Exodus 37:1
New International Version
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.

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

English Standard Version
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.

Berean Standard Bible
Bezalel went on to construct the ark of acacia wood, two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.

King James Bible
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:

New King James Version
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.

New American Standard Bible
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;

NASB 1995
Now Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood; its length was two and a half cubits, and its width one and a half cubits, and its height one and a half cubits;

NASB 1977
Now Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood; its length was two and a half cubits, and its width one and a half cubits, and its height one and a half cubits;

Legacy Standard Bible
And Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood; its length was two and a half cubits, and its width one and a half cubits, and its height one and a half cubits;

Amplified Bible
Bezalel made the ark [of the covenant] of acacia wood—it was two and a half cubits long, and one and a half cubits wide, and one and a half cubits high.

Christian Standard Bible
Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood, forty-five inches long, twenty-seven inches wide, and twenty-seven inches high.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood, 45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches high.

American Standard Version
And Bezalel made the ark of acacia 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.

Contemporary English Version
Bezalel built a chest of acacia wood 110 centimeters long, 66 centimeters wide, and 66 centimeters high.

English Revised Version
And Bezalel made the ark of acacia 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:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Bezalel made the ark out of acacia wood 45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches high.

Good News Translation
Bezalel made the Covenant Box out of acacia wood, 45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches high.

International Standard Version
Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood two and a half cubits long, one and a half cubits wide, and one and a half cubits high.

Majority Standard Bible
Bezalel went on to construct the ark of acacia wood, two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.

NET Bible
Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood; its length was three feet nine inches, its width two feet three inches, and its height two feet three inches.

New Heart English Bible
Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood. Its length was four feet four inches, and its breadth two feet seven inches, and two feet seven inches its height.

Webster's Bible Translation
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 hight of it:

World English Bible
Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood. Its length was two and a half cubits, and its width a cubit and a half, and a cubit and a half its height.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Bezaleel makes the Ark of shittim wood; two cubits and a half its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height;

Young's Literal Translation
And Bezaleel maketh the ark of shittim wood, two cubits and a half its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height;

Smith's Literal Translation
And Bezaleel will make the ark acacia wood: two cubits and a half its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Beseleel made also the ark of setim wood: it was two cubits and a half in length, and a cubit and a half in breadth, and the height was of one cubit and a half: and he overlaid it with the purest gold within and without.

Catholic Public Domain Version
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.

New American Bible
Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood, two and a half cubits long, one and a half cubits wide, and one and a half cubits high.

New Revised Standard Version
Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood; it was two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
THEN Bezaliel 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:

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Betsalieil made the ark of wood of the box tree two cubits and a half in its length, and a cubit and a half its width, and a cubit and a half its height:
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And Bezalel made the ark of acacia-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.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Beseleel made the ark,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Constructing the Ark
1Bezalel went on to construct the ark of acacia wood, two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high. 2He overlaid it with pure gold, both inside and out, and made a gold molding around it.…

Cross References
Exodus 25:10-22
And they are to construct an ark of acacia wood, two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high. / Overlay it with pure gold both inside and out, and make a gold molding around it. / Cast four gold rings for it and fasten them to its four feet, two rings on one side and two on the other. ...

Hebrews 9:4
containing the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. Inside the ark were the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant.

1 Kings 6:19-20
Solomon also prepared the inner sanctuary within the temple to set the ark of the covenant of the LORD there. / The inner sanctuary was twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and twenty cubits high. He overlaid the inside with pure gold, and he also overlaid the altar of cedar.

1 Chronicles 28:18
the weight of the refined gold for the altar of incense; and the plans for the chariot of the gold cherubim that spread their wings and overshadowed the ark of the covenant of the LORD.

2 Chronicles 5:7-10
Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, beneath the wings of the cherubim. / For the cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark and overshadowed the ark and its poles. / The poles of the ark extended far enough that their ends were visible from in front of the inner sanctuary, but not from outside the Holy Place; and they are there to this day. ...

Deuteronomy 10:1-5
At that time the LORD said to me, “Chisel out two stone tablets like the originals, come up to Me on the mountain, and make an ark of wood. / And I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke; and you are to place them in the ark.” / So I made an ark of acacia wood, chiseled out two stone tablets like the originals, and went up the mountain with the two tablets in my hands. ...

