The Ark of the Covenant
Study note
Bezalel built the Ark of the Covenant, the most sacred object in all of Israel. He made it from acacia wood and covered it inside and out with pure gold, with a gold border around the top. He made four gold rings and two gold-covered poles so the Ark could be carried without being touched. On top he made the mercy seat — a lid of pure gold. On each end of the mercy seat he made a golden angel, called a cherub. The two cherubim faced each other with their wings spread out over the mercy seat. This was where God's presence would dwell among His people.
1 Bezalel built the Ark from acacia wood. It was two and a half cubits long, one and a half cubits wide, and one and a half cubits tall. 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:
2 He covered every surface — inside and outside — with pure gold, and added a gold edge all the way around. And he overlaid it with pure gold within and without, and made a crown of gold to it round about.
3 He cast four gold rings and fastened them near the four feet — two on one side and two on the other. And he cast for it four rings of gold, to be set by the four corners of it; even two rings upon the one side of it, and two rings upon the other side of it.
4 He made carrying poles from acacia wood and covered them in gold. And he made staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold.
5 He slid the poles into the rings on the sides of the Ark so it could be carried. And he put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, to bear the ark.
6 He fashioned the mercy seat from pure gold — two and a half cubits long and one and a half cubits wide. And he made the mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half was the length thereof, and one cubit and a half the breadth thereof.
7 He hammered two cherubim from gold, one for each end of the mercy seat. And he made two cherubims of gold, beaten out of one piece made he them, on the two ends of the mercy seat;
8 One cherub stood at one end and the other at the opposite end. Each was formed as a single piece with the mercy seat. One cherub on the end on this side, and another cherub on the other end on that side: out of the mercy seat made he the cherubims on the two ends thereof.
9 The cherubim stretched their wings upward, spreading them over the mercy seat like a canopy. They faced each other, gazing down at the mercy seat. And the cherubims spread out their wings on high, and covered with their wings over the mercy seat, with their faces one to another; even to the mercy seatward were the faces of the cherubims.
The Table for the Sacred Bread
Study note
Bezalel made the table of acacia wood covered with pure gold. It had a gold border around the top and a rim around the edge. Four gold rings and two gold-covered carrying poles were attached to it. He also made all the dishes, pans, bowls, and pitchers that went on the table. These were all made of pure gold. This table would hold the Bread of the Presence — twelve loaves of bread that represented the twelve tribes of Israel and were always kept before God.
10 He built the table from acacia wood — two cubits long, one cubit wide, and one and a half cubits tall. And he made the table of shittim wood: two cubits was the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof:
11 He covered it with pure gold and added a gold edge around it. And he overlaid it with pure gold, and made thereunto a crown of gold round about.
12 He made a rim about a hand's width around the table and put a gold border along the rim. Also he made thereunto a border of an handbreadth round about; and made a crown of gold for the border thereof round about.
13 He cast four gold rings and mounted them at the four corners where the legs met the tabletop. And he cast for it four rings of gold, and put the rings upon the four corners that were in the four feet thereof.
14 The rings were positioned near the rim, serving as holders for the carrying poles. Over against the border were the rings, the places for the staves to bear the table.
15 He made the carrying poles from acacia wood and covered them with gold. He used them to carry the table. And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold, to bear the table.
16 He made all the things for the table -- dishes, serving pans, bowls, and pitchers for pouring drink offerings -- from pure gold. And he made the vessels which were upon the table, his dishes, and his spoons, and his bowls, and his covers to cover withal, of pure gold.
The Gold Lampstand
Study note
Bezalel made the lampstand of pure gold. The entire lampstand — its base, its shaft, its branches, its cups shaped like almond blossoms, its buds, and its flowers — was hammered out of one single piece of gold. It had six branches, three on each side of the center shaft. Each branch had three cups shaped like almond blossoms with buds and flowers. The center shaft had four cups shaped like almond blossoms. He also made its seven lamps, its wick trimmers, and its trays, all of pure gold. The entire lampstand was made from one talent of pure gold, which weighed about seventy-five pounds.
17 He made the lampstand out of one piece of pure gold. He hammered it into shape. The base, the center shaft, and the cups, buds, and flower petals were all part of one single piece. And he made the candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work made he the candlestick; his shaft, and his branch, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, were of the same:
18 Six branches extended outward from the sides — three from one side and three from the other. And six branches going out of the sides thereof; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side thereof, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side thereof:
19 Each of the six branches held three cups styled like almond blossoms, each with a bud and petals. Three bowls made after the fashion of almonds in one branch, a knop and a flower; and three bowls made like almonds in another branch, a knop and a flower: so throughout the six branches going out of the candlestick.
20 The main shaft of the lampstand had four almond-blossom cups with buds and petals. And in the candlestick were four bowls made like almonds, his knops, and his flowers:
21 A bud sat beneath each pair of branches. One under the first pair. One under the second pair. One under the third pair. This was for all six branches from the shaft. And a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches going out of it.
22 The buds and branches were all formed from the same piece as the lampstand. The entire creation was hammered from one solid piece of pure gold. Their knops and their branches were of the same: all of it was one beaten work of pure gold.
23 He made the seven lamps for the lampstand, plus the wick trimmers and trays, all from pure gold. And he made his seven lamps, and his snuffers, and his snuffdishes, of pure gold.
24 One full talent of pure gold was used to make the lampstand and all of its parts. Of a talent of pure gold made he it, and all the vessels thereof.
The Altar of Incense and the Sacred Oils
Study note
Bezalel made the altar of incense from acacia wood. It was square, about eighteen inches on each side and three feet tall. It had horns at each corner that were one piece with the altar. He covered the top, all the sides, and the horns with pure gold, and put a gold border around it. He made two gold rings and two carrying poles for it. He also prepared the holy anointing oil and the pure, sweet-smelling incense, mixed like a perfumer would blend them.
25 He constructed the incense altar from acacia wood — one cubit long, one cubit wide (a perfect square), and two cubits tall. The horns were formed as one piece with the altar. And he made the incense altar of shittim wood: the length of it was a cubit, and the breadth of it a cubit; it was foursquare; and two cubits was the height of it; the horns thereof were of the same.
26 He overlaid the top, the sides, and the horns with pure gold, and ran a decorative gold edge all around it. And he overlaid it with pure gold, both the top of it, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns of it: also he made unto it a crown of gold round about.
27 He attached two gold rings below the border on two opposite sides, designed to hold the carrying poles. And he made two rings of gold for it under the crown thereof, by the two corners of it, upon the two sides thereof, to be places for the staves to bear it withal.
28 He crafted the carrying poles from acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold.
29 He also made the holy anointing oil and the pure, sweet-smelling incense. He mixed them like a skilled perfume maker. And he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure incense of sweet spices, according to the work of the apothecary.