Exodus 37 - Prayer Tents

Exodus 37

New Living Translation

Building the Ark of the Covenant

37Next Bezalel made the Ark of acacia wood - a sacred chest 45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches high[1].

2He overlaid it inside and outside with pure gold, and he ran a molding of gold all around it.

3He cast four gold rings and attached them to its four feet, two rings on each side.

4Then he made poles from acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.

5He inserted the poles into the rings at the sides of the Ark to carry it.

6Then he made the Ark's cover - the place of atonement - from pure gold. It was 45 inches long and 27 inches wide[2].

7He made two cherubim from hammered gold and placed them on the two ends of the atonement cover.

8He molded the cherubim on each end of the atonement cover, making it all of one piece of gold.

9The cherubim faced each other and looked down on the atonement cover. With their wings spread above it, they protected it.

Building the Table

10Then Bezalel[3] made the table of acacia wood, 36 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 27 inches high[4].

11He overlaid it with pure gold and ran a gold molding around the edge.

12He decorated it with a 3-inch border[5] all around, and he ran a gold molding along the border.

13Then he cast four gold rings for the table and attached them at the four corners next to the four legs.

14The rings were attached near the border to hold the poles that were used to carry the table.

15He made these poles from acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.

16Then he made special containers of pure gold for the table - bowls, pans, jars, and pitchers - to be used in pouring out liquid offerings.

Building the Lampstand

17Then 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.

18The lampstand had six branches going out from the center stem, three on each side.

19Each of the six branches had three lamp cups shaped like almond blossoms, complete with buds and petals.

20The center stem of the lampstand was crafted with four lamp cups shaped like almond blossoms, complete with buds and petals.

21There was an almond bud beneath each pair of branches where the six branches extended from the center stem, all made of one piece.

22The almond buds and branches were all of one piece with the center stem, and they were hammered from pure gold.

23He also made seven lamps for the lampstand, lamp snuffers, and trays, all of pure gold.

24The entire lampstand, along with its accessories, was made from seventy-five pounds[6] of pure gold.

Building the Incense Altar

25Then Bezalel made the incense altar of acacia wood. It was 18 inches square and 36 inches high[7], with horns at the corners carved from the same piece of wood as the altar itself.

26He overlaid the top, sides, and horns of the altar with pure gold, and he ran a gold molding around the entire altar.

27He made two gold rings and attached them on opposite sides of the altar below the gold molding to hold the carrying poles.

28He made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.

29Then he made the sacred anointing oil and the fragrant incense, using the techniques of a skilled incense maker.

[1] Exodus 37:1Hebrew 2.5 cubits [115 centimeters] long, 1.5 cubits [69 centimeters] wide, and 1.5 cubits high
[2] Exodus 37:6Hebrew 2.5 cubits [115 centimeters] long and 1.5 cubits [69 centimeters] wide
[3] Exodus 37:10Hebrew he; also in 37.17, 25
[4] Exodus 37:10Hebrew 2 cubits [92 centimeters] long, 1 cubit [46 centimeters] wide, and 1.5 cubits [69 centimeters] high
[5] Exodus 37:12Hebrew a border of a handbreadth [8 centimeters]
[6] Exodus 37:24Hebrew 1 talent [34 kilograms]
[7] Exodus 37:25Hebrew 1 cubit [46 centimeters] long and 1 cubit wide, a square, and 2 cubits [92 centimeters] high