Exodus 37
New Living Translation
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] 2 He overlaid it inside and outside with pure gold, and he ran a molding of gold all around it. 3 He cast four gold rings and attached them to its four feet, two rings on each side. 4 Then he made poles from acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. 5 He inserted the poles into the rings at the sides of the Ark to carry it.
6 Then he made the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—from pure gold. It was 45 inches long and 27 inches wide.[b] 7 He made two cherubim from hammered gold and placed them on the two ends of the atonement cover. 8 He molded the cherubim on each end of the atonement cover, making it all of one piece of gold. 9 The cherubim faced each other and looked down on the atonement cover. With their wings spread above it, they protected it.
Building the Table
10 Then Bezalel[c] made the table of acacia wood, 36 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 27 inches high.[d] 11 He overlaid it with pure gold and ran a gold molding around the edge. 12 He decorated it with a 3-inch border[e] all around, and he ran a gold molding along the border. 13 Then he cast four gold rings for the table and attached them at the four corners next to the four legs. 14 The rings were attached near the border to hold the poles that were used to carry the table. 15 He made these poles from acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. 16 Then he made special containers of pure gold for the table—bowls, ladles, jars, and pitchers—to be used in pouring out liquid offerings.
Building the Lampstand
17 Then Bezalel made the lampstand of pure, hammered gold. He made the entire lampstand and its decorations of one piece—the base, center stem, lamp cups, buds, and petals. 18 The lampstand had six branches going out from the center stem, three on each side. 19 Each of the six branches had three lamp cups shaped like almond blossoms, complete with buds and petals. 20 The center stem of the lampstand was crafted with four lamp cups shaped like almond blossoms, complete with buds and petals. 21 There was an almond bud beneath each pair of branches where the six branches extended from the center stem, all made of one piece. 22 The almond buds and branches were all of one piece with the center stem, and they were hammered from pure gold.
23 He also made seven lamps for the lampstand, lamp snuffers, and trays, all of pure gold. 24 The entire lampstand, along with its accessories, was made from 75 pounds[f] of pure gold.
Building the Incense Altar
25 Then Bezalel made the incense altar of acacia wood. It was 18 inches square and 36 inches high,[g] with horns at the corners carved from the same piece of wood as the altar itself. 26 He overlaid the top, sides, and horns of the altar with pure gold, and he ran a gold molding around the entire altar. 27 He made two gold rings and attached them on opposite sides of the altar below the gold molding to hold the carrying poles. 28 He made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.
29 Then he made the sacred anointing oil and the fragrant incense, using the techniques of a skilled incense maker.
Footnotes
- 37:1 Hebrew 2.5 cubits [115 centimeters] long, 1.5 cubits [69 centimeters] wide, and 1.5 cubits high.
- 37:6 Hebrew 2.5 cubits [115 centimeters] long and 1.5 cubits [69 centimeters] wide.
- 37:10a Hebrew he; also in 37:17, 25.
- 37:10b Hebrew 2 cubits [92 centimeters] long, 1 cubit [46 centimeters] wide, and 1.5 cubits [69 centimeters] high.
- 37:12 Hebrew a border of a handbreadth [8 centimeters].
- 37:24 Hebrew 1 talent [34 kilograms].
- 37:25 Hebrew 1 cubit [46 centimeters] long and 1 cubit wide, a square, and 2 cubits [92 centimeters] high.
Exodus 37
Living Bible
37 Next Bezalel made the Ark. This was constructed of acacia wood and was 3-3/4 feet long, 2-1/4 feet wide, and 2-1/4 feet high. 2 It was plated with pure gold inside and out, and had a molding of gold all the way around the sides. 3 There were four gold rings fastened into its four feet, two rings at each end. 4 Then he made poles from acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold, 5 and put the poles into the rings at the sides of the Ark, to carry it.
6 Then, from pure gold, he made a lid called “the place of mercy”; it was 3-3/4 feet long and 2-1/4 feet wide. 7 He made two statues of Guardian Angels of beaten gold and placed them at the two ends of the gold lid. 8 They were molded so that they were actually a part of the gold lid—it was all one piece. 9 The Guardian Angels faced each other, with outstretched wings that overshadowed the place of mercy, looking down upon it.
10 Then he made a table, using acacia wood, 3 feet long, 1-1/2 feet wide, and 2-1/4 feet high. 11 It was overlaid with pure gold, with a gold molding all around the edge. 12 A rim 4 inches high was constructed around the edges of the table, with a gold molding along the rim. 13 Then he cast four rings of gold and placed them into the four table legs, 14 close to the molding, to hold the carrying poles in place. 15 He made the carrying poles of acacia wood covered with gold. 16 Next, using pure gold, he made the bowls, flagons, dishes, and spoons to be placed upon this table.
17 Then he made the lampstand, again using pure, beaten gold. Its base, shaft, lamp-holders, and decorations of almond flowers were all of one piece. 18 The lampstand had six branches, three from each side. 19 Each of the branches was decorated with identical carvings of blossoms. 20-21 The main stem of the lampstand was similarly decorated with almond blossoms, a flower on the stem beneath each pair of branches; also a flower below the bottom pair and above the top pair, four in all. 22 The decorations and branches were all one piece of pure, beaten gold. 23-24 Then he made the seven lamps at the ends of the branches, the snuffers, and the ashtrays, all of pure gold. The entire lampstand weighed 107 pounds, all pure gold.
25 The incense altar was made of acacia wood. It was 18 inches square and 3 feet high, with its corner-horns made as part of the altar so that it was all one piece. 26 He overlaid it all with pure gold and ran a gold molding around the edge. 27 Two gold rings were placed on each side, beneath this molding, to hold the carrying poles. 28 The carrying poles were gold-plated acacia wood.
29 Then, from sweet spices, he made the sacred oil for anointing the priests, and the pure incense, using the techniques of the most skilled perfumers.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.