Êxodo 37

BLIVRE · Chapter 37/40

1Fez também Bezalel a arca de madeira de acácia: seu comprimento era de dois côvados e meio, e de côvado e meio sua largura, e sua altura de outro côvado e meio:

2E cobriu-a de ouro puro por de dentro e por de fora, e fez-lhe uma borda de ouro em derredor.

3Fez-lhe também de fundição quatro anéis de ouro a seus quatro cantos; em um lado dois anéis e no outro lado dois anéis.

4Fez também as varas de madeira de acácia, e cobriu-as de ouro.

5E meteu as varas pelos anéis aos lados da arca, para levar a arca.

6Fez também a coberta de ouro puro: seu comprimento de dois côvados e meio, e sua largura de côvado e meio.

7Fez também os dois querubins de ouro, os fez lavrados a martelo, aos duas extremidades do propiciatório:

8Um querubim desta parte ao um extremo, e o outro querubim da outra parte ao outro extremo do propiciatório: fez os querubins a suas duas extremidades.

9E os querubins estendiam suas asas por cima, cobrindo com suas asas o propiciatório: e seus rostos um em frente do outro, até o propiciatório os rostos dos querubins.

10Fez também a mesa de madeira de acácia; seu comprimento de dois côvados, e sua largura de um côvado, e de côvado e meio sua altura;

11E cobriu-a de ouro puro, e fez-lhe uma borda de ouro em derredor.

12Fez-lhe também uma moldura ao redor, da largura de uma mão, à qual moldura fez a borda de ouro ao redor.

13Fez-lhe também de fundição quatro anéis de ouro, e os pôs aos quatro cantos que correspondiam aos quatro pés dela.

14Diante da moldura estavam os anéis, pelos quais se metessem as varas para levar a mesa.

15E fez as varas de madeira de acácia para levar a mesa, e cobriu-as de ouro.

16Também fez os utensílios que haviam de estar sobre a mesa, seus pratos, e suas colheres, e suas tigelas e suas bacias com que se havia de fazer libações, de ouro fino.

17Fez também o candelabro de ouro puro, e o fez lavrado a martelo: seu pé e sua haste, seus copos, seus botões e suas flores eram do mesmo.

18De seus lados saíam seis braços; três braços de um lado do candelabro, e outros três braços do outro lado do candelabro:

19Em um braço, três copos forma de amêndoas, um botão e uma flor; e no outro braço três copos forma de amêndoas, um botão e uma flor: e assim nos seis braços que saíam do candelabro.

20E no candelabro havia quatro copos forma de amêndoas, seus botões e suas flores:

21E um botão debaixo dos dois braços do mesmo, e outro botão debaixo dos outros dois braços do mesmo, e outro botão debaixo dos outros dois braços do mesmo, conforme os seis braços que saíam dele.

22Seus botões e seus braços eram do mesmo; tudo era uma peça lavrada a martelo, de ouro puro.

23Fez também suas sete lâmpadas, e seus tenazes, e seus apagadores, de ouro puro;

24De um talento de ouro puro o fez, com todos os seus utensílios.

25Fez também o altar do incenso de madeira de acácia: um côvado seu comprimento, e outro côvado sua largura, era quadrado; e sua altura de dois côvados; e suas pontas da mesma peça.

26E cobriu-o de ouro puro, sua mesa e suas paredes ao redor, e suas pontas: e fez-lhe uma coroa de ouro ao redor.

27Fez-lhe também dois anéis de ouro debaixo da coroa nos dois cantos aos dois lados, para passar por eles as varas com que havia de ser conduzido.

28E fez as varas de madeira de acácia, e cobriu-as de ouro.

29Fez também o azeite santo da unção, e o fino incenso aromático, de obra de perfumista.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

Bezalel builds the ark of the covenant, the mercy seat with the gold cherubim, the table of showbread, the golden lampstand, and the altar of incense, faithfully following the instructions God gave to Moses.

Explanation

This chapter details the practical construction of the most sacred objects of the tabernacle, all credited directly to the skill of Bezalel, the craftsman chosen and empowered by God. The precision of the narrative, repeating almost exactly the technical specifications given earlier, reinforces the message that faithful obedience to detail, even details that might seem excessively minute, was essential in building something meant to represent the very presence of God among his people. The ark of the covenant, crowned by cherubim with outstretched wings covering the mercy seat, would become the symbolic center of all Israelite worship, the place where God had promised to meet and speak with Moses. This careful craftsmanship, devoted to the most visible objects as well as to the smallest details, illustrates how true worship is often expressed through excellence and careful attention, not only in grand gestures, but in every small detail of work carried out with dedication.