1 Samuel 4:4
So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the LORD of Hosts, who sits enthroned between the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

2 Samuel 6:2
And he and all his troops set out for Baale of Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name—the name of the LORD of Hosts, who is enthroned between the cherubim that are on it.

1 Kings 8:6-9
Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, beneath the wings of the cherubim. / For the cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark and overshadowed the ark and its poles. / The poles extended far enough that their ends were visible from the Holy Place in front of the inner sanctuary, but not from outside the Holy Place; and they are there to this day. ...

Jeremiah 3:16
“In those days, when you multiply and increase in the land,” declares the LORD, “they will no longer discuss the ark of the covenant of the LORD. It will never come to mind, and no one will remember it or miss it, nor will another one be made.

Revelation 11:19
Then the temple of God in heaven was opened, and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple. And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and a great hailstorm.

Numbers 10:33
So they set out on a three-day journey from the mountain of the LORD, with the ark of the covenant of the LORD traveling ahead of them for those three days to seek a resting place for them.

Joshua 3:3
and commanded the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God being carried by the Levitical priests, you are to set out from your positions and follow it.

1 Chronicles 13:3
Then let us bring back the ark of our God, for we did not inquire of Him in the days of Saul.”

2 Chronicles 35:3
To the Levites who taught all Israel and were holy to the LORD, Josiah said: “Put the holy ark in the temple built by Solomon son of David king of Israel. It is not to be carried around on your shoulders. Now serve the LORD your God and His people Israel.


Treasury of Scripture

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:

Exodus 25:10-16
And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof…

Exodus 26:33
And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy.

Exodus 31:7
The tabernacle of the congregation, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is thereupon, and all the furniture of the tabernacle,

Jump to Previous
Acacia Acacia-Wood Ark Bezaleel Bezalel Bez'alel Breadth Cubit Cubits Half Hard Height High Hight Length Shittim Thereof Wide Width Wood
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Acacia Acacia-Wood Ark Bezaleel Bezalel Bez'alel Breadth Cubit Cubits Half Hard Height High Hight Length Shittim Thereof Wide Width Wood
Exodus 37
1. The ark and mercy seat with cherubim made
10. The table of showbread with its vessels
17. The candlestick with its lamps and instruments
25. The altar of incense
29. The anointing oil and sweet incense














Bezalel went on to construct the ark of acacia wood
Bezalel, a skilled craftsman chosen by God, is mentioned here as the primary artisan responsible for constructing the Ark of the Covenant. His selection is significant, as it highlights the importance of God-given talents and the divine calling to use those gifts for sacred purposes. The use of acacia wood is notable; it is a durable and resistant wood, symbolizing the enduring nature of God's covenant. Acacia trees were common in the Sinai region, making the material both practical and symbolic of the Israelites' journey.

two and a half cubits long
The dimensions of the Ark are precise, reflecting the order and intentionality of God's instructions. A cubit, approximately 18 inches, was a standard unit of measurement in ancient times, based on the length of the forearm. The specific length of two and a half cubits (about 45 inches) signifies the Ark's role as a sacred and set-apart object, not meant for common use. This precision underscores the holiness and reverence required in approaching God.

a cubit and a half wide
The width of the Ark, at one and a half cubits (about 27 inches), contributes to its rectangular shape, which is significant in its function as a container for the tablets of the Law. The Ark's dimensions are not only practical but also symbolic, representing the balance and harmony of God's law and presence among His people. The Ark served as the earthly throne of God, where He would meet with Moses and the high priest.

and a cubit and a half high
The height of the Ark, also one and a half cubits, completes its dimensions, creating a compact and portable structure. This portability was essential for the Israelites as they traveled through the wilderness. The Ark's height, along with its other dimensions, emphasizes its role as a divine meeting place, where heaven and earth intersect. The Ark prefigures Christ, who is the ultimate meeting place between God and humanity, embodying the fullness of God's presence and law.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Bezalel
A skilled craftsman chosen by God to construct the Tabernacle and its furnishings. He was filled with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge in all kinds of craftsmanship (Exodus 31:2-5).

2. The Ark of the Covenant
A sacred chest made of acacia wood, overlaid with gold, and designed to hold the tablets of the Ten Commandments. It symbolized God's presence among His people.

