Why was the ark called the ark of the testimony?
Because inside it were kept the tablets of the law, the testimony of the covenant between God and Israel. The ark was the most sacred sign of God's presence among his people and of the covenant.
Exodus · chapter 37 of 40
Exodus 37: Summary, Key Verses and Study Questions
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What happens in Exodus 37?
Exodus 37 tells how Bezalel builds the furniture of the holy place following God's instructions: the ark of acacia overlaid with gold with the mercy seat and two cherubim, the table of the bread of the Presence, the pure gold lampstand with seven lamps and the altar of incense. At the end the anointing oil and the pure incense are also prepared.
Exodus 37 is the execution of what the Lord commanded in chapters 25 and 30. After the tent (Exodus 36), the narrator turns to the furniture that will stand inside it. It stresses that Bezalel made them, the craftsman God filled with his Spirit, and that everything was done according to the pattern.
Exodus 37 summary
Bezalel makes the ark of acacia wood, two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide and a cubit and a half high, and overlays it with pure gold inside and out, with a gold molding around it. He casts four gold rings for its four corners and makes poles of acacia overlaid with gold to carry it.
Then he makes the mercy seat of pure gold, of the same dimensions as the ark, and two cherubim of hammered gold at its ends, with wings spread upward covering the mercy seat and faces toward each other. Next he makes the table of acacia overlaid with gold, with its molding, frame, rings and poles, and the utensils that would go on it: plates, dishes, pitchers and bowls.
He also makes the lampstand of pure hammered gold, with a base, a shaft, six branches, cups shaped like almond blossoms, buds and flowers, and seven lamps with their tongs and trays, all from one talent of gold. The chapter concludes with the altar of incense, of acacia overlaid with gold, a cubit by a cubit and two cubits high, with its horns, rings and poles, and with the preparation of the anointing oil and the pure fragrant incense.
Chapter outline
- vv. 1-9: The ark of acacia and gold, the mercy seat and the two cherubim.
- vv. 10-16: The table of the bread of the Presence and its utensils.
- vv. 17-24: The pure gold lampstand with seven lamps.
- vv. 25-29: The altar of incense, the anointing oil and the incense.
Key verses in Exodus 37
References follow ESV book names and verse numbers. Read each verse in your Bible before the explanation.
Exodus 37:1
Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood. The man God filled with his Spirit is the one who carries out with his hands what God designed, uniting God's inspiration and human work.
Exodus 37:6
He made the mercy seat of pure gold, the cover of the ark. It is the place where God promised to meet Moses, and its exact making shows the seriousness with which God's presence was treated.
Exodus 37:9
The cherubim with wings spread covered the mercy seat and faced one another, with faces toward the center. They surround with reverence the place of God's presence.
Exodus 37:17
The lampstand is of pure hammered gold, with almond-blossom decoration. It was a beautiful work that gave light in the Holy Place, and it reminds us that God's presence is both holy and beautiful.
Main themes
- Obedience in the details
- The ark and the mercy seat
- Bread and light in the sanctuary
- Art at the service of God
- God's presence in the midst of his people
People and places
- Bezalel
- The cherubim
- Moses
- The Lord
Exodus 37 study questions and answers
6 questions with answers and references, ready for Sunday school, small group or a Bible quiz night.
1. Who made the ark?
Answer: Bezalel. — Exodus 37:1
2. What was the ark made of and how was it covered?
Answer: Acacia wood, overlaid with pure gold inside and out. — Exodus 37:1-2
3. What was on top of the mercy seat?
Answer: Two cherubim of hammered gold, with wings spread and faces toward each other. — Exodus 37:7-9
4. What was the table made of?
Answer: Acacia wood overlaid with gold, with a molding and rings for the poles. — Exodus 37:10-14
5. How many lamps did the lampstand have?
Answer: Seven lamps. — Exodus 37:23
6. What other object was made at the end of the chapter?
Answer: The altar of incense, of acacia overlaid with gold, along with the anointing oil and pure incense. — Exodus 37:25-29
Application for today
Exodus 37 shows that God's work is done with quality and care. Bezalel did not improvise: each piece was made as commanded. A person who serves in the church, preparing sound, materials or a class, can ask whether he works with the dedication of someone serving the Lord and not only an institution.
It also reminds us that the center of the sanctuary was God's presence, symbolized in the ark and its mercy seat. Christians believe that presence is now in Christ and in his Spirit. So worship centers on a person, not an object, and the art and details of worship serve to direct our gaze toward him.
Exodus 37 completes the furniture of the holy place. In chapter 38 the furniture of the courtyard, the altar of burnt offering and the basin, are made, and the metals used are tallied.
Frequently asked questions about Exodus 37
What were the cherubim?
They were heavenly beings who in the Bible guard God's presence, as in Genesis 3 at the entrance of Eden. Here they are represented with wings spread over the mercy seat. The text does not describe their appearance further.
Why are measurements already given in chapter 25 repeated?
Because the text narrates the execution of what had been ordered. Repeating the measurements shows that it was done as God commanded, and assures the reader that the work was faithful to the pattern.