Exodus 37
International Children’s Bible
The Ark of the Covenant
37 Bezalel made the Ark of the Covenant of acacia wood. The Ark of the Covenant was 45 inches long, 27 inches wide and 27 inches high. 2 He covered the inside and outside of the Ark of the Covenant with pure gold. Then he put a gold strip around it. 3 He made four gold rings for it and attached them to its four feet. There were two rings on each side. 4 Then he made poles of acacia wood and covered them with gold. 5 He put the poles through the rings on each side of the Ark of the Covenant to carry it. 6 Then he made a lid of pure gold. It was 45 inches long and 27 inches wide. 7 Then Bezalel hammered gold to make two creatures with wings. He attached them to each end of the lid. 8 He made one creature with wings on one end of the lid. He made the other creature with wings on the other end. He attached them to the lid so that it would be one piece. 9 The creatures’ wings were spread out over the lid. The creatures faced each other across the lid.
The Table
10 Then he made the table of acacia wood. The table was 36 inches long, 18 inches wide and 27 inches high. 11 He covered the table with pure gold. He put a gold strip around it. 12 Then he made a frame 3 inches high that stood up all around the edge. He put a gold strip around the frame. 13 Then he made four gold rings for the table. He attached them to the four corners of the table, where the four legs were. 14 The rings were put close to the frame around the top of the table. The rings held the poles that were used to carry the table. 15 The poles for carrying the table were made of acacia wood. They were covered with gold. 16 Then he made of pure gold all the things that were used on the table: the plates, bowls, cups and jars used for pouring the drink offerings.
The Lampstand
17 Then he made the lampstand of pure gold. He hammered out its base and stand. Its flower-like cups, buds and petals were joined together in one piece with the base and stand. 18 There were three branches on one side of the lampstand and three branches on the other. 19 Each branch had three cups shaped like almond flowers. Each cup had a bud and a petal. 20 There were four more cups shaped like almond flowers on the lampstand itself. Each cup had its buds and petals. 21 Three pairs of branches went out from the lampstand. A bud was under the place where each pair was attached to the lampstand. 22 The buds, branches and lampstand were all one piece of pure, hammered gold. 23 He made seven pure gold lamps for this lampstand. Then he made pure gold wick trimmers and trays. 24 He used about 75 pounds of pure gold to make the lampstand and all the things that go with it.
The Altar for Burning Incense
25 Then he made the altar of incense of acacia wood. The altar was square. It was 18 inches long, 18 inches wide and 36 inches high. Each corner stuck out like a horn. Each corner was joined into one piece with the altar. 26 He covered the top and all the sides and the corners with pure gold. Then he put gold trim around the altar. 27 He made two gold rings and put them below the trim on opposite sides of the altar. These rings held the poles for carrying the altar. 28 He made the poles of acacia wood and covered them with gold.
29 Then he made the holy olive oil for appointing the priests. He also made the pure, sweet-smelling incense. He made them like a person who mixes perfumes.
Exodus 37
New King James Version
Making the Ark of the Testimony(A)
37 Then (B)Bezalel made (C)the ark of acacia wood; two and a half cubits was its length, a cubit and a half its width, and a cubit and a half its height. 2 He overlaid it with pure gold inside and outside, and made a molding of gold all around it. 3 And he cast for it four rings of gold to be set in its four corners: two rings on one side, and two rings on the other side of it. 4 He made poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold. 5 And he put the poles into the rings at the sides of the ark, to bear the ark. 6 He also made the (D)mercy seat of pure gold; two and a half cubits was its length and a cubit and a half its width. 7 He made two cherubim of beaten gold; he made them of one piece at the two ends of the mercy seat: 8 one cherub at one end on this side, and the other cherub at the other end on that side. He made the cherubim at the two ends of one piece with the mercy seat. 9 The cherubim spread out their wings above, and covered the (E)mercy seat with their wings. They faced one another; the faces of the cherubim were toward the mercy seat.
Making the Table for the Showbread(F)
10 He made (G)the table of acacia wood; two cubits was its length, a cubit its width, and a cubit and a half its height. 11 And he overlaid it with pure gold, and made a molding of gold all around it. 12 Also he made a frame of a handbreadth all around it, and made a molding of gold for the frame all around it. 13 And he cast for it four rings of gold, and put the rings on the four corners that were at its four legs. 14 The rings were close to the frame, as holders for the poles to bear the table. 15 And he made the poles of acacia wood to bear the table, and overlaid them with gold. 16 He made of pure gold the utensils which were on the table: its (H)dishes, its cups, its bowls, and its pitchers for pouring.
