Exodus 37

1 Bezalel [in the shadow of God] went on to construct [make, build] the ark [a chest, container] of acacia [shittim] wood, two and a half [two cubits and a half] cubits [a unit of measurement, about the length of a forearm] long, a cubit [a unit of measurement] and a half [middle, division] wide, and a cubit and a half [one and a half cubits] high [in stature, tall]. word study 2 He overlaid [covered with a layer of] it with pure [clean, ceremonially spotless] gold [a valuable, brilliant metal], both inside [within, in the inner space] and out [outside, in the outer space], and made [constructed, fashioned] a gold [valuable, brilliant] molding [border, edge] around [surrounding, encompassing] it. word study 3 And he cast [poured out, molded] four gold [valuable, brilliant] rings [a ring or signet] for its four feet [bases, foundations], two rings [signets, seals] on one side [rib, architectural part] and two on the other [second, opposite]. word study 4 Then he made [crafted, formed] poles [staves, bars] of acacia wood [shittim wood, a strong and firm tree] and overlaid [covered, plated] them with gold [a valuable and brilliant metal]. word study 5 He inserted [put, brought in] the poles [staffs, bars] into the rings [signets] on the sides [rib sections, architectural supports] of the ark [a chest, the Ark of the Covenant] in order to carry [lift, bear, transport] it [the ark, the sacred container]. word study 6 He constructed [made, fashioned] a mercy seat [atonement cover, place of forgiveness] of pure [clean, untainted] gold [valuable, brilliant], two and a half cubits [units of measurement, about the length of a forearm] long and a cubit [unit of measurement] and a half [middle, division] wide [broad, expansive]. word study 7 He made [created, brought into being] two [a pair, a duality] cherubim [angelic beings, guardians of God’s throne] of [made from, crafted with] hammered [beaten, molded] gold [a valuable, brilliant metal] at the [on the two] ends [corners, edges] of the mercy seat [a golden lid], word study 8 one [angelic being, heavenly guardian] cherub on one end [end or termination] and one [similar, another] on the other [end or edge], all made [crafted, formed] from one [single, unified] piece of gold [precious metal, symbolizing value]. word study 9 And the cherubim [angelic beings, guardians of God’s throne] had wings [extremities, upper limbs] that spread upward [on high, above], overshadowing [covering, protecting] the mercy seat [the golden lid, the atonement cover]. The cherubim faced [turned towards, looked at] each other [one another, brother to brother], looking [gazing, focusing] toward [in the direction of] the mercy seat [the place of atonement, the throne of God’s presence]. word study 10 He also made the table [of sacred furniture] of acacia wood [shittim, a thorny tree] two cubits [about 36 inches] long, a cubit [the length of a forearm] wide, and a cubit and a half [about 27 inches] high. word study 11 He overlaid [covered, plated] it with pure [clean, ceremonially spotless] gold [a valuable metal] and made [constructed, fashioned] a gold [yellow, brilliant] molding [border, crown] around [surrounding, encompassing] it. word study 12 And he made [crafted, formed] a rim [border, edge] around it a handbreadth [the width of a hand, about 3-4 inches] wide and put [placed, set] a gold [valuable, precious] molding [crown, decorative edge] on the rim [perimeter, surrounding edge]. word study 13 He cast [poured out, made firm] four gold [valuable, brilliant] rings [a ring or signet] for the table and fastened [put, set] them to the four [a simple counting number, describing quantity] corners [sides, edges] at its four [describing quantity] legs [feet, foundations]. word study 14 The rings [close by the border, over against the edge] were placed [fixed, set in place] close to the rim [perimeter, edge], to serve as [function as, act as] holders [places, receptacles] for the poles [staves, bars] used to carry [lift, bear] the table [a place of communion]. word study 15 He made [to create, fashion, or form] the poles [bars, staves, or branches] of acacia wood [shittim wood, a strong and firm tree] for carrying [to lift, bear, or transport] the