Fun facts

  • The ark of the covenant built here would later be carried for decades through the wilderness, through wars of conquest, and finally housed in Solomon's temple in Jerusalem, becoming a continuous symbol of God's presence across centuries of Israel's history.
  • The cherubim of hammered gold, formed as a single piece with the mercy seat (v. 7-8), represent one of the earliest descriptions of angels in biblical literature, showing from the outset the existence of heavenly beings associated with the presence and throne of God.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. Êxodo 37:1Bezalel personally builds the ark of the covenant, following the measurements specified before: about three and a half feet long by a little over two feet wide and high.
  2. Êxodo 37:2The ark receives a complete covering of pure gold inside and out, with the decorative border around the top, exactly as designed.
  3. Êxodo 37:3Four gold rings are cast and fixed to the corners of the ark, ready to receive the carrying poles.
  4. Êxodo 37:4The acacia-wood poles are made and overlaid with gold, following the same material pattern as the main piece.
  5. Êxodo 37:5The poles are fitted into the side rings, allowing the ark to be carried without direct contact.
  6. Êxodo 37:6The mercy seat, the ark’s lid of pure gold, is made with exactly the same length and width as the ark.
  7. Êxodo 37:7These two cherub figures, hammered out of a single block together with the ark’s lid, faced each other, with their wings spread out covering the space between them. It was there, between the two of them, that God said He would manifest Himself to speak with Moses.
  8. Êxodo 37:8Each of the two cherubim is positioned at one end of the mercy seat, forming a single piece with the lid, with no separate welds.
  9. Êxodo 37:9The cherubim’s wings meet over the mercy seat, with their faces turned toward each other, looking down, exactly as planned.
  10. Êxodo 37:10The acacia table is built with smaller dimensions than the ark, following the original design from chapter 25 to the letter.
  11. Êxodo 37:11The table receives a covering of pure gold and a decorative border around it, in the same visual pattern as the ark.
  12. Êxodo 37:12An extra frame the width of a hand reinforces the table’s structure, with its own gold border.
  13. Êxodo 37:13Four gold rings are cast and fixed to the table’s four legs, to make it easier to carry.
  14. Êxodo 37:14The rings sit close to the frame, in exactly the right spot to receive the carrying poles.
  15. Êxodo 37:15The table’s poles are made of acacia wood overlaid with gold, following the same pattern as the ark’s poles.
  16. Êxodo 37:16The table’s utensils—plates, spoons, pitchers, and bowls—are all made of pure gold, ready for ritual use.
  17. Êxodo 37:17This is the account of the execution of the seven-lamp lampstand described earlier in chapter 25, the piece that would later inspire the menorah of Judaism. The entire piece, including the branches and the flower- and almond-shaped ornaments, was worked from a single block of hammered gold, with no welded parts.
  18. Êxodo 37:18The lampstand has six branches extending from the central shaft, three on each side, reproducing exactly the structure specified in chapter 25.
  19. Êxodo 37:19Each side branch receives the same almond-flower decoration specified in the original plan, repeated on all six branches.
  20. Êxodo 37:20The lampstand’s central shaft receives four sets of this same floral ornament, following the original design.
  21. Êxodo 37:21Each apple-shaped ornament is positioned exactly where the pairs of branches meet the central shaft, as planned.
  22. Êxodo 37:22The whole piece, ornaments and structure alike, is carved from a single block of hammered gold, with no parts welded separately.
  23. Êxodo 37:23The lampstand’s seven lamps, along with their maintenance tools, are made of pure gold.
  24. Êxodo 37:24Bezalel uses a full talent of pure gold to produce the complete lampstand with all its utensils.
  25. Êxodo 37:25The incense altar is built of acacia wood, with the same small square structure and horns specified in chapter 30.
  26. Êxodo 37:26The altar receives a covering of pure gold over its entire surface, including the horns, with the decorative border around the top.
  27. Êxodo 37:27Gold rings are fixed below the altar’s border, ready to receive the carrying poles.
  28. Êxodo 37:28The incense altar’s poles are also made of acacia wood overlaid with gold, following the pattern of the other portable pieces.
  29. Êxodo 37:29Besides the metal and wood objects, Bezalel also prepared the fragrant mixtures required for the rituals: the special oil used to consecrate people and objects, and the incense burned on its own altar. Both followed specific formulas God had given earlier, in chapter 30.

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