Making the Gold Lampstand(I)
17 He also made the (J)lampstand of pure gold; of hammered work he made the lampstand. Its shaft, its branches, its bowls, its ornamental knobs, and its flowers were of the same piece. 18 And six branches came out of its sides: three branches of the lampstand out of one side, and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side. 19 There were three bowls made like almond blossoms on one branch, with an ornamental knob and a flower, and three bowls made like almond blossoms on the other branch, with an ornamental knob and a flower—and so for the six branches coming out of the lampstand. 20 And on the lampstand itself were four bowls made like almond blossoms, each with its ornamental knob and flower. 21 There was a knob under the first two branches of the same, a knob under the second two branches of the same, and a knob under the third two branches of the same, according to the six branches extending from it. 22 Their knobs and their branches were of one piece; all of it was one hammered piece of pure gold. 23 And he made its seven lamps, its (K)wick-trimmers, and its trays of pure gold. 24 Of a talent of pure gold he made it, with all its utensils.
Making the Altar of Incense(L)
25 (M)He made the incense altar of acacia wood. Its length was a cubit and its width a cubit—it was square—and two cubits was its height. Its horns were of one piece with it. 26 And he overlaid it with pure gold: its top, its sides all around, and its horns. He also made for it a molding of gold all around it. 27 He made two rings of gold for it under its molding, by its two corners on both sides, as holders for the poles with which to bear it. 28 And he (N)made the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold.
Making the Anointing Oil and the Incense(O)
29 He also made (P)the holy anointing oil and the pure incense of sweet spices, according to the work of the perfumer.
Exodus 37
English Standard Version
Making the Ark
37 (A)Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood. Two cubits[a] and a half was its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. 2 And he overlaid it with pure gold inside and outside, and made a molding of gold around it. 3 And he cast for it four rings of gold for its (B)four feet, two rings on its one side and two rings on its other side. 4 And he made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold 5 and put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark. 6 And he made a mercy seat of pure gold. Two cubits and a half was its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth. 7 And he made two cherubim of gold. He made them of hammered work on the two ends of the mercy seat, 8 one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end. Of one piece with the mercy seat he made the cherubim on its two ends. 9 The cherubim spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat were the faces of the cherubim.
Making the Table
10 (C)He also made the table of acacia wood. Two cubits was its length, a cubit its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. 11 And he overlaid it with pure gold, and made a molding of gold around it. 12 And he made a rim around it a handbreadth[b] wide, and made a molding of gold around the rim. 13 He cast for it four rings of gold and fastened the rings to the four corners at its four legs. 14 Close to the frame were the rings, as holders for the poles to carry the table. 15 He made the poles of acacia wood to carry the table, and overlaid them with gold. 16 And he made the vessels of pure gold that were to be on the table, its plates and dishes for incense, and its bowls and flagons with which to pour drink offerings.
Making the Lampstand
17 (D)He also made the lampstand of pure gold. He made the lampstand of hammered work. Its base, its stem, its cups, its calyxes, and its flowers were of one piece with it. 18 And there were six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it; 19 three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on one branch, and three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on the other branch—so for the six branches going out of the lampstand. 20 And on the lampstand itself were four cups made like almond blossoms, with their calyxes and flowers, 21 and a calyx of one piece with it under each pair of the six branches going out of it. 22 Their calyxes and their branches were of one piece with it. The whole of it was a single piece of hammered work of pure gold. 23 And he made its seven lamps and its tongs and its trays of pure gold. 24 He made it and all its utensils out of a talent[c] of pure gold.
Making the Altar of Incense
25 (E)He made the altar of incense of acacia wood. Its length was a cubit, and its breadth was a cubit. It was square, and two cubits was its height. Its horns were of one piece with it. 26 He overlaid it with pure gold, its top and around its sides and its horns. And he made a molding of gold around it, 27 and made two rings of gold on it under its molding, on two opposite sides of it, as holders for the poles with which to carry it. 28 And he made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.
29 (F)He made the holy anointing oil also, and the (G)pure fragrant incense, blended as by the perfumer.
Footnotes
- Exodus 37:1 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
- Exodus 37:12 A handbreadth was about 3 inches or 7.5 centimeters
- Exodus 37:24 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