table [a place of communion, a sacred furniture] and overlaid [to cover, plate, or overlay] them with gold [a valuable, yellow, and brilliant metal]. word study 16 He also made the utensils [vessels, instruments] for the table [of showbread, sacred table] out of pure [clean, undefiled] gold: its plates [dishes, platters] and dishes [bowls, cups], as well as its bowls [sacrificial bowls, libation bowls] and pitchers [jugs, cups] for pouring [to pour out, to offer] drink offerings [libations, sacrifices]. word study 17 Then he made the lampstand [candlestick, chandelier] out of pure [clean, ceremonially pure] hammered gold [beaten work, molded], all of one piece: its base [foundation, stand] and shaft [thigh, support], its cups [calyxes, goblets], and its buds [knops, decorative bulbs] and petals [flowers, blossoms] [from the same metal, of one piece with it]. word study 18 Six branches [or reeds, extending outward] extended from the sides [of the lampstand, or candlestick], three on one side [or half, of the lampstand] and three on the other [or second, side of the lampstand]. word study 19 There were three [exactly, precisely] cups [vessels, containers] shaped like almond blossoms [almond flowers, resembling nuts] on the first branch [the initial, primary limb], each with buds [knobs, swellings] and petals [flowers, blossoms], three on the next branch [the subsequent, following limb], and the same for all six [the total number of] branches that extended from the lampstand [candlestick]. word study 20 And on the lampstand [candlestick] were four [a simple counting number] cups [goblets] shaped like almond blossoms [almonds] with buds [knobs] and petals [flowers]. word study 21 A bud [knob, capital] was under the first pair of branches [two branches of one piece] that extended from the lampstand, a bud [knop, decorative bulb] under the second pair, and a bud under the third pair. word study 22 The buds [knobs, decorative bulbs] and branches [supports, strength] were all of one piece [united, a single entity] with the lampstand, hammered [beaten, molded] out of pure [clean, untainted] gold [a valuable, brilliant metal]. word study 23 He also made its seven lamps [devices for holding a flame, providing spiritual guidance], its wick trimmers [tongs, snuffers for handling hot items], and trays [censers, metal pans for holding live coals] of pure [clean, ceremonially undefiled] gold [a valuable, brilliant metal]. word study 24 He made [constructed, formed] the lampstand [with all its vessels] and all [every one of] its utensils [articles, tools] from [out of, using] a talent [75 pounds, 35 kg] of pure [clean, refined] gold [a valuable, brilliant metal]. word study 25 He made the altar [of sacrifice, for worship] of incense [sweet smoke, fragrance] out of acacia wood [shittim, a strong and durable tree]. It was square [foursquare, having four equal sides], a cubit [about 18 inches, a unit of measurement] long, a cubit wide, and two cubits [about 3 feet, a unit of height] high. Its horns [a horn; a hill or peak] were of one piece [from the same block of wood, unified]. word study 26 And he overlaid [covered completely] with pure [clean, untainted] gold [a valuable metal] the top [roof, upper surface] and all the sides [walls, surrounding areas] and horns [a horn; a hill or peak]. Then he made [crafted, fashioned] a molding [border, decorative edge] of gold [precious, highly valued] around [surrounding, encircling] it. word study 27 He made [crafted, formed] two [a pair, dual] gold [valuable, brilliant] rings [signet] below [underneath, beneath] the molding [border, decorative edge] on opposite [facing, contrasting] sides to hold [support, carry] the poles [staves, bars] used to carry [lift, bear] it [the altar, sacred furniture]. word study 28 And he made [to create, fashion, or form] the poles [staves, bars, or rods] of acacia wood [shittim wood, a strong and durable tree] and overlaid [to cover, plate, or overlay] them with gold [a valuable and precious metal]. word study 29 He also made the sacred [holy, set apart] anointing [consecrated] oil and the pure [clean, untainted], fragrant [sweet-smelling] incense, the work [deed, action] of a perfumer [one who mixes, compounds]. word study