3. Acacia Wood
A durable and resistant wood used in the construction of the Ark and other Tabernacle furnishings. It signifies the incorruptible nature of God's covenant.

4. Tabernacle
The portable dwelling place for the divine presence of God among the Israelites during their journey through the wilderness.

5. Cubic Measurements
The specific dimensions given for the Ark highlight the precision and orderliness of God's instructions, reflecting His holiness and perfection.
Teaching Points
God's Calling and Equipping
God calls individuals for specific purposes and equips them with the necessary skills and wisdom. Like Bezalel, we should seek to use our God-given talents for His glory.

Symbolism of the Ark
The Ark represents God's covenant and presence. As believers, we are called to be living temples, carrying His presence and reflecting His holiness in our lives.

Obedience to Divine Instructions
The precise measurements and materials for the Ark remind us of the importance of obedience to God's instructions. Our lives should reflect careful adherence to His Word.

The Role of Craftsmanship in Worship
The beauty and craftsmanship of the Tabernacle furnishings highlight the role of creativity and excellence in worship. We should strive for excellence in all we do for God.

The Continuity of God's Plan
The Ark's journey from the Tabernacle to the Temple and its ultimate fulfillment in Christ shows the continuity and faithfulness of God's redemptive plan.XXXVII.

(1-24) This passage corresponds with Exodus 37:10-29 of Exodus 25, and contains an account of the construction of the holy furniture: (1) That of the Holy of Holies: viz., the ark (Exodus 37:1-5), the mercyseat (Exodus 37:6-9); (2) that of the Holy Place, viz., the table of shewbread (Exodus 37:10-16) and the golden candlestick (Exodus 37:17-24). . . .

Verses 1-29. - THE FURTHER PROGRESS OF THE WORK - THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE FURNITURE FOR THE HOLY OF HOLIES (vers. 1, 9) - AND FOR THE HOLY PLACE (vers. 10-28)-THE MAKING OF THE HOLY OIL AND OF THE INCENSE (ver. 29). On the history of the construction of the tabernacle follows naturally that of the construction of its furniture. The order of dignity is followed, as in ch. 25, and the furniture of the holy of holies taken first. Vers. 1-9 correspond to vers. 10-20 of ch. 25; vers. 10-16 to vers. 23-29; vers. 17-24 to vers. 31-39 of the same; and vers. 25-28 to vers. 1-5 of ch. 30. Ver. 29 is an abbreviation of Exodus 30:23-25, and 34, 35. Verse 1. - Bezaleel made the ark. The particular maker of the various parts and contents of the tabernacle is not elsewhere pointed out. Thus this mention of Bezaleel is emphatic, and seems intended to mark the employment of the highest artistic skill on that which was the most precious of all objects connected with the new construction.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Bezalel went on
בְּצַלְאֵ֛ל (bə·ṣal·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1212: Bezalel -- 'in the shadow (protection) of El', two Israelites

to make
וַיַּ֧עַשׂ (way·ya·‘aś)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

the ark
הָאָרֹ֖ן (hā·’ā·rōn)
Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 727: A chest, ark

of acacia
שִׁטִּ֑ים (šiṭ·ṭîm)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 7848: Acacia (a tree and a wood)

wood,
עֲצֵ֣י (‘ă·ṣê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 6086: Tree, trees, wood

two
אַמָּתַ֨יִם (’am·mā·ṯa·yim)
Noun - fd
Strong's 520: A mother, a cubit, a door-base

and a half cubits
וָחֵ֜צִי (wā·ḥê·ṣî)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2677: The half, middle

long,
אָרְכּ֗וֹ (’ā·rə·kōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 753: Length

a cubit
וְאַמָּ֤ה (wə·’am·māh)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 520: A mother, a cubit, a door-base

and a half
וָחֵ֙צִי֙ (wā·ḥê·ṣî)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2677: The half, middle

wide,
רָחְבּ֔וֹ (rā·ḥə·bōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7341: Breadth, width

and a cubit
וְאַמָּ֥ה (wə·’am·māh)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 520: A mother, a cubit, a door-base

and a half
וָחֵ֖צִי (wā·ḥê·ṣî)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2677: The half, middle

high.
קֹמָתֽוֹ׃ (qō·mā·ṯōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6967: Height


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OT Law: Exodus 37:1 Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood (Exo. Ex)
Exodus 36:38
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