Exodus 37 · Verse 1

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:
Exodus 37:1, King James Version

Exodus 37:1 in other translations

BSBBezalel went on to construct the ark of acacia wood, two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.
WEBBezalel made the ark of acacia wood. Its length was two and a half cubits, and its width a cubit and a half, and a cubit and a half its height.
ASVAnd Bezalel made the ark of acacia 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.
YLTAnd Bezaleel maketh the ark of shittim wood, two cubits and a half its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height;
DARBYAnd Bezaleel made the ark of acacia-wood; two cubits and a half the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.
BBEAnd Bezalel made the ark of hard wood, two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide and a cubit and a half high;
WebsterAnd 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 hight of it:

What does Exodus 37:1 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

Ex 37:1-29. Furniture of the Tabernacle.

1. Bezaleel made the ark--The description here given of the things within the sacred edifice is almost word for word the same as that contained in Ex 25:1-40. It is not on that account to be regarded as a useless repetition of minute particulars; for by the enumeration of these details, it can be seen how exactly everything was fashioned according to the "pattern shown on the mount" [Ex 25:40]; and the knowledge of this exact correspondence between the prescription and the execution was essential to the purposes of the fabric.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

Bezaleel and Aholiab make the ark, Exo 37:1-5. The mercy-seat, Exo 37:6. The two cherubim, Exo 37:7-9. The table of the shew-bread, and its vessels, Exo 37:10-16. The candlestick, Exo 37:17-24. The golden altar of incense, Exo 37:25-28. The holy anointing oil and perfume, Exo 37:29. Verse 1 And Bezaleel made the ark, etc. - For a description of the ark, see Exo 25:10 (note), etc.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
The making of the ark, and the furniture of the tabernacle. --In the furniture of the tabernacle were emblems of a spiritual and acceptable service. The incense represented the prayers of the saints. The sacrifice of the alter represented the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world. The golden pot with manna, or bread from heaven, the flesh of Jesus Christ, which he gave for the life of the world. The candlestick, with its lights, the teaching and enlightening of the Holy Spirit. The shew-bread represented that provision for those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, which the gospel, the ordinances and the sacraments of the house of prayer, abundantly bestow. The exactness of the workmen to their rule, should be followed by us; seeking for the influences of the Holy Spirit, that we may rejoice in and glorify God while in this world, and at length be with him for ever.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Exodus 37:1 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיַּ֧עַשׂvai.Ya.'asand he madeH6213
בְּצַלְאֵ֛לbe.tzal.'ElBezalelH1212
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הָאָרֹ֖ןha.'a.Ronthe arkH727
עֲצֵ֣י'a.Tzeiwood<s> ofH6086
שִׁטִּ֑יםshi.TimacaciaH7848
אַמָּתַ֨יִם'a.ma.Ta.yim[was] two cubitsH520
וָחֵ֜צִיva.Che.tziand a halfH2677
אָרְכּ֗וֹ'a.re.Kolength itsH753
וְאַמָּ֤הve.'a.Mahand [was] a cubitH520
וָחֵ֙צִי֙va.Che.tziand a halfH2677
רָחְבּ֔וֹra.che.Bobreadth itsH7341
וְאַמָּ֥הve.'a.Mahand [was] a cubitH520
וָחֵ֖צִיva.Che.tziand a halfH2677
קֹמָתֽוֹ\׃ko.ma.Toheight itsH6967

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Exodus 37:1

  • Exodus 25:10-20

    And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about. And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in the four corners thereof; and two rings shall be in the one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it. And thou shalt make staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold. …

  • Exodus 26:33

    And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy.

  • Numbers 10:33-36

    And they departed from the mount of the Lord three days’ journey: and the ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them in the three days’ journey, to search out a resting place for them. And the cloud of the Lord was upon them by day, when they went out of the camp. And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee. And when it rested, he said, Return, O Lord, unto the many thousands of Israel.

  • Exodus 40:20-21

    And he took and put the testimony into the ark, and set the staves on the ark, and put the mercy seat above upon the ark: And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the vail of the covering, and covered the ark of the testimony; as the Lord commanded Moses.

  • Exodus 31:7

    The tabernacle of the congregation, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is thereupon, and all the furniture of the tabernacle,

  • Exodus 40:3

    And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and cover the ark with the vail.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1 The ark and mercy seat with cherubims made.
10 The table of shew-bread with its vessels.
17 The candlestick with its lamps and instruments.
25 The altar of incense.
29 The anointing oil and sweet incense.

25:10-16; 26:33; 31:7; 40:3,20,21; Nu 10:33-36

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 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:

  • Exodus 37:2

    And he overlaid it with pure gold within and without, and made a crown of gold to it round about.

Read all of Exodus 37

Exodus 37:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		HIZO también Bezaleel el arca de madera de Sittim: su longitud era de dos codos y medio, y de codo y medio su anchura, y su altura de otro codo y medio:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Betsaleël fit l’arche de bois de sittim: sa longueur était de deux coudées et demie, et sa largeur d’une coudée et demie, et sa hauteur d’une coudée et demie.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Bezaleel machte die Lade von Akazienholz: zwei und eine halbe Elle ihre Länge, und eine und eine halbe Elle ihre Breite, und eine und eine halbe Elle ihre Höhe.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Fecit autem Beseleel et arcam de lignis setim, habentem duos semis cubitos in longitudine, et cubitum ac semissem in latitudine, altitudo quoque unius cubiti fuit et dimidii: vestivitque eam auro purissimo intus ac foris.