God's New Revelations

The Second Book of Moses: Exodus

Catholic Public Domain Version 2009

- Chapter 37 -

(Exodus 25:10–16)
1
Now Bezalel also made the ark from setim wood, having two and one half cubits in length, and one and one half cubits in width, and the height was also one and one half cubits. And he clothed it with the purest gold, inside and out.
2
And for it he made a crown of gold all around,
3
casting four gold rings at its four corners: two rings on one side, and two on the other.
4
Likewise, he made bars from setim wood, which he clothed with gold,
5
and he placed them into the rings, which were at the sides of the ark, to carry it.

The Mercy Seat

(Exodus 25:17–22)
6
He also made the propitiatory, that is, the oracle, from the finest gold, two and one half cubits in length, and one and one half cubits in width,
7
and then two Cherubim of ductile gold, which he positioned at the two sides of the propitiatory:
8
one Cherub at the top of one side, and the other Cherub at the top of the other side. The two Cherubim were at each end of the propitiatory,
9
spreading their wings, and protecting the propitiatory, and gazing toward it and toward one another.

The Table of Showbread

(Exodus 25:23–30; Leviticus 24:5–9)
10
He also made the table from setim wood, with a length of two cubits, and a width of one cubit, which had a height of one and one half cubits.
11
And he surrounded it with the finest gold, and for it he made a ledge of gold all around,
12
and for the ledge itself he made a polished crown of gold, four fingers high, and upon the same, another crown of gold.
13
And he cast four gold rings, which he set at the four corners at each foot of the table,
14
opposite the crown. And he placed the bars into them, so that the table could be carried.
15
Likewise, the bars themselves he made from setim wood, and he surrounded them with gold.
16
And he made vessels for the diverse uses of the table, as well as the little cups, and bowls, and measuring cups, and the censers, from pure gold, in which the libations would be offered.

The Lampstand

(Exodus 25:31–40; Numbers 8:1–4)
17
He also made the lampstand, formed from the finest gold. The branches, bowls, and little spheres, as well as the lilies, proceeded from its bar:
18
six on the two sides, three branches on one side, and three on the other.
19
Three bowls, the size of a nut, were on each branch, with little spheres and lilies, and three bowls, in the likeness of a nut, were on the other branch, with the little spheres together with the lilies. The workmanship of the six branches, which proceeded from the shaft of the lampstand, was equal.
20
Now on the shaft itself were four bowls, the size of a nut, and little spheres together with each one, and lilies,
21
and little spheres under two branches in three places, which together made six branches proceeding from one bar.(a)
22
Thus, both the little spheres and the branches were from the same thing: all hand-worked from the purest gold.
23
He also made the seven lamps with their candle snuffers, and the vessels where the candles would be extinguished, from the finest gold.
24
The lampstand with all its vessels weighed a talent of gold.(b)

The Altar of Incense

(Exodus 30:1–10)
25
He also made the altar of incense from setim wood, having one cubit on each of four sides, and in height, two. From its corners proceeded horns.
26
And he clothed it with the purest gold, with its grating, as well as the sides and the horns.
27
And for it he made a crown of gold all around, and two gold rings under the crown at each side, so that the bars might be put into them, and the altar could be carried.
28
Now the bars themselves he also made from setim wood, and he covered them with layers of gold.
29
He also composed the oil for the ointment of sanctification, and the incense, from the purest aromatics, with the skill of a perfumer.(c)

Footnotes

(a)37:21 The bar ‘vecte’ appears to be different than the shaft ‘stipite.’ I think that the bar is horizontal and the shaft vertical.(Conte)
(b)37:24 A talent of gold is about 66 pounds.(Conte)
(c)37:29 The word ‘pigmentarii’ refers to someone who makes and sells paints, cosmetics, and ointments.(Conte)