Exodus 38:7 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he put the poles through the rings on the sides of the altar to carry it with them. He made it hollow, with boards.

NIV: They inserted the poles into the rings so they would be on the sides of the altar for carrying it. They made it hollow, out of boards.

NASB: Then he inserted the poles into the rings on the sides of the altar, with which to carry it. He made it hollow with planks.

CSB: Then he inserted the poles into the rings on the sides of the altar in order to carry it with them. He constructed the altar with boards so that it was hollow.

NLT: He inserted the poles through the rings on the sides of the altar. The altar was hollow and was made from planks.

KJV: And he put the staves into the rings on the sides of the altar, to bear it withal; he made the altar hollow with boards.

NKJV: Then he put the poles into the rings on the sides of the altar, with which to bear it. He made the altar hollow with boards.

Exodus 38:1–7 refers to Bezalel (Exodus 35:30) following God's design for an altar of burnt sacrifice. This closely repeats the instructions of Exodus 27:1–8. The altar will stand in the tabernacle courtyard (Exodus 27:9). The Lord gave these instructions to Moses (Exodus 25—31), who passes them along to the Israelites. The same pattern is followed for a basin used in ceremonial washing (Exodus 30:17–21), though the details are not repeated here.

God's assigned manager, Bezalel, oversees construction of more items for the Lord's sanctuary (Exodus 25:8–9). This chapter focuses on the components seen in the tabernacle courtyard, including the sacrificial altar and a washbasin. Scripture also records the quantity of metal donated to tabernacle construction. The total is several tons of silver, gold, and bronze.

Under the supervision of Bezalel (Exodus 35:30), Israel has followed God's exact plans for constructing the sanctuary. The Lord gave designs to Moses (Exodus 25—31). Most of the text in this long section is a near-duplication of those same words (Exodus 35—37). This emphasizes the care which Israel used to obey the Lord in this project. Final items are made in the next chapter (Exodus 39) before being assembled into the finished sanctuary (Exodus 40).

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 8/31/2025 9:50:03 AM