Exodus Chapter 37
Verses 37:1 - 39:42
“Bezaleel” (see 31:2), is the subject of each of the verbs in the paragraphs that follow (e.g., “He made” in 37:10, 17, 25, and 29).
He and his assistant, Aholiab (31:6), employed and directed many skilled Hebrews.
The summary statements (in 39:32, 42), speak of the LORD’s approval and Moses’ blessing on all who labored.
Of the ark, and all other things mentioned in this chapter (see notes on Exodus 25:1 to end of chapter; and also see notes on Exodus 30:1 to end of chapter).
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Exodus 37:1 "And Bezaleel made the ark [of] shittim 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:"
Jarchi says, because he gave his mind to this work more than the rest of the wise men, it is called by his name.
It is a notion of some Jewish writers that the ark was made by Bezaleel, without the help of others.
But there is no sufficient reason to be given for it; for other things are equally ascribed to him in this and the following chapter.
As the mercy seat with the cherubim, the showbread table, the candlestick of pure gold, the two altars, the laver of brass, with other things, which are only said to be made by him.
Because they were made by his direction, and he having the oversight of them while making.
Wherefore Aben Ezra observes, that this is particularly said for the glory of the ark.
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Exodus 37:2 "And he overlaid it with pure gold within and without, and made a crown of gold to it round about."
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Exodus 37:3 "And he cast for it four rings of gold, [to be set] by the four corners of it; even two rings upon the one side of it, and two rings upon the other side of it."
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Exodus 37:4 "And he made staves [of] shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold."
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Exodus 37:5 "And he put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, to bear the ark."
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Exodus 37:6"And he made the mercy seat [of] pure gold: two cubits and a half [was] the length thereof, and one cubit and a half the breadth thereof."
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Exodus 37:7 "And he made two cherubims [of] gold, beaten out of one piece made he them, on the two ends of the mercy seat;"
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Exodus 37:8 "One cherub on the end on this side, and another cherub on the [other] end on that side: out of the mercy seat made he the cherubims on the two ends thereof."
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Exodus 37:9 "And the cherubims spread out [their] wings on high, [and] covered with their wings over the mercy seat, with their faces one to another; [even] to the mercy seatward were the faces of the cherubims."
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This ark of the Covenant covered by the mercy seat was what this tabernacle was all about.
This ark was a gold covered box which will contain the two stones bearing the Ten Commandments, Aaron's rod that bloomed and some Manna.
You see that the covenant of God with man is
Man's agreement was to keep God's law.
God's promise to man was covered in Jesus Christ who is the heavenly Manna (the Bread of Life).
In (Numbers Chapter 17), we can see why Aaron's rod bloomed, to show that the tribe of Levi would be the workers in the Holy Place.
We see in Aaron's rod a provision made for the Israelites and in the Manna provisions through Jesus Christ for the believers in Christ.
The law was not to be done away with, but fulfilled in Jesus.
There is a mercy seat in heaven where our great High Priest (Jesus Christ), took His own blood to do away with our sins.
The high priest was the only one allowed into the Holy of Holies where the mercy seat covered the ark in the very presence of God.
These cherubims were facing the ark which was the focal point in the Holy of Holies.
It was very important not to touch this ark and mercy seat, so that was why the staves and rings were there.
Take one more look that everything in this Holy of Holies was 24 karat gold or 24 karat Gold overlay.
The presence of God hovered over the mercy seat.
This job, because of its great importance, was done by Bezaleel.
Exodus 37:10 "And he made the table [of] shittim wood: two cubits [was] the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof:"
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Exodus 37:11 "And he overlaid it with pure gold, and made thereunto a crown of gold round about."
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Exodus 37:12 "Also he made thereunto a border of a handbreadth round about; and made a crown of gold for the border thereof round about."
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Exodus 37:13 "And he cast for it four rings of gold, and put the rings upon the four corners that [were] in the four feet thereof."
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Exodus 37:14 "Over against the border were the rings, the places for the staves to bear the table.
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Exodus 37:15 "And he made the staves [of] shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold, to bear the table."
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Exodus 37:16 "And he made the vessels which [were] upon the table, his dishes, and his spoons, and his bowls, and his covers to cover withal, [of] pure gold."
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We see here, a very important piece of furniture.
The table to hold the showbread was of great importance.
Jesus Christ is the Bread of Life.
In fact, this showbread symbolizes Him.
We see that this table was of shittim wood covered with pure gold.
It had to be covered in pure gold because Jesus Christ (the Word), is the second personage in the Godhead.
He is God the Word, God the Life, God the Light and much more.
But for this particular instance here, He (Jesus), is God the Bread.
This table had to be covered in gold (just as the mercy seat), because of the presence of God the Bread.
Again, just as with the mercy seat, the people who carried this table from place to place could not touch it.
To touch the ark, the mercy seat, the table, the candlestick and many other items of the tabernacle, would be certain death.
This was the purpose in the gold plated staves, to carry it.
Here again, this item (as the ark and the mercy seat), was too important to allow others to make and Bezaleel made this as well.
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The golden “candlestick” (literally, lampstand), was one of the most ornate objects in the Holy Place.
It was made of pure gold and consisted of an upright shaft.
From each side three branches extended upward in pairs.
This type of lampstand is to be seen on the famous arch of Titus in Rome, built almost 14 centuries later.
Similarly, pottery lamps with seven places for wicks are attested from various sites dating from the early Iron Age
The lamps of the lampstand were to be trimmed every evening at sunset and again in the morning
All were never to be extinguished at one time.
A special ordinance was established to keep it supplied with pure olive oil (27:20; Lev. 24:2).
The lampstand’s practical function was to provide light for the priests who were serving in the Holy Place.
But from a symbolic perspective, it quite clearly typifies the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the true Light (John
Believers in this age are “the light of the world” (Matt. 5:14).
In the Book of Revelation, the church is symbolized by the golden lampstand (Rev.
Exodus 37:17 "And he made the candlestick [of] pure gold: [of] beaten work made he the candlestick; his shaft, and his branch, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, were of the same:"
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Exodus 37:18 "And 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:"
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Exodus 37:19 "Three bowls made after the fashion of almonds in one branch, a knop and a flower; and three bowls made like almonds in another branch, a knop and a flower: so throughout the six branches going out of the candlestick.
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Exodus 37:20 "And in the candlestick [were] four bowls made like almonds, his knops, and his flowers:"
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Exodus 37:21 "And a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches going out of it."
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Exodus 37:22 "Their knops and their branches were of the same: all of it [was] one beaten work [of] pure gold."
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Exodus 37:23 "And he made his seven lamps, and his snuffers, and his snuffdishes, [of] pure gold."
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Exodus 37:24 "[Of] a talent of pure gold made he it, and all the vessels thereof."
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The candlestick of gold, along with other things too numerous to mention, tell us that beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus Christ (the Light of the world), was, is and always will be God.
He took on the form of man for His life on earth and death on the cross for you and me.
He never stopped being God however.
The problem in churches today is that very few people realize that Jesus Christ was God who took on the form of flesh and dwelt among us.
He was Immanuel God with us). If there is any question in your mind that Jesus was God (read John 1). It should settle it for you.
This candlestick was in the Holy Place.
There were 7 places for light to show from the candlestick.
This 7 just shows that God's Light is complete and is sufficient for all mankind.
This candlestick and the Bread in the paragraph before just show that to get to heaven and God the Father, we must come through Jesus.
The candlestick and the table were just outside the Holy of Holies in the Holy Place. Even the High Priest had to come through the Holy Place to get to the Holy of Holies.
We find again as we go on, that to get even to the Holy Place we must come by the way of repentance.
Exodus 37:25 "And he made the incense altar [of] shittim wood: the length of it [was] a cubit, and the breadth of it a cubit; [it was] foursquare; and two cubits [was] the height of it; the horns thereof were of the same.
Exodus 37:25 corresponds to (Exodus
Exodus 37:26 "And he overlaid it with pure gold, [both] the top of it, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns of it: also he made unto it a crown of gold round about."
Exodus 37:26 corresponds to (Exodus 30:3).
Exodus 37:27 "And he made two rings of gold for it under the crown thereof, by the two corners of it, upon the two sides thereof, to be places for the staves to bear it withal."
Exodus 37:27 corresponds to (Exodus 30:5).
Exodus 37:28 "And he made the staves [of] shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold."
Exodus 37:28 corresponds to (Exodus 30:5).
Exodus 37:29 "And he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure incense of sweet spices, according to the work of the apothecary."
Exodus 37:29 corresponds to (Exodus 30:7).
This altar of incense again, was in the Holy Place.
This is where twice a day, incense was burned.
This incense we know is symbolic of the prayers of saints.
This also must be gold, because we see this altar in the very near presence of the candlestick and the bread.
This had to be treated in a godly manner as well, thus the staves to carry it with. This altar of incense in every way symbolizes the place of prayer for the Christians.
In all of these items in the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies, we find that everything in them were either 24 karat pure gold, or 24 karat pure gold overlay.
The boards for this enclosure were set in silver sockets (redemption), when this tabernacle was set up.
The outer court was an enclosure where the tent of the tabernacle was housed.
Exodus Chapter 37 Questions
1.Who made the ark of shittim wood?
2.What was the size of the ark?
3.What was the ark overlaid with?
4.What were the rings to carry it made of?
5.What were the two Cherubims made of?
6.What was the mercy seat made of?
7.Which direction did the cherubim face?
8.What was the central focus, other than God, of the tabernacle?
9.What would the ark contain when complete?
10.The covenant of God with man is _________.
11.What was man's part in the agreement?
12.What did God promise man?
13.Where can we find the Scripture that tells about Aaron's rod blooming?
14.Who is the Christian's great High Priest?
15.Who was the only one allowed in the Holy of Holies?
16.What was the table made of?
17.What was it overlaid with?
18.What would the table hold?
19.Who is the Bread of Life?
20.Name 4 special names of Jesus Christ.
21.What was the candlestick made of?
22.The entire candlestick was one ________ work of pure gold.
23.How many lamps were on the candlestick?
24.What does this candlestick of pure gold tell us beyond a shadow of a doubt about Jesus?
25.Where was the candlestick located?
26.What was the altar of incense made of?
27.What did the burned incense rising symbolize?
28.How often was the incense burned?
29.In the tabernacle, the gold covered boards were set in sockets of __________.
30.The outer court was an enclosure for what?