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant moving ahead of them to show them where to stop and rest. ³⁴ As they moved on each day, the cloud of the Lord hovered over them. ³⁵ And whenever the Ark set out, Moses would shout, “Arise, O Lord, and let your enemies be scattered! Let them flee before you!” ³⁶ And when the Ark was set down, he would say, “Return, O Lord, to the countless thousands of Israel!”

³³ Hang the inner curtain from clasps, and put the Ark of the Covenant^[a] in the room behind it. This curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.

Plans for the Ark of the Covenant

¹⁰ “Have the people make an Ark of acacia wood—a sacred chest 45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches high.^{[a] 11} Overlay it inside and outside with pure gold, and run a molding of gold all around it. ¹² Cast four gold rings and attach them to its four feet, two rings on each side. ¹³ Make poles from acacia wood, and overlay them with gold. ¹⁴ Insert the poles into the rings at the sides of the Ark to carry it. ¹⁵ These carrying poles must stay inside the rings; never remove them. ¹⁶ When the Ark is finished, place inside it the stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant,^[b] which I will give to you.

¹⁷ “Then make the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—from pure gold. It must be 45 inches long and 27 inches wide.^{[c] 18} Then make two cherubim from hammered gold, and place them on the two ends of the atonement cover. ¹⁹ Mold the cherubim on each end of the atonement cover, making it all of one piece of gold. ²⁰ The cherubim will face each other and look down on the atonement cover. With their wings spread above it, they will protect it.

²⁰ He took the stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant and placed them^[a] inside the Ark. Then he attached the carrying poles to the Ark, and he set the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—on top of it. ²¹ Then he brought the Ark of the Covenant into the Tabernacle and hung the inner curtain to shield it from view, just as the Lord had commanded him.

³ Place the Ark of the Covenant^[a] inside, and install the inner curtain to enclose the Ark within the Most Holy Place.