Exodus 37:1 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood. Two cubits and a half was its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height.

NIV: Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.

NASB: Now Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood; its length was two and a half cubits, its width one and a half cubits, and its height one and a half cubits;

CSB: Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood, forty-five inches long, twenty-seven inches wide, and twenty-seven inches high.

NLT: Next Bezalel made the Ark of acacia wood — a sacred chest 45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches high.

KJV: 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:

NKJV: Then Bezalel made 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.

Exodus 37:1–9 explains that Bezalel (Exodus 35:30) exactly followed the Lord's designs for the ark. The ark is a large golden chest meant to hold stone tablets. The tablets record the Ten Commandments (Exodus 25:16). Bezalel's work here directly mirrors the instructions recorded in Exodus 25:10–22.

Bezalel (Exodus 35:30) follows God's instructions to make multiple items for the tabernacle. Most of these are described in Exodus 25. He constructs the ark, table, lampstand, and altar of incense. All of these will be kept inside the main tabernacle building. The text deliberately reproduces the phrasing of God's earlier command to stress Israel's exact obedience to His will.

Moses relays God's instructions for building the tabernacle (Exodus 25—31). The people respond generously (Exodus 35) and follow the Lord's directions exactly (Exodus 36). This pattern continues in chapter 37 as Bezalel (Exodus 35:30) completes designs mostly seen in chapter 25. Other items are depicted in chapter 30. The next two chapters (Exodus 38—39) are more of the same: describing the Israelites carrying out God's design as it was given.

The book of Exodus establishes God's covenant relationship with the full-fledged nation of Israel. The descendants of Abraham prosper after settling in Egypt, only to be enslaved by a fearful, hateful Egyptian Pharaoh. God appoints Moses to lead the people out of this bondage. Moses serves as God's spokesman, as the Lord brings plagues and judgments on Egypt, leading to the release of Israel.

Accessed 10/27/2025 5:38:00